Nutrition
Kokonte and hot pepper
Kokonte is a staple food eaten in many parts of Ghana, Togo and other West African countries. It is primarily made of dried cassava flour.
The method of preparation is similar to that of banku and tuo zaafi. It has a unique brown colour which differentiates it from banku, fufu, akple or tuo zaafi.
Kokonte or konkonte is mostly taken as lunch or dinner and served with groundnut soup, okro stew, light soup, palm nut soup or ground pepper.
Kokonte also known as ‘face the wall’ is sold in local eateries (chop bars) in Ghana and can also be prepared at home.
Ingredients
Dried cassava flour Water
Ingredients for hot pepper
Three large tomatoes
Three peppers
Two large onion
Two tablespoonfuls of salt
Preparation
-Pour two cups of water into a metallic cooking pot
-Place it on the source of heat and boil
-Whiles boiling, fetch some of the hot water and set aside.
-Add two and half cups of cassava flour to the boiling water in bits
-Stir with the wooden spatula whiles adding to ensure there are no lumps formation.
-Knead the mixture with the wooden ladle to form a thick and consistent paste.
-Continue kneading till you get the texture you need with no lumps.
-When cooked, use a small bowl to scoop and mould into desired sizes.
-Serve whiles hot with groundnut soup or palm nut soup.
-Store the remaining into a refrigerator or food container.
-Wash tomatoes, pepper and onion under running water.
– Grind pepper and onion and add salt to taste.
-Add tomatoes, when ready and serve with kokonte.
Source: Recipejoint
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-Rich in antioxidants
Wood Pressed Groundnut oil contains vitamin E, a potent antioxidant that protects cells from oxidative stress. Antioxidants play a crucial role in neutralising harmful free radicals in the body, reducing the risk of chronic diseases like cancer and diabetes.
-Aids digestion
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For the past thirty years, Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF) has transformed the treatment of severe acute malnutrition in children. Before its introduction in the late 1990s, children suffering from severe wasting often required prolonged hospital stays, intensive medical care, and constant supervision. Today, many of these children can recover safely at home or within their communities under the guidance of trained health workers. This innovation has saved millions of lives across more than 70 countries and changed the global response to child malnutrition.
Severe acute malnutrition, also known as severe wasting, is one of the deadliest forms of malnutrition. It weakens the immune system, slows growth and development, and increases a child’s risk of death significantly. Common illnesses such as diarrhoea, pneumonia, and malaria become far more dangerous when children are malnourished. Globally, undernutrition is linked to nearly half of all deaths among children under five years, with the highest risk among children under the age of two In Ghana alone, an estimated 68,517 children are affected by severe acute malnutrition, according to the 2022 Ghana Demographic and Health Survey.
RUTF has proven to be one of the most effective tools in treating severe wasting, and is central to the Community-based Management of Acute Malnutrition (CMAM) framework — the globally endorsed model for delivering SAM treatment at the community level, outside of hospital settings The peanut-based paste is fortified with essential vitamins and minerals and requires no refrigeration, water, or cooking, making it practical for low-resource settings. When treatment begins early and supplies are consistently available, recovery rates range between 75 and 90 percent, at an estimated treatment cost of approximately USD 45 to 60 per child making RUTF one of the most cost-effective interventions in global health. Children often recover within six to ten weeks, regaining strength and healthy weight rapidly.
Despite these successes, access to treatment remains critically low. Globally, fewer than one in four children who need therapeutic food are able to receive it. The challenge today is no longer about whether treatment works; the evidence is clear. The real challenge is financing and consistent supply.
Many countries, including Ghana, have already taken important steps. RUTF is included in Ghana’s Essential Medicines List and Standard Treatment Guidelines, and hundreds of health workers have been trained to manage severe acute malnutrition within communities, including through Ghana’s Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound network. However, procurement of therapeutic food still relies heavily on donor support, making supplies vulnerable to funding cuts and disruptions. As a result, some districts have access to treatment while others do not, even when malnutrition rates are equally high.
Addressing child malnutrition requires stronger political commitment and sustainable financing. Integrating RUTF into national health financing systems, including the National Health Insurance Scheme, could help ensure that children receive timely treatment regardless of where they live. Achieving this would require establishing clear RUTF reimbursement protocols within the NHIS claims framework, alongside dedicated national budget allocations for therapeutic food procurement. The infrastructure and knowledge already exist. What is needed now is sustained investment and prioritization.
Three decades of therapeutic food have shown that severe acute malnutrition is highly treatable. No child should die from a condition that can be managed with proven, lifesaving nutrition support. The progress made is significant, but the revolution remains incomplete until every child who needs treatment can access it.
Feature article by Women, Media and Change under its Nourish Ghana: Advocating for Increased Leadership to Combat Malnutrition project.
