UN Global Compact Network Ghana to Host 2025 Sustainable Food Systems Summit in Accra

The UN Global Compact Network Ghana has announced the 2025 Sustainable Food Systems Summit to be held in Accra on 10 September 2025.  The Summit will convene representatives from government, development partners, agribusiness, civil society, academia, and the media to highlight the urgency of transforming Ghana’s food systems in response to domestic challenges such as hunger, malnutrition, rising food costs, and post-harvest losses, as well as to the global call to action issued at the UN Food Systems Summit Stocktaking Moment +4 in Addis Ababa in July 2025.

At a press briefing in Accra today, the Executive Director of the UN Global Compact Network Ghana, Mr. Tolu Lacroix, described the upcoming Summit as a strategic national initiative addressing both global and local challenges within Ghana’s food systems. He stressed the importance of multi-stakeholder collaboration in driving innovation, attracting investment, and promoting accountability. Mr. Lacroix also encouraged the media to help shift public perception of food systems, viewing them not only as agricultural and market structures but as key drivers of economic growth, environmental sustainability, and public health.

Speaking on behalf of the Presidential Advisor for the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Initiative, Mr. Charles Nornoo, Lead of the Agric Transformation Grow 24 programme, stated that transforming Ghana’s food systems is not only a matter of nutrition and sustainability, but a critical economic imperative. He noted that food systems have the potential to drive industrialization, boost exports, generate employment, and enhance agro-processing and value addition for both domestic consumption and international markets. Mr. Nornoo commended the UN Global Compact Network Ghana for convening the Summit, adding, “The journey from a $3 billion food import dependency to food sovereignty is challenging—but it is within reach.”

The Principal Planning Advisor at the Policy Division of the National Development Planning Commission, Madam Lila-Karen Amponsah, said the Summit comes at a critical moment and that it is “not only an opportunity to take stock, but also a call to consolidate action.” She thus reaffirmed the NDPC’s role in providing leadership for planning, coordination and accountability.

Journalists’ concerns about inclusivity and representation of grassroots actors along the food value chain were addressed when organizers confirmed that the Summit will convene stakeholders from across the entire value chain. In response to questions about alignment with the 24-Hour Economy initiative, officials noted that recommendations emerging from the Summit will inform and complement national development efforts.

The Summit will culminate in the release of an outcome document, which will provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of Ghana’s food systems. It will present actionable policy recommendations and investment priorities aligned with national development objectives and global sustainability commitments. The document is expected to serve as a strategic roadmap for coordinated action, resource mobilization, and long-term accountability.