By Dr Albert Kwansa, Caribbean and African Health Network (CAHN) and Professor Robert Akparibo, The University of Sheffield
The critical interplay between nutrition and education is increasingly recognized as fundamental to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2 on zero hunger and SDG 4 on quality education. Malnutrition, in all its forms, impedes cognitive development and educational attainment, which in turn empower individuals and communities to make informed choices for better nutritional outcomes. The recent GEM Report and School Health and Nutrition Research Consortium publication, Learn to Eat Well, provides valuable insights into how various countries are integrating educational initiatives into their national nutrition policies and strategies. This blog highlights the key findings showcasing Ghana’s approach.
Community engagement and behaviour change communication
A prominent feature of Ghana’s national nutrition policy framework is its strong emphasis on community-level interventions. The Learn to Eat Well report highlights Ghana’s focus on behaviour change communication as a core strategy, which involves a mix of approaches:
- advocacy: championing the importance of good nutrition across the community;
- social marketing: applying best principles in marketing to promote positive health behaviours; and
- community sensitization: directly engaging communities to raise awareness regarding recommended nutrition practices and essential food safety standards.
This approach signifies a policy direction aimed at fostering sustainable change by embedding nutritional knowledge and safe practices within the community.
The role and impact of school-based interventions
Schools serve as critical platforms for nutrition interventions in Ghana. The report cites the positive impact of school feeding programs in Ghana, including moderate increases in verbal and cognitive skills, with more pronounced effects observed among girls and disadvantaged students. The pathways identified for this impact include improved concentration, reduced morbidity-related absenteeism, better overall nutritional status, enhanced attention and memory, and the alleviation of household education costs.
Furthermore, Ghana has participated in pilot projects, such as those facilitated by the Food and Agriculture Organisation and the World Food Programme, aimed at assessing and building capacity for effective school-based food and nutrition education, indicating an engagement with international best practices and a commitment to improving programme delivery. Interventions that combine nutrition education with physical activity have also shown positive results in improving knowledge and weight outcomes among Ghanaian children.
Intergenerational effects and wider capacity building
The profound impact of maternal education on child nutrition outcomes is evident in Ghana. Data from the report show significant disparity in stunting rates between children of mothers with secondary or higher education and those with only primary education or less. This finding underscores the critical role of female education as a long-term strategy for improving Ghana’s nutrition indicators.
Beyond formal schooling and maternal education, Ghana’s approach includes capacity building in other sectors. The report notes agricultural extension programmes, such as an NGO-led initiative in northern Ghana focused on strengthening value chains and increasing farmer income. While effective, such initiatives also highlight the need to address contextual factors such as farmers’ trust in information sources, particularly those concerning adaptations to a changing climate. Training for community health workers is also implicitly relevant within Ghana’s broader health and nutrition strategy.
Implementation challenges
The report also makes mention of the complexities encountered in the implementation of some Ghana’s nutrition education programs. The Breastfeed4Ghana social media campaign, for example, despite achieving an overall high positive sentiment among those exposed to it, was faced with challenges related to message recall and retention. This indicates the need for better and improved stakeholder-based campaign designs that also consider evaluation metrics beyond reach alone.
Conclusion
Ghana’s national nutrition policies incorporate educational initiatives across multiple settings (e.g. school and community) and specific target groups (e.g. mothers and farmers). Key strategies include community-based behaviour change communication, leveraging school meals for educational and nutritional benefits, recognizing the crucial intergenerational impact of maternal education, and extending capacity building to the agricultural sector. While challenges in implementation and effectiveness remain, Ghana’s multifaceted approach, as shown in the report, demonstrates a clear recognition of education as an indispensable tool in the pursuit of improved national nutrition outcomes. Continued investment, integration, and context-specific refinement of these educational strategies will be vital for sustained progress.
