Scientists Gather In Ghana

Over 350 scientists from 50 countries have converged in Accra from June 25 to 28 to advance research in Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH).

The Accra meeting, is the third annual ANH Academy Week, a series of annual events that bring together the community of researchers and users of research (practitioners and policymakers) working at the intersection of agriculture, food systems, nutrition and health.

The objectives of the ANH Academy Week series is to foster knowledge exchange, innovation and learning around ANH research.

Dr Amos Laar, President of the African Nutrition Society said: 'The ANH Academy Week is not an ordinary week. It is one of those rare weeks; eminent scientists engage on issues that matter to all of the 7.6 billion people on earth - health, nutrition, agriculture.

'This week, Accra is the place that every scientist interested in nutrition and health, should be'.

The ANH Academy is a global research network in agriculture and food systems for improved nutrition and health to serve as a platform for learning and sharing.

It is part of the three work streams of the IMMANA programme. The ANH Academy aims to facilitate sharing and adapting of methods and metrics developed through IMMANA Grants and Fellowships.

It is also a broader partnership that aims to foster a community of researchers working at the intersection of agriculture, nutrition and health.

The ANH Academy is jointly founded and initial coordination is provided by the Leverhulme Centre on Integrative Research in Agriculture and Health (LCIRAH), IMMANA and CGIAR's Research Program on Agriculture for Nutrition and Health (A4NH).

Dr John McDermott, Director, A4NH, said having the Academy Week in West Africa would allow researchers from the region to share their pioneering research with colleagues elsewhere, and engage the next generation of West African researchers with research leaders globally.

Professor Suneetha Kadiyala of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London (LSHTM) and the Principal Investigator of IMMANA said 'ANH Academy is committed to facilitating learning and sharing across countries, regions and sectors.'

'Ghana is leading the way in agriculture and nutrition research and policy on the continent and we could not think of a better location for this important gathering,' she stated.

Prof Daniel Sarpong, the Dean, School of Agriculture, University of Ghana, noted that holding the ANH Week in Ghana was timely.

'We hope that the world through the Academy Week will put Ghana on the spot in this light.'

From the Accra Conference, organisers expect new connections to bring about increased collaborations across borders, disciplines and perspectives.

A particular focus would be on connecting researchers to policymakers and implementing agencies.

The organisers hope that this ground breaking research would inform policies and practices to improve the state of agriculture and nutrition in Africa and globally.