Beyond the Dialogues: Tracking Ghana’s Food Systems Commitments

Governments make promises every day, but few carry the weight of actual implementation.

At the 2021 UN Food Systems Summit, the Government of Ghana, confronted with the multiple burdens of malnutrition, made 17 bold commitments aimed at reshaping how the country produces, distributes, and consumes food.

Tucked within a lengthy list of policies and pledges, these commitments may seem like minor notes in a vast agenda, but they hold the potential to impact the lives of millions, from farmers in rural communities to mothers and children across the country.

To ensure these commitments are implemented and translated, the Beyond the Dialogue Project was initiated as a structured mechanism for tracking progress of the commitments, identifying bottlenecks, and guiding the path toward a healthier, more equitable food system.

Comprising Government ministries, agencies, academia and a coalition of civil societies, the project is applying a science-driven framework to track the implementation of the commitments.

As part of its efforts to raise awareness and strengthen stakeholder engagements, the project convened a sensitisation workshop on November 5, 2025, in Accra.

The workshop brought together a diverse mix of stakeholders: representatives from government ministries, agencies, donor partners, academia, civil society, and the media.

During the workshop, Professor Anna Lartey, Project Co-Principal Investigator, from the University of Ghana, emphasised the importance of equity in food systems, noting that women and smallholder farmers, the backbone of Ghanaian agriculture, often face barriers to land, inputs, and financing.

She emphasised the importance of accessible, nutritious diets, recommending increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, as well as longer maternity leave to support breastfeeding.

Professor Amos Laar, a professor of public health nutrition and the Project Principal Investigator, highlighted to participants that food systems belong to everyone and their transformation requires collaboration from all.

He explained that the initiative not only tracks progress but also provides evidence to help stakeholders understand what is working, what is not, and why.

Dr Kasim Abdulai, the Executive Director of Operations for the Coalition of Actors for Public Health Advocacy, in his opening remarks stressed that the core aim of Beyond the Dialogues is to move commitments “from paper to practice.”

He expressed confidence that Ghana’s approach could serve as a model for other African countries seeking to build transparent and accountable systems for reporting on food systems actions.

Participants in the workshop engaged in group activities, examining all the commitments and reflecting on whether each commitment is achievable. They identified the actors most critical to implementation and proposed practical strategies to support progress.

These discussions revealed a mixed picture of progress across Ghana’s 17 food systems commitments. Some areas, such as policy integration, multi-sector coordination, and climate-responsive planning, have advanced significantly.

However, several commitments remained partially achieved or still in progress, particularly those requiring behavioural change, stronger regulation, or increased financing. For instance, Breastfeeding support, dietary guideline implementation, nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and restrictions on unhealthy food marketing were identified as areas where policies exist, but enforcement and community engagement need strengthening.

A recurring theme throughout the discussions was the need for stronger and more sustained domestic financing, stronger monitoring and accountability systems, improved cross-sector collaboration, community engagements, and practical local actions that bring national commitments to life. Overall, the workshop showed strong momentum and highlighted the need for continued effort to turn policies into actions.

For further information about the Beyond the Dialogues project, please visit the project website: https://beyondthedialogues.org/