Humane Futures, a student-led organisation, has stepped up its animal welfare and sustainable food systems advocacy to Ghana’s House of Parliament for parliamentarians to consider enacting laws for animal protection.

The group, following an initial visit to Parliament, has officially submitted a policy brief on animal welfare to the Parliament’s select committees on Climate, Food and Agriculture, Environment, and Health.

Key among the priorities presented to the committees included support for implementation of Ghana's newly developed National Poultry Welfare Standard (GS 1404:2026) and modernising Ghana's animal welfare legislation to reflect contemporary agricultural practices.

Others are integrating humane, plant-forward food systems into national agricultural policy to strengthen food security, attract innovation, and promote sustainable economic growth.

The brief also highlighted the growing ecosystem of organisations advancing humane and sustainable food systems in Ghana, including Animal Welfare League (AWL), SHARED Africa, AWASH (Aquatic Welfare for African Sustainability and Health), and the Root Alliance.

These initiatives showcase that animal welfare and sustainable food systems are increasingly becoming areas of collaborative action across the country.

Speaking after the visit, Co-founder of Humane Futures, Audrey Atampoka Ayambire, noted that meaningful policy change is built through sustained relationships rather than one-off meetings.

“Our objective is to build constructive relationships with policymakers and initiate conversations on how Ghana can strengthen its food system while improving outcomes for public health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare,” she noted.

The submission was made by the organisation together with volunteer students, veterinarians, researchers, and animal welfare advocates during the first-ever Ghana Parliamentary Lobby Day, dedicated to advancing the country's food system and animal welfare standards.

The Mass Lobby Day afforded the group an opportunity to familiarise themselves with parliamentary procedures and begin establishing relationships with the lawmakers.

During these engagements, the MPs encouraged the organisation to maintain communication with interested parliamentarians and present a formal petition to the Speaker of Parliament to initiate broader institutional discussions.

Maxwell Asampana, also a Co-founder, emphasised the initial engagement as an important milestone in establishing dialogue with Parliament while working collaboratively with policymakers to explore practical solutions for Ghana's agricultural future.

“The organisation is now meeting individual parliamentarians, government agencies, researchers, financial institutions, civil society organisations, and industry stakeholders as it develops evidence-based policy recommendations for Ghana's food system,” he said.