The National Coordinator of the Ghana School Feeding Programme, Gertrude Quashigah has congratulated the winners of the 2021 edition of the National Farmers and Fishermen's Day celebration, on their continual efforts to serve as the backbone of national development.

According to Mrs. Quashigah, agriculture is not only the backbone of Ghana’s development but also the foundation which underpins the Ghana School Feeding Programme.

She stated that the Programme would continue to attain higher heights as Ghana champions food security.

The food expert noted that the theme for the 2021 Farmers Day Celebration “Planting for Food and Jobs – Consolidating Food Systems in Ghana” is timely since it will afford the country an opportunity to focus on agriculture as the major frontline tool for development.

Mrs. Quashigah further underscored that raising the next generation of healthy school children is the bedrock of the school feeding programme premised on the advancement of agriculture towards realising the Sustainable Development Goals 1 to 6.

Additionally, Mrs. Quashigah said the third (3rd) Pillar of the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) policy framework for agricultural transformation, wealth creation, food security and nutrition, economic growth and prosperity for all, is critical towards ensuring effective implementation of the Ghana School Feeding Programme.

She applauded Government for the efforts to expand the programme towards achieving national coverage from 3.4 million to 4 million pupils (immediately increasing the coverage from the current 71.8 % to 84.5%).

Mrs. Quashigah also expressed gratitude to the Chief of Staff, Mrs. Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, for highlighting the significant contributions of the Ghana School Feeding Programme as a results-driven Social Protection Programme in Ghana, during the 2021 UG Alumni Lecture on the theme “Social Protection in Ghana: Are we on track?”

TV Program

The National Coordinator said, as part of creative ways to ensure effective management and operational delivery of cooking services by caterers across the country, she will soon introduce a TV Show that will be broadcast on television and social media, to offer school feeding caterers an innovative and cost-effective ways of cooking.

This she hopes will be a game-changer towards enhancing the skills and capacities of caterers nationwide to deliver on the mandate of school feeding vision.