Nutrition
Ginger bread
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-350grammes of plain flour
-2 tablespoonfuls of baking powder
-2 tablespoonfuls of grinded ginger
-1 tablespoonful of grinded cinnamon
-1/2 tablespoonful of grinded cloves (optional)
-1/2 tablespoonful of nutmeg
-Salt
– 1/2 cup of unsalted butter, softened
-1 cup of dark brown sugar
-2 large eggs
-1/2 cup of golden syrup
-1 tablespoonful of vanilla extract
-Sprinkles, edible glitter, or small sweets
Preparation
-Begin by preheating the oven to 180 degrees Celsius and lining a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
-In a large bowl, sift together the plain flour, baking powder, ginger, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and salt. Stir well and set aside.
-In another bowl, use an electric whisk or a wooden spoon to cream the softened butter and dark brown sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. (This step helps incorporate air into the dough, giving your gingerbread a lovely texture).
-Beat eggs into the butter and sugar mixture, then mix in the golden syrup and vanilla extract. (Stir until the mixture is fully combined).
-Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring gently until a dough forms. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
-Wrap the dough in cling film and chill it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the dough makes it easier to roll and ensures that the shapes hold their form during baking.
-On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of about 5mm (1/4 inch). Place the cut-out shapes on the prepared baking tray, leaving a little space between each one.
-Bake the gingerbread in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges begin to darken slightly. Keep a close eye on them to avoid over-baking.
– Get creative with sprinkles, edible glitter, or small sweets to make your gingerbread truly unique.
Ingredients
-Cocoyam leaves (Nkontomire)
-Palm oil
-Ripped Plantain
-2 Large smoked salmon
-1 cowhide (wele)
-1 cup of Egusi
– Momoni
-3 fresh eggs
-2 large onions
-2 large tomatoes
-Pepper
-Ginger
-Garlic
Method
-Wash cocoyam leaves thoroughly under running water
-Cut cocoyam leaves into stripes and wash for the second time
-Blend tomatoes, onion, pepper, ginger, and garlic together
-Put sauce pan on fire and heat palm oil
-Add blended ingredients and allow to cook for about 5 minutes
– Wash salmon, wele and cut into cubes and add to stew
-Add salt
-Add eggs to egusi in a bowl to form paste and add it to stew
-Add to stew and allow to simmer for seven minutes
-Add cocoyam leaves to stew and allow it to cook for sometime
-Wash, peel plantain and cut into shapes
-Cook for some time (Pour water out and serve with stew)
By Linda Abrefi Wadie
Every year, Ghana produces thousands of tonnes of nutritious food but a significant share of it never reaches a plate. Fruit spoils before it’s sold. Vegetables rot in transit. Grains are ruined by poor storage. Conversations about nutrition often focus on growing more food but reducing what’s lost or wasted after harvest may be one of the fastest ways to improve food security and nutrition, without farming a single extra acre.
The cost of losing nutritious food
Fresh fruit and vegetables spoil the fastest, and without adequate storage, cooling, or transport, farmers are often forced to sell at rock-bottom prices or watch their harvest go to waste. That squeezes farmers’ incomes and shrinks the supply of nutritious food reaching local markets. As supply falls, prices rise, pushing healthy food further out of reach for the low-income households that need it most.
Nutrition begins beyond the farm gate
Cutting post-harvest losses means more nutritious food reaches families without needing more farmland or higher yields. When tomatoes, mangoes, and leafy greens are preserved through better storage, drying, or processing, they stay available and affordable for longer. Better handling also protects nutritional quality itself, so the vitamins and minerals in food aren’t lost before it ever reaches a consumer.
Supporting farmers supports nutrition
Many farmers still lack access to storage facilities, cold chains, processing equipment, and reliable transport. Strengthening these systems is a win on both ends: farmers earn more from what they grow, and households gain more affordable access to nutritious food. Local processing, such as turning surplus fruit into juices, dried fruit, or purees, can extend shelf life and cut waste even further.
What needs to change?
Reducing food loss takes coordinated action:
• Government: invest in rural roads, storage infrastructure, irrigation, and agricultural extension services.
• Private sector: expand cold storage, food processing, and distribution networks.
• Research institutions: keep developing better post-harvest preservation technology.
• Consumers: plan meals, store food properly, and make safe use of leftovers.
Looking ahead
As Ghana works to tackle malnutrition in all its forms, cutting food loss deserves a place at the top of the agenda. Growing more food matters, but making sure the food already grown actually reaches families, safely and affordably, matters just as much.
Every basket of tomatoes saved, every crate of mangoes preserved, and every bag of grain protected from spoilage adds up to better nutrition, stronger livelihoods, and a more resilient food system for the future.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project
