
VICE VERSA MEDIA GHANA ACTIVATES FOOD WASTE AWARENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY CAMPAIGN
Reducing wasted food does great things for the environment and humanity. It saves resources. When food is wasted, it also wastes the resources such as the land, water, energy, and labor that go into growing, storing, processing, distributing, and preparing that food. Taking simple steps in our everyday lives can make a difference in addressing this issue. Reducing wasted food is a triple win; it’s good for the environment, for communities, and for the economy.
Food waste begins at the production stage and spans to the consumption phase.
It is in line with this that Versa Media Ghana is dedicating the last weeks in March to embark on a food waste and sustainability Action Campaign. This campaign is intended to educate and engage the youth by raising awareness through use of media and to drive home issues of food waste and its effects on us.
Prior to the launch of this initiative on Sustainability and Food Waste Management, Vice Versa Media Ghana is partnering with Ghana Food Movement and other stakeholders within the food space to engage young people in a Food Waste Challenge and Mentorship, a weeklong campaign on social media promoting zero waste. This project is targeted at building the capacity of participants on how they can effectively use media to promote food waste management.
Contributing as a panelist at the launch of the challenge, the National Coordinator for Vice Versa Media Ghana, Naana Yaa Boatemaa Asiedu-Asante elaborated on the transformative power of social media and how Vice Versa Media is effectively using it to promote waste management amongst young people.
Creating awareness on food waste management through the use of media.
She further shared insights on how the digital media platforms are offering several opportunities to engage, educate, and mobilize young individuals towards a shared vision for a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Dr Jenny Hou, a lead researcher at QUT’s Digital Media Research Centre, emphasizes on the vital role media plays in attracting a lot of traffic and attention to several socio – economic issues. “We have found that social media as part of an intervention mix was effective in raising awareness, developing social norms, enhancing food waste literacy, and increasing ‘perceived’ behavior control over food waste’’ he stated.
Did you know?
“Do you know there is enough food produced in Ghana to feed the population that is over 33 million? “I bet you are wondering how? “According to the Global Food Bank, One out of three (1/3) food produce in the country goes to waste, that is approximately 3.2 billion tons of food, costing Ghana about 762.32 billion Ghana cedis a year”.
Frank Kporwodu, Operations Officer at Food for All Africa made this revelation at the Food Waste Day event organized in Accra.
Frank Kporwodu, Operations Officer at Food for All Africa
Food Waste is a crucial component contributing a large amount to waste in Ghana. Ghana, like many African countries, struggle with the issue of food losses which occurs throughout the food system during processing, production, distribution, service sales and consumption. In order to create awareness of food loss and highlight other alternatives to managing food waste, International Day of Awareness of food loss and waste is observed.
It is also estimated that over 45% of food produced and imported in Ghana is wasted along the food chain. With the amount of production, importing and exporting of food in Ghana, not less than 35% of the food is still left uneaten, according to the 2013 Ghana Food Waste report. This means that the food is left to rot in landfills as the single largest contributor to Ghana’s solid waste which accounts for a substantial amount of methane emissions, also meaning that Ghana is disposing about $8.9 dollars each passing year.
The Food Waste action campaign Launched.
Ghana Food Movement, an organization aimed at promoting and educating the public on food as part of activities to raise awareness for Food Waste, in collaboration with other stakeholders which includes Vice Versa Media Ghana launched THE FOOD WASTE ACTION CAMPAIGN on Friday the 15th March 2024 on the theme: “Food Waste Day” the campaign is aimed at creating awareness on actions that can be taken against food waste while promoting food management.
Collaboration of stakeholders in the food space to advocate for sustainable environment at the food waste day event.
The Campaign offered a platform to discuss the various methods of preventing the disposal of food and finding means to make it useful. The event saw in attendance the youth from the diaspora who are on a visit for an exchange program dubbed “Green is the new black”. “This program, according to Aimee Wallin, the Co-Director of Ghana Food Movement, connects 9 Germans and 9 Ghanaians together on topics of sustainability, climate and food security.”
We can prevent food waste or opt for other option like turning it into compost for plants.
Green is the new black.
