World Food Day 2020: Stakeholders Discuss Ways to reduce Iron Deficiency in Ghana

Stakeholders of the ‘Live Strong with Iron’ campaign mark World Food Day with a special forum to bring focus to the need to step-up efforts to reduce iron deficiency among all, especially women and children in Ghana. World Food Day celebrated on 16^th October every year creates global awareness of hunger and promotes healthy diets for all. The theme for year 2020 “Grow, Nourish, Sustain Together” highlights the importance of food diversity, proper nutrition for future generations, environmental sustainability, partnership and concerted efforts to address nutrition-related challenges.

The forum moderated by Professor Matilda Steiner-Asiedu, a leading nutrition expert and a senior lecturer at the University of Ghana, and attended by government officials, academia,  dieticians, nutritionists, community opinion leaders, civil society organizations, media among others discussed ways in which different stakeholders can contribute to curbing iron deficiency and promote diets rich in iron and those fortified with iron in Ghana.

With the use of everyday affordable ingredients, the celebrated Chef Elijah Amoo Addo and campaign ambassador, Oheneyere Gifty Anti took the gathering through a cooking demonstration on how to prepare beans stew with a twist by adding kontomire, ensuring all essential nutrients are preserved to make the stew more nutritious https://www.facebook.com/nestle.cwar/videos/703923690330874/.

The ‘Live Strong with Iron’ campaign championed by Nestle Ghana focuses on creating awareness on iron deficiency, it negative consequences and solutions available. Speaking on behalf of Nestlé Ghana, Deborah Kwablah, the Corporate Communications and Public Affairs Manager indicates that the tenets of the Live Strong With Iron campaign is in line with Nestlé’s ambition to help 50 million children lead healthier lives by 2030 and it purpose of “unlocking the power of food to enhance quality of life for everyone today, and for generations to come.” “as the Good Food Good Life company, we are delighted to be associated with a campaign that talks about food that is affordable, accessible and nutritious”.

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Ahead of the stakeholder’s forum, an in-depth interview on the topic: state of iron deficiency in Ghana was discussed on Adom TV by Oheneyere Gifty Anti and Naana Anane Adjei a dietician. The two also presented a basket of iron rich foods to the presenter to showcase some common Ghanaians foods that are great sources of iron such as beans, legume seeds, wheat, eggs, brown rice among others. Resource Persons also highlighted iron fortified foods as good sources. The Live Strong with Iron campaign supports efforts to accelerate the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goal 2 Zero Hunger and 3 –Good health and wellbeing.