Food Sovereignty Ghana over the weekend took part in several activities to mark this years World Food Day in line with their objective of ensuring that wholesome food is sustainable available for Ghanaians.
An important reason why we were happy to be part of these events was to take the opportunity to highlight and alert Ghanaians about the fact that the notorious Plant Breeders’ Bill, is being smuggled in back to Parliament in completely new clothes and a new name, but the same content! The only difference is that whilst the public are supposed to be consulted before Parliament proceeds with the Plant Breeders’ Bill, there is nothing like that for the Arusha Plant Variety Protocol. Besides this could happen very swiftly as ARIPO calls for rapid ratification to avoid public scrutiny.
On Friday October 17th 2015, Communications Director Edwin Kweku Andoh Baffour attended the Organic Farmers Market of Cape Coast where he addressed a gathering of guests who frequent the market which is held opposite the Adisadel College Post Office in Cape Coast each Friday.
Also present at the event was Ghanaian musical wonder Wiyala who performed some of her hit songs as well as joined school children to work on their organic school farm which is part of their innovative Permaculture, Leadership, Agriculture, Nutrition, Transformation (P.L.A.N.T) programme which is an integrated environmental science organic farm class which has been introduced in the Central region on a pilot basis.
On Saturday FSG Secretary, Kofi Agyei attended a special performance at the Purple Palm House where students of the Akoma International Pan African School at Bronyibima near Elmina in the Central region entertained guests with a special musical performance.
Special Guest of Honor Nana Kobina Nketsia V, Paramount Chief of the Essikado Traditional area in the western region read excerpts from his book “African Culture in Governance and Development” and related the need for Africa to be inclusive of its past history and culture to best inform and aid its progress.
On the same Saturday October 18, FSG collaborated with Food 4 For All on World Food Day to demonstrate the importance of building allies and unity in the defence of the food sovereignty of Ghana. The organization donated pieces of wood in an attempt to construct the worlds longest table in Osu Accra. A newly released anti-GMO song performed by Ghanaian reggae artist – Bobo Shanti was played at the event and has been receiving growing airplay.
Agriculture contributes twenty percent (20%) of Ghana’s GDP and employs forty two percent (42%) of the human resource making it an absolutely crucial and most productive sector of the economy.
FSG believes it is therefore essential that all policies formulated for this sector must be well thought through to ensure sustainability, taking into consideration the sensitivity of the economy to the performance of agriculture. FSG returns to the High Court tomorrow October 20 for the resumption of the landmark case against the imposition of genetically modified organisms (GMO) into Ghana. Currently an interim injunction on the release of GM cowpeas and rice remains in effect.
FSG therefore takes this opportunity to call on Ghanaians to remain as vigilant as never before as the tricks being used to manufacture consent” over the GMO imposition are subtle.