GFAiR received 21 applications to its Call for Expression of Interest (closing 15/09/24). 3 consortia were selected:
During the Christmas and New Year period GFAiR organised several online meetings (20/12, 24/12, 31/12, 02/01, 04/01) to target 2 funding opportunities and prepare with the University of Ghana a proposal write shop in Winneba (Ghana).
Prof. Deborah ATOBRAH, Director of Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA), discussed how to use neglected foods and underutilized crops to empower women and to improve their physical and mental health using research and technology.
CEGENSA will lead a consortium of international actors to promote global-innovative approaches for
stimulating the consumption of neglected foods and tracking the health outcomes of its consumption. More specifically, the consortium will promote the use of 3 tools and monitor their impact on the mental and physical health of women.
The 2023 International Year of Millet, addressed the need to reestablish millets as a staple food due to their health benefits, particularly for women and children, in the context of a food system that currently favors wheat, maize, and rice. Key points of her presentation included marketing strategies aimed at increasing demand through stakeholder engagement, branding millets as 'smart food,' and utilizing ambassadors for promotion. She also presented the nutritional advantages of millets, the risks of over-refining them, and the importance of innovative culinary adaptations while respecting cultural identities. Global challenges such as the impact of food subsidy systems and historical biases in cereal science were also examined.
The informational and collaborative meeting on forgotten foods initiatives, featured key insights from the Swaminathan Foundation, which focuses on the promotion of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) crops through a 4C approach—Conservation, Cultivation, Consumption, and Commercialization. The foundation reported on their surveys with over 3,000 farmers in South Asia, highlighting barriers such as productivity and profitability while showcasing efforts like community-based seed banks. Research initiatives aimed at alleviating drudgery for women farmers were discussed, alongside nutrition profiling of NUS crops and policy influence, including the Biodiversity Act. Additionally, the development of a Millet App in India that connects producers with consumers was introduced, addressing challenges in protecting traditional knowledge.
Interview with the nurse Rebecca (working in a hospital in the Volta region) about the role of Indigenous ingredients and postpartum depression.
- Applicant a: Swaminathan Foundation (India): consortium including India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka
- Applicant b: Foodbridge (Belgium): consortium including Ghana, Nigeria, Belgium (Diaspora)
- Applicant c: University of Ghana (Ghana): consortium including Ghana, Nigeria, the Netherlands, Finland
- Seed Grant Application - Annual Seeding the Future Global Food System Challenge Application deadline: January 6. Hosted by the Institute of Food Technologists (Chicago) and funded by the Seeding the Future Foundation, the Challenge is intended to support innovations that have the potential for significant impact at scale and over time, and benefit at least one or more of the following intersecting domains: nutritious food for a healthy diet; sustainably produced; and accessible, appealing, affordable, and trusted by consumers.
- Pivotal Ventures funding opportunity Application deadline: January 10. This Melinda French Gates call aims to globally improve women's physical and mental health.
The draft proposal, titled “Promoting Women’s Traditional Knowledge in Health & Nutrition, Education, and Agriculture (PR♀TEA)” proposes a three-year action research initiative centred on increasing the consumption of forgotten foods.
Watch the One minute Video recording here
The Centre for Gender Studies and Advocacy (CEGENSA) has significantly improved women’s mental and physical health by promoting gender equity, fostering access to healthcare, and addressing structural barriers affecting women’s well-being.
- Through its advocacy initiatives, CEGENSA has educated communities on the importance of women’s health, offering workshops and support groups that address mental health challenges such as postpartum depression, workplace stress, and gender-based violence.
- Looking ahead, CEGENSA envisions a future where all women can access affordable, nutritional food. It plans to expand our impact by scaling the African food heritage conversation between urban and rural areas, advocating for health and nutrition policies that address gender disparities, and incorporating neglected foods and underutilised crops to improve the mental and physical health of women. CEGENSA aims to sustain its role as a catalyst for transformative change in women’s health and nutrition.
- CEGENSA collaborates with other partners such as the Crop Science Department of the University of Ghana, Foodbridge (Belgium), the Amsterdam Centre for World Food Studies (NL), the University of California Agricultural and Natural Resources (US), Women and Girls Advancing Nutrition Dietetics and Agriculture (WANDA-US+Nigeria), and the social entrepreneur Gamaal (UK), which has developed a food app to create awareness and market forgotten foods.
- Foodbridge illustrates the importance of integrating Indigenous knowledge with modern practicesto make traditional foods accessible and appealing, thus enhancing women’s economic opportunities and improving their health by making nutrient-rich foods a part of daily diets. Additionally, initiatives like food melas and seed banks promote community engagement and intergenerational knowledge transfer, ensuring the sustainability of these practices.
stimulating the consumption of neglected foods and tracking the health outcomes of its consumption. More specifically, the consortium will promote the use of 3 tools and monitor their impact on the mental and physical health of women.
- The Gamaal App connects talented home cooks with food lovers who long for healthy authentic, home-cooked meals and can also promote the consumption of neglected foods in the Global South. A feasibility study will be conducted to better understand the local conditions to roll out the Gamaal app in an African urban and semi-urban context.
- Anaemia and malaria management in Ghana can indirectly support the promotion andconsumption of forgotten foods as part of anaemia prevention strategies in regions where anaemia is prevalent.
- The Nutrition Business Monitoring tool is a self-assessment tool for Micro Small, and Medium-sized enterprises and can be instrumental in processing neglected Indigenous food by local food companies. The NBM tool was piloted by 46 SMEs in two Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) countries – Nigeria and Bangladesh – with the SUN Business Network (SBN). ATNi (Access to Nutrition initiative) developed this voluntary self-assessment tool for SMEs in partnership with the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN).
Extracts of the presentations:
During the workshop several online meetings were organised as “Inspirational talks” to inform the proposal writing.
08/01/2025 Online Presentation by Joanna Kane-Potaka
Advisor - Strategy Advisor - Strategy APAARI - Asia-Pacific Association of Agricultural Research Institutions
She concluded with the importance of positive messaging which is more effective than negative health warnings:
- Positive messaging can create a more engaging and appealing narrative around healthy eating, encouraging individuals to make better food choices.
- Research shows that framing health messages positively can lead to higher motivation and willingness to adopt healthier behaviors compared to fear-based warnings.
- Positive associations with food can enhance consumer perception, making them more likely to try and incorporate healthier options into their diets.
08/01/2025 Online Presentation by Oliver King of Swaminathan Foundation (MSSRF India)
The promotion of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) crops through a 4C approach—Conservation, Cultivation, Consumption, and Commercialization.
The informational and collaborative meeting on forgotten foods initiatives, featured key insights from the Swaminathan Foundation, which focuses on the promotion of neglected and underutilized species (NUS) crops through a 4C approach—Conservation, Cultivation, Consumption, and Commercialization. The foundation reported on their surveys with over 3,000 farmers in South Asia, highlighting barriers such as productivity and profitability while showcasing efforts like community-based seed banks. Research initiatives aimed at alleviating drudgery for women farmers were discussed, alongside nutrition profiling of NUS crops and policy influence, including the Biodiversity Act. Additionally, the development of a Millet App in India that connects producers with consumers was introduced, addressing challenges in protecting traditional knowledge.
11/01 Interview with Rebecca
Interview with the nurse Rebecca (working in a hospital in the Volta region) about the role of Indigenous ingredients and postpartum depression.
Watch the Interview with Rebecca here
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