“Green is the new black is an exchange program which focuses on bringing Black German’s and Ghanaian to start a dialogue on waste and plastic pollution. The goal is to come up with solutions for a more sustainable pathway” Miriam Odoom Harder, Project Coordinator for Future of Ghana, Germany stated that “our goal is to create the understanding that every single person has a perspective which has to be heard.”
“We all have different realities that can be an advantage or bring hurdles, so there’s the need for transparency, “Green is the new black” is not just about food waste but about social economic structures and an assignment to understand people in the diaspora outside the African continent who still feel connected to the continent” she added.
For years there has been global issues of food waste and how it is significantly affecting environmental, social and economic development.
Food Waste Day Challenge
At the heart of the event grounds, the vibrant youths converged into two distinct teams, each poised for a unique engagement. The first team embarked on an important assignment, a task presenting compelling and engaging contents on raising awareness on food waste. The students delved into discussions and brainstorming sessions on various themes surrounding this pressing issue with the guidance of Frank Kporwodu, a food waste expert and Naana Yaa Asiedu-Asiedu as a media expert. The most compelling and creative content will be shared on the Vice Versa Media Ghana and Ghana Food Movement’s platforms.
Brainstorming sessions by team to present engaging and compelling contents on raising awareness on food waste.
Meanwhile, across the event grounds, the second team eagerly immersed themselves in a hands-on farming workshop, under the guidance of the Green Space Ghana team. With urban agriculture as the focal point, they delved into the intricate process of setting up an urban farm. During this workshop, they planted herbs, lettuce, ginger, and garlic in reusable water dispensers.
However, what truly set this endeavor apart was the creative use of food waste as organic fertilizers, championing sustainability and maximizing yields simultaneously. Witnessing the transformation of discarded food into nourishing soil amendments, was a testament to the power of innovation and eco-conscious practices.
The use of food waste as organic fertilizers to maximize yields.
Youth’s involvement to cause global change.
“It is crucial that the youth are conscious of the importance of food sustainability and actively engaged in its advocacy’’. Frank Kporwodu highlighted the critical role of youth in preventing food waste and promoting environmental management. Emphasizing the significant economic and environmental toll of waste across the supply chain, he underlined the urgent need for heightened awareness and action in addressing this pressing issue.
Young German and Ghanaian students taking action by using food waste as compost for planting.
“Food waste is an expensive burden throughout the supply chain, affecting not only transportation and the economy but also our environment,” he asserted.
“Methane, which is about 28 times more dangerous than CO2, strikes a grave threat to our planet, to mitigate this impact, it’s crucial that we prioritize the decomposition of food waste and its transformation into compost for plant use.” he explained.
This asserts that it is time for the youth to take ownership of this global challenge, by advocating for sustainable practices and championing initiatives that promote the reuse and repurposing of food waste to foster a more resilient and environmentally conscious future.
Repurposing food waste fosters a more resilient and environmentally conscious future.
Azara Obiayaku, a participant of the “Green is the New Black” program, shared her perspective on the impact of the event. Reflecting on her experience, she was faced with the fundamental question: Why waste food? “In light of this program, I have understood the many possibilities for repurposing food waste,” Obiayaku remarked. “Whether it’s through composting or donating to the needy, there are several means to prevent unnecessary waste. Now, when I have leftover food, I will be reminded of the valuable options available,” she shared. “I could either donate it to those less privileged or better still turn it to compost to nurture plant life.”
Student from green is the new black shares her opinion on the food waste day event.
Conclusion
The Food Waste Day Campaign served as an emotional reminder of the need to address the issue of food waste. With insightful revelations about the quantities of food lost annually and the impact on Ghana’s economy and environment, the event reflected the critical importance of raising awareness and implementing practical solutions. As the world marks Food Waste week, it is evident that the journey towards a waste-free future is celebrated. However, with continued collaboration, education, and advocacy, we can work together to transform challenges into opportunities and pave the way for a more equitable, resilient, and environmentally conscious society.
-
WORLD PRESS FREEDOM: A PRESS FOR THE PLANET – Vice Versa Global
17.08.2024[…] VICE VERSA MEDIA GHANA ACTIVATES FOOD WASTE AWARENESS AND SUSTAINABILITY CAMPAIGN […]
Leave a Reply