The CSIR-Food Research Institute, in collaboration with Sheffield University and Gold Coast Sustainability and Governance Institute, organized a stakeholder’s workshop at the CSIR-Food Research Institute on Tuesday, 20th October 2020. The theme for the workshop was, “The Triple Bottom sustainability analysis on the circular economy of the Agricultural food value chain in Ghana” with an objective to reduce post-harvest losses and create zero waste in the system. Thirty-one (31) persons/Institutions participated: twenty-One (21) were in-house and ten (10) online. Participants were drawn from Research and Academia, Government and Policy Agencies, Non-Governmental and CSOs, actors in the food value chain, climate change, and agricultural waste businesses.
In her opening remarks, Prof. (Mrs.) Mary Obodai, Director of the CSIR-Food Research Institute indicated that the fundamental principle of the circular economy was to ensure that the value chain of production systems are self-sustaining and supports the re-use of resources to avoid wastage.
Introducing the triple bottom sustainability analysis to participants, Ms. Eunice Oppon of Sheffield University, United Kingdom, distinguished between linear, recycled, and a circular economy. According to her, the linear economy has a throwaway approach, where the material was produced, used, and disposed of and the circular economy introduced products back into production. However, a circular economy was most preferred where products are used, recycled and the waste re-used.
The second presentation was on the ‘’Trends in Global Agriculture and its relevance in the era of COVID-19 Pandemic’’. By Prof. Lenny Koh, of the Advanced Resource Efficiency Center, Sheffield University, UK. Her presentation touched on how the Covid-19 pandemic had Impacted livelihoods, agriculture, food systems, and global health, and for that matter the circular economy.
In another presentation, Mrs. Mariam Oppong, on behalf of Dr. Emmanuel Frimpong Boamah of the Gold Coast Sustainability and Governance Institute, spoke on ‘’The Agricultural Economy Landscape: The Ghanaian Perspective’’. She indicated how Ghana had instituted programs to increase food production to ensure food security in the country and the circular economy. This, she indicated would create new models and bring along new job opportunities while impacting positively on the environmental footprint.
Prof. (Mrs.) Mary Obodai, Director of the CSIR-Food Research Institute made a presentation on CSIR’s role in the Agri-business sector of the Ghanaian Economy. As the foremost public Science and Technology (S&T) Research Institution in Ghana which generates applied innovative technologies, she introduced the CSIR to participants by making known the vision, mission, and mandate. With the agribusiness trend in the CSIR, Prof. Obodai indicated that the CSIR engages in Animal, aquaculture, and food crop production, product development, and food processing, export-oriented agribusiness, local equipment fabrication, and technology business incubation. Through research, technologies are developed and transferred to relevant industry players.
Participants discussed the potential benefits that could be derived from a circular economy and the barriers limiting a circular economy initiative.
