Footage of ‘Operation Feed Yourself’ food fair in 1972 surfaces

A rare footage of a one-day food fair organized by the Ministry of Health in 1972, under then Head of State, General Kutu Acheampong’s “Operation Feed Yourself” program, has surfaced on the internet.

Under the military leader’s regime, “Operation Feed Yourself” became an agricultural program aimed at increasing levels of food and crop production in Ghana for domestic consumption.

The program's first five-year plan was targeted to reach a 6 percent annual growth in agricultural output.

This growth in agriculture would also have significant effects on employment levels with the Acheampong government projecting an increase of 0.8 million in the number of farmers nationwide by the year 1990.

The video, which was monitored by GhanaWeb saw Ghanaians at the food fair in Accra exhibiting and selling various locally produced food and crop items such as yam tubers, local rice, red oil, pineapple juice amongst others.

Some already cooked meals which were on display at the fair also included; Fried Chicken, Ga Kenkey, Banku, Fufu, Jollof rice and many more.

One vendor’s placard in the footage displayed; “YOU PAY FOREIGN FARMERS IF YOU EAT IMPORTED FOODS”

Another said: “EAT YOUR LOCAL FOOD, THEY CONTAIN ALL THE FOOD VALUES”

Unfortunately, “Operation Feed Yourself” failed to improve domestic food conditions in Ghana as local food crops remained scarce and price levels on these remained high.

The video was posted via Twitter on January 6, 2020 by @GhanaianMuseum with the caption; “Footage of One-day food fair in Accra as part of “Operation Feed Yourself’ in 1972. The aim of the Fair was to encourage the public to eat more local food and discard imported agricultural products. It was organised by Greater Accra with the assistance of the Ministry of Health”

PS: This video has no sound.