World Vision launches food security initiative

World Vision Ghana, an NGO, has launched an initiative to end child hunger, malnutrition and food insecurity in the country. 

Dubbed “ENOUGH Campaign”, the over US$3.5 million programme forms part of a worldwide campaign by the organisation to ensure food security. It is aimed at addressing the root causes of unequal food system, conflicts and climate crises, while emphasising immediate and long-term solutions, including sustainable investment in policy and practice.

The campaign would provide improved services and implement policies to benefit 12.5 million children, and a direct reach of about 1.3 million children with high-quality nutritious food in households and schools.

The programme is expected to commence in October this year and end in December, 2027.

Statistics

At the launch in Accra last Wednesday, the National Director of WVG, Laura Del Vialle, said: "The largest global hunger crisis in modern history is unfolding before our eyes, with 149 million stunted children due to lack of nutritious food, and over 25 million children at risk of starvation.”

“Hunger and malnutrition question children's right to life, depriving them of their potential, condemning them to poor health, lack of education and increased exposure to violence, among other dangers," she said.

Ms Del Vialle also said that the stunting rate in the country stood at 18 per cent; current rate of wasting - six per cent; underweight - 12 per cent; under-five mortality rate - 40/1000 live births as against a global target of less than 25/1000 live births.

“Almost half (49 per cent) of children aged 6–59 months are anaemic, with 28 per cent experiencing mild anaemia, 20 per cent moderate anaemia, and one per cent severe anaemia.

“Also, two per cent of children under five years are overweight, while the proportion of the population experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity based on the food insecurity and experience scale (FIES) declined from 49.5 per cent in 2017, to 47.7 per cent in June, 2020, and 47.0 per cent in September, 2020,” she added. 

Collaboration

The West Africa Regional Director of WV, Carla Denizard, who joined the launch online, said that given the concerning situation across the West and Central Africa region, and the continent at large, the organisation had decided collectively with its peers in the Eastern and Southern Africa regions to commit US$1.7 billion to the campaign over the next three years.

She called for collaboration with governments, local and international NGOs, faith leaders, churches and the private sector to combine resources, expertise and network to create a lasting impact. 

Commitment

The Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, expressed the government’s commitment to support the campaign.

He said the Ministry of Health (MoH) and the Ghana Health Service had also implemented some high-impact nutrition-specific strategies to end hunger.

“These include programmes related to feeding and care practices, management of acute malnutrition, Vitamin A supplementation programme for children 6-59 months, and iron and folic acid (IFA) supplementation for pregnant women and adolescent girls,” he said.

Mr Acquah commended WVG for the initiative.