Ghanaians urged to patronize indigenous foods

The concern about patronizing Ghanaian foods has become relevant as “YEN DI GHANA ADUANE FOUNDATION” advocates consuming locally produced dishes to promote the Ghanaian culture.

The foundation on 4th August 2024 at Dodowa in the Greater Accra Region has launched “YEN DI GHANA ADUANE, Me Di Enyakwa” to showcase and promote local dishes and assorted drinks and promote Ghanaian culture.

The vision of the foundation is to promote and celebrate the rich culinary heritage of Ghana while hoisting employment and entrepreneurship through the innovative locally designed kiosk.

Nicholas Kwashie, the secretary for the foundation who addressed the media says the organization aims to create awareness of the consumption of local foods to create permanent employment incorporating the idle youth.

“Job is very key because the timid youth need to work, so we also seek to empower over 300 Ghanaian youth. In this regard, within the first two years of the organization, we will offer the youth training on how to prepare, serve, and package indigenous foods,” he mentioned.

He added that the multi-facet approach will significantly link Ghanaian farmers to the productive market encouraging farmers to produce more foods.

According to him, the organization will intensify its roles to ensure that local foods are easily accessed by every Ghanaian as the organization will provide branded kiosks at vantage points furnished with local foods devoid of any additive.

“Some of the imported foods are full of chemicals just to preserve them and the country has to minimise the importation of these foods. The blend of some local foods goes a long way to cure some ailments so let us encourage our men to consume these blends of local foods,” he stated the health benefits of local foods.

In a measure to ensure local foods are promoted, he entreated the government and stakeholders in the agriculture and food production sector to partner with the foundation to achieve their goal.

Speaking further on the foundation, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of YEN DI GHANA ADUANE Foundation, Stephen Olegor has emphasised on the nutritional values of consuming Ghanaian foods saying the nutritional values in local foods improve the health of individual consumers.

He stressed, “Focusing on patronizing local foods will save the country from committing money to importing exotic foods as supplementing the gap between food shortage in the country. This commitment is prominent to encourage youth employment.”

Stephen Olegor also speaks about the gender role in attaining the foundation's vision, noting that women have a vital role in promoting local foods as they remain major consumers and vendors of these foods.

Divisional Chief of Dodowa, Nene Odoi Ansah Sorsey IV who witnessed the occasion stressed on the comparative quality of local food content to the imported foods and urged Ghanaians through the media to embrace the healthy nutrient of the local foods.

He has therefore admonished the government and the Ministry of Agriculture to equip farmers in producing and circulating local foods across the country to avert the patronize of imported foods.