It has been reported that about 750 million or nearly one in ten people in the world are exposed to severe levels of food insecurity, and 2 billion people do not have regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. In northern Ghana, 33% of children are stunted, 11% are underweight, and 6.3% are wasted as compared to the national averages of 19%, 11%, and 5% for stunting, underweight, and wasting, respectively.
Food insecurity and malnutrition are key challenges of national governments, especially in the developing world. It has been reported that about 750 million or nearly one in ten people in the world are exposed to severe levels of food insecurity, and 2 billion people do not have regular access to safe, nutritious, and sufficient food. In northern Ghana, 33% of children are stunted, 11% are underweight, and 6.3% are wasted as compared to the national averages of 19%, 11%, and 5% for stunting, underweight, and wasting, respectively.
The situation is exacerbated by climate change, especially in northern Ghana where the double tragedy of droughts and floods occur in the cropping season. Thus, malnutrition remains a pressing challenge in northern Ghana, where various factors converge to undermine the health and well-being of vulnerable populations, particularly children. Many people consume cereals and cereal-based products, which are not safe, especially when prepared using woodfire. Leading branded cereal procuts are hard to access due to their high price. Besides, such global brands offer no value to local companies, farmers and ditributors.
Despite significant efforts to improve food security and nutritional outcomes, the region faces persistent issues such as poverty, limited local economic development, and inadequate education on nutrition. The high rates of stunting, underweight and wasting among children highlight the urgency of addressing this crisis, as malnutrition not only impairs physical growth and cognitive development but also perpetuates a cycle of poverty and poor health. The interplay of cultural practices, seasonal food scarcity, and economic constraints further complicates the situation, calling for comprehensive synergies that integrate community engagement, agricultural improvement, and health education to combat malnutrition effectively.
The African Agrifood Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AAKTP)
Understanding the complex nature of this problem, the University of York (UK) joined forces with the University for Development Studies (Tamale – Ghana) and Savanah & Sahel Commodities Limited (SCCL), a social business-driven SME located also in northern Ghana.
All three organizations shared a common purpose of working to tackle complex, global societal challeng- es. For example, University of York (UoY) is known as a University for Public Good, while University for Development Studies (UDS) known as a pro-poor university with a focus on knowledge for service to local communities for sustainable and inclusive economic development through various teaching and research activities.
Guided by their vision for the good of our society, UoY, UDS and SSCL teamed up to devise a targeted intervention that could foster a lasting change and improve the lives of those affected by food insecurity and malnutrition in Northern Ghana.
In 2021, following a successful grant application, the three partners were awarded the first African Agrifood Knowledge Transfer Partnership (£136,816.25) by Innovate UK (UK Research & Innovation). The purpose of this partnership was to develop a recipe and process a new-branded and fortified blended meal with soya, rice and maize to feed over 200,000 of needy and hungry school children in Ghana and optimize supply chain. This project was timely and a response to recent calls to improve the quality and safety of free school meals through the Ghanaian School Feeding Programme.
Developing a New, Local, Cereal Brand
Two expert UoY researchers in supply chain and marketing worked together with UDS academics and SSCL to design agri-food value chain for the company and develop a new, local, cereal brand. The new product was made with fortified flour and only with locally sourced indigenous ingredients targeting to primarily feed school children and promote regenerative agriculture for smallholder livelihoods improvement. The product is named ‘’C-Real’’ to represent an authentic, innovative and nutritious cereal brand aiming to improve the health and wellbeing of children from poor households. In particular, ‘’C-Real’’ is produced using energy efficient technology to deliver the tasty nourishment with convenience. It is packed with 18 vitamins and minerals to give all the needed nutrients for children’s healthy growth and development. Importantly, it offers an instant, packaged meal (3 minutes preparation) at an affordable price. According to the market survey undertaken in local schools, two out of the three of the school children prefer ‘’C-Real’’ to other well-known, global cereal brands because it tastes better.
Delivering Positive Impact by Creating Shared Value
What is more, this project engaged a range of stakeholders in creating shared value across all steps of a farm to spoon strategy. In particular, the AAKTP offered the following benefits addressing the 2,3,4 and 5, UNSD Goals:
- Created a product with higher nutritional value than similar products.
- Provided sustainable jobs and income for local farmers through regenerative agroforestry.
- Reduced unemployment levels by offering job opportunities in the local farmers’ co-operatives.
- Created up to 50 new jobs to-date for women.
- Provided ready market for farms to produce at competitive prices.
- Regenerated the local economy by empowering the female merchants.
- Educated school children in deprived areas about the importance of a safe, healthy and nutritious meal.
- Trained mothers of infants about the preparation of ‘’C-Real’’ meal and educated them about its nutritional benefits.
- Provided policy-related feedback to the UK High Commission and Ghanaian government bodies to transfer the succesful model of partnership to other products/industries.
- Provided expertise to local SME (SSCL) to market a product and enhanced its market performance.
Current Stage and the Way Forward
‘’C-Real’’ was officially launched in March 2024 in Tamale, Ghana where representatives of the UK High Commission and Ghanaian Ministry of Trade and Industry stressed the impact of this project on the local economy and society. In addition, the AAKTP has been recently nominated for two Innovate UK awards in the upcoming awards ceremony (27 November 2024) in two categories: ‘’Best AAKTP” and ‘’Changing the World”.
Currently, the new cereal brand is available in a few places in northern Ghana. However, as the AAKTP scheme has ended along with its funding, the challenge yet to overcome is to attract new funding through investment. SSCL, the company producing ‘’C-Real’’, has the capacity to scale up production and has the support of the Ghana Food Research Institute to increase production and distribution. Buying large machinery and having a factory would be a great step forward. This way, the impact of this project could be sustained and ‘’C-Real’’ could become available in more schools.
Key Take-aways of this Succesful Partnership
The ‘’C-Real’’ project presents a powerful model of creating shared value for public good, as it fosters partnerships between academic organizations and industry to address a critical issue such as malnutrition. By aligning economic growth with social impact, stakeholders can develop sustainable solutions that not only improve nutritional outcomes but also enhance local community. Initiatives that create new sustainable products, prioritize education, equal access to nutritious foods, and the empowerment of women can drive transformative change, ensuring that all members of the community benefit. ‘’C-Real’’ represents a best practice of such a partnership that can deliver positive impact for our common future.
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