The US Food Sovereignty Alliance has honoured the Food Sovereignty Ghana (FSG) as the 2022 International Food Sovereignty Prize winner for its outstanding work in promoting safe and organic food across the country and beyond.
Mr Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour, the Communications Director, FSG, said the international award came at a moment of reflection on the past decade and the contribution the FSG had and inspired responsible policy making to promote human health, animal life and the environment.
The FSG, he said, was almost welcomed as a nuisance trying to destroy status quo when it started operations, therefore the award had vindicated them for the country and beyond to know they were taking the right path.
“Ghana does not need GMOs, farmers require investment in irrigation and post-harvest technology. Bringing in GMOs will not stop crops from rotting on farms,” he said.
“In particular, the warning is more relevant at this time since the government through its agencies, has shown a clear intention to release commercially, a genetically modified version of cowpea,” he said.
Meanwhile, he said the cowpea locally known as beans is a staple in the sub regional diet of millions and a key ingredient in waakye, tugbaani, koose, and red-red among others.
“Our fundamental concern with this novel technological innovation is the speed to market with a clear lack of guidance from research on the effects from its consumption over an acceptable period of time,” he said.
Mr Baffour bemoaned the approval of an application for the commercial release of the GM cowpeas by the National Biosafety Authority which officially handed over a deregulation permit to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research a few days ago.
“The average Ghanaian doesn’t want any changes made to our cowpeas (black eyed pea) and inherited staple foods and they do not want any interference that will destroy food safety in Ghana and across the continent,” he added.
The Communications Director “lamented” what he claimed as “lack of sensitivity to mining activities” and called on the Government to consider urgent and strong steps to restore water bodies that were being destroyed by the act.
The advocacy by the FSG, Mr Baffour said, had encouraged some people to indulge in backyard farming especially as child diabetes and cancers were on the rise.
“We will continue to invest in our advocacy because many people are realising the impact of chemicals on our foods and that is progress although there’s still more to be done,” he said.
By Eunice Hilda A. Mensah
