Addressing Public Health Issues in Urban Vegetable Farming in Ghana
Abstract
The livelihoods of vegetable growers in and around Accra, Ghana were threatened by a city bylaw banning the use of polluted drain water, their main source of irrigation. This project built on past work by local universities to find solutions to reduce health risks without compromising the livelihoods of the producers and the health of the consumers. Farm level interventions included low-cost water treatment methods and safer irrigation practices. Interventions in the street food sector focused on appropriate vegetable washing.
These low-cost measures showed varying potentials for risk reduction, but used in combination they are significantly more effective in ensuring food safety. The project helped establish strong working relationships with farmers’ organizations and networks of farmers and food sellers and led to various follow-up projects and the founding of the Ghana Environmental Health Platform.
Citation
Anon. Addressing Public Health Issues in Urban Vegetable Farming in Ghana. The CGIAR Challenge Program on Water and Food, Sri Lanka (2013) 4 pp.
Links