School caterers in five districts have been exposed to a variety of parboiled unpolished rice dishes through a training and cooking demonstration organized by the Ghana Education Service (GES), Ghana School Feeding Programme (GSFP), Ghana Health Service (GHS) and Women in Agricultural Development (WIAD) with support from the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP). This exercise, which forms part of the count down to this year’s World Food Day, is aimed at improving awareness, knowledge, and capacities of at least 100 school caterers, cooks, and matrons as well as nutrition and SHEP officers on the use of parboiled unpolished rice.
Speaking during the cooking demonstration at Tolon SHS in the Northern region, the Head of Social Protection at UNWFP Ghana, Madam Emma Anaman, said the use of parboiled unpolished rice in school meals has become critical in view of the many studies that have established its high essential nutrients needed for healthy bodies, growth, and brain development for children and adolescents. “We want to improve knowledge on cooking methods that guarantee safe and nutritious school meals. She added.”
Madam Anaman disclosed that the efforts by WFP and the partner state agencies to improve the nutritional and micronutrient status of Ghanaian children is supported by the Rockefeller Foundation through the ‘Catalyzing Good Food Through School Feeding Program’ project. The project is being implemented in six primary and six Senior High Schools within Bolgatanga, Kasena-Nankena, Tolon, Ejisu, and Shai-Osudoku districts.
“While improving education, health, and nutrition outcomes through this project, we are providing support to identified local rice producers and millers to enable them to produce and fortify healthy and climate-resilient rice for supply to NAFCO and caterers of the GSFP. We remain committed to collaborating strongly to transform the food systems to deliver better healthy diets and employment, especially for women and youth.” She noted.
The Head of Social Protection at WFP Ghana disclosed also a collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and the GES to promote school gardening.
The Northern regional minister, Alhaji Shani Alhasan Saibu in a speech read on his behalf by the DCE of Tolon, expressed gratitude to WFP for working together with GES, School Feeding Program, Ghana Health Service and other partners to build the capacities of school caterers to ensure that school children get optimum nutritional benefits from school meals. He decried the high prevalence of malnutrition in Northern region and its consequence on academic performance of children. “We appreciate WFPs support to local rice producers and millers. On our part, we at the Regional Coordinating Council are determined to lead in promoting the use of healthier nutritious foods in schools.” Alhaji Shani added.
Rita Ali, a cook at Tolon SHS thanked WFP for helping also to improve the skills of school caters in proper food handling, nutrition, food quality, and safety among others. According to her, the way meals are cooked are very critical to the retention of nutrients for optimum benefits of school children.
The Northern Regional Director of Education, Hajia Katumi Natogmah, expressed excitement about the introduction of the parboiled unpolished rice adding that it will go a long way to improve the nutritional levels and development of the children.
Other places where these exercises took place include Navrongo in the Upper East region and Ejisu in the Ashanti region. These efforts to strengthen the capacities of school caterers to serve fortified parboiled unpolished rice and other local nutritious foods through this project presents an opportunity to directly impact and address the micronutrient needs of over 1.7 million school children.
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