Ghana: Accra – HealthyFoodAfrica

People gathered around cooking equipment

Empowering Rural Communities: Training on Soy Value Addition in Tamale

Posted on April 11th, 2025 | by Liisa-Maija Aukia

The HealthyFoodAfrica project organized a hands-on training in Northern Ghana to empower rural communities to turn soybeans into nutritious, marketable products. By building practical skills and supporting local entrepreneurship, the aim is to promote food security, better nutrition, and sustainable livelihoods. The Accra Food System Lab (FSL Accra), operated by CSIR, successfully organized a hands-on […]

Improving Smoked Fish Safety in Ghana: Food System Lab Accra pilots modified ovens for healthier processing

Food System Lab Accra has been working to improve the safety, efficiency, and quality of smoked fish by piloting a modified version of the Ahotor oven. Originally developed under the Sustainable Fisheries Management Project in 2016, the Ahotor oven was designed in collaboration with several stakeholders, including the CSIR-Food Research Institute. The Ahotor oven consists […]

Transforming indigenous crops and fish into convenient foods

Food System Lab Accra’s pilot supports food companies in adopting innovative food products based on local ingredients To promote the adoption of seven innovative food products developed from indigenous crops and fish species, HealthyFoodAfrica project’s Food System Lab Accra operated by the CSIR-Food Research Institute organized several workshops and hands-on training sessions. These targeted small […]

Quantification and Utilization of Tilapia Waste: Opportunities for Sustainability in Ghana’s Aquaculture Sector

Aquaculture, particularly the farming of Nile tilapia is a cornerstone of Ghana’s food system strategies, addressing protein demand sustainably. However, significant waste – ranging from 30% to 45% – is generated in the tilapia supply chain. This highlights an urgent need for better utilization of fish waste to enhance sustainability and reduce resource inefficiencies. Key Findings […]

From Lab to Plate: CSIR Showcases Food Innovations and Fish Smoking Heritage in Accra

Amy Atter1, Queronica Q. Quartey2, Stephen Nketia1, Jolene Nyako1, Evelyn Serwa Ayeh1, Anthonia Andoh-Odoom1, Hayford Ofori1, Mary Obodai1, Wisdom Amoa-Awua1, Seth Koranteng Agyakwah3 1CSIR- Food Research Institute 2Labour Productivity Centre 3CSIR- Water Research Institute In line with the requirements of the HFA Grant Agreement for regular reporting on project activities, including milestones, and […]

Enhancing a Sustainable Circular Economy in the Aquaculture Sector in Ghana: Using Tilapia Waste

By Richard Yaw Otwey, Amy Atter, Christopher Galley, Ethel Blessie, Stephen Nketia, Gloria Asare, Ebenezer Asiamah, Hayford Ofori, Queronica Quartey and Seth Agyakwah The HealthyFoodAfrica project’s Food System Lab Accra focuses on the use of tilapia waste to improve the sustainability of food value chains. In the world we live in, every activity […]

Value addition to agricultural and fish biodiversity promotes nutritious convenience foods for healthy diets and businesses

Authors: Amy Atter1, Ethel Juliet Blessie1, Evelyn Serwa Buckman1, Stephen Nketia1, Frank Peget1, Alice Padi1, Constance Boateng1, Queronica Q. Quartey2, Seth Koranteng Agyakwah3 1CSIR- Food Research Institute 2Labour Productivity Centre 3CSIR- Water Research Institute The double burden of malnutrition is predominantly widespread in sub-Saharan Africa, where undernutrition and overweight or obesity coexist. Several reasons have […]

Mrs. Aflo is vending vegetables and fruit

An ode to women – The real frontliners for nutrition

“If you educate a man, you educate an individual. But if you educate a woman, you educate a nation”. – Dr Kwegyir Aggrey (Educationist & African Scholar) Globally, there is an assertion that women’s economic and social rights have considerably improved, but the recent COVID-19 pandemic and resulting global financial crisis have helped to illuminate the […]

Scoping exercise in Food System Lab Accra: The journey so far

The HealthyFoodAfrica Food Systems Lab Accra’s scoping exercise is geared towards ascertaining the overall picture of the food system in selected coastal communities with special focus on fishing communities. To do this, we sought to engage stakeholders along the fish value chain at the household and community levels, identify any possible shortfalls in the current […]

How we improve nutrition across the coastal belt of Ghana

Authors: Hilary Kwesi Ketemepi, Jolene Nyako, Soma-Mahme Loobod, Amy Atter, Stephen Nketia, Seth K. Agyakwah and Queronica Q. Quartey HealthyFoodAfrica’s Accra Food System Lab’s activities have been designed to address nutritional challenges by providing nutritional knowledge to local population and increasing their access to research-informed food products. The ultimate strategy is to investigate the dietary […]