The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, says it is collaborating with allied institutions to improve food processing to ensure food security amidst the coronavirus pandemic.
The assurance came as Ghana joined the world to marks the day of scientific renaissance on June 30, 2020.
Ghana commemorated the day with its focus on food security and nutrition in the midst of the pandemic.
The imposition of restrictions in the month of April affected the production and carting of some food items which partly led to an increase in prices. But the gradual easing of the restrictions has led to a steady pick up in the production levels of farmers.
The Health Nutritionist with the Food Research Institute of the CSIR, Dr. Jolene Mateko Nyako, in an interview with Citi Business News said her outfit is working to ensure that there is enough processed foods to meet demand locally.
“Even though farmers and processors and Small and Medium Scale agricultural businesses have had their access to finance being diminished, they are trying to work with whatever capacity they have at this moment. This even transcends the farmers and producers because even at the household level, there are less people going to work on the farms,” she said.
Among the issues raised to mark the day is the probability that Ghana’s food processing in 2020 could be affected due to a possible shortage of 2019 food reserves by 30%, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
But the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation says it is working with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, to reduce the impact of this situation on the population.
“We see that gradually the sector is coming back to its former state as people are coming in to produce and process new innovative products. It is not dire, but we do not expect the situation to be as it used to be, but gradually pick up as time goes on,” Dr. Nyako added.
Meanwhile, there has been a call for Africa to make efficient use of its vast land resources and reverse being considered as the continent having the highest prevalence of undernourishment.