Coconut yam porridge

Ingredients

-½ tuber yam

-Leftover stew substitute with fresh pepper mix

-Seasoning

-3 tablespoonfuls of salt

– 3 tablespoonfuls of coconut milk

-Half bottle of palm oil

– 2 tablespoonfuls of pepper

-3 tablespoonfuls of dried shrimp

Preparation

-Add hot boiling water to the dried shrimps and cover for about 10 minutes and then rinse clean with cool water.

-Peel yam and cut into chunks, wash and rinse clean.

-Add yam pieces to a pan and place on medium heat.

Add palm oil, pepper, coconut milk and little water just enough to cover the yam or at the same level as the yam.

-Add seasoning and salt, cover the pan with a lid and leave to cook on low heat.

-After five minutes, add the washed shrimps and continue to cook on low heat till yam is soft.

-Using a wooden ladle, mash yam into pieces but not to puree, leave some yam chunks if you desire.

-Check for salt and seasoning.

-Cook for another three-five minutes and take off the heat.

Source: myactivekitchen.com

Malnutrition in Ghana: A policy crisis hiding in plain sight

Let's fight malnutrition in Ghana

For many Ghanaians, “malnutrition” is often misunderstood as simply a lack of food. But nutrition experts say the reality is far more complex and far more urgent. It is not just about being hungry. It’s about not getting the right nutrients at the right time, especially for children under five and pregnant women. While the consequences are dire, the real danger lies in how little political attention the issue receives.

According to the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey, 12 per cent of children are underweight, and 6 per cent suffer from wasting, the most life-threatening form of malnutrition. Meanwhile, anaemia affects nearly 50 per cent of women of reproductive age, increasing risks during pregnancy and childbirth.

Nutrition interventions, like vitamin supplementation, school feeding, and treatment for severe malnutrition, are essential to saving lives and securing a healthy population. Yet only 0.4 per cent of the national health budget is allocated to nutrition-specific interventions. Many programs are heavily reliant on foreign aid, which is not only unsustainable but risky. The recent withdrawal of USAID support left a $156 million funding gap, threatening the availability of life-saving nutrition and health services.

The economic cost of this crisis is staggering. Ghana loses an estimated GH₵4.6 billion annually due to the long-term effects of malnutrition on productivity, education, and healthcare. Children who are stunted are more likely to struggle in school, earn less as adults, and suffer from chronic illnesses, all of which lock families into cycles of poverty.

But Ghana can reverse this trajectory. The experience of countries like Rwanda and Peru shows that with strong political commitment, dedicated budget lines, and multisectoral coordination, nutrition outcomes can improve dramatically.

That’s where the Nourish Ghana Project comes in. Led by Women, Media and Change (WOMEC) Organisation, the project aims to raise awareness and push for policy reform through advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and media mobilisation.