FDA calls for science-backed food safety education at 2025 WFSD SHEP workshop in Ningo-Prampram

In a call to action at this year’s World Food Safety Day (WFSD) celebration, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has emphasized the urgent need to strengthen science-based food safety education, particularly at the foundational school level.

The occasion was marked by a special workshop under the School Health Education Programme (SHEP), held in Ningo-Prampram, under the global theme: “Food Safety: Science in Action.”

The keynote address, delivered on behalf of Dr. Delese Mimi Darko, CEO of the FDA, by Faustina Atupra, Director of the Food Safety and Consumer Education Directorate, highlighted the crucial role of science, education, and community engagement in safeguarding public health through safer food practices.

Dr. Darko, through her representative, extended deep appreciation to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) for their continued support, noting that their sponsorship and collaboration have been pivotal in giving significance and national visibility to World Food Safety Day over the years.

“We are equally grateful to the Ghana Education Service (GES) Ningo-Prampram and the District Environmental Health Office for joining hands with us in this effort,” the statement noted.

“Food safety is not just a technical issue—it is a shared responsibility and a public health priority.”

The workshop, which brought together district SHEP coordinators, environmental health officers, school health facilitators, and other stakeholders, sought to deepen participants’ understanding of how scientific tools—from microbiological testing and risk assessment to food preservation techniques and digital traceability—are helping to tackle foodborne illnesses in Ghana and around the world.

"From farm to fork, science is indeed in action—shaping policies, guiding producers, and protecting consumers,” Dr. Darko’s message said.

The CEO’s address placed strong emphasis on the power of early education in achieving long-term change.

She lauded the efforts of school health facilitators who continue to demystify food safety principles for school children, enabling them to understand not only what to do but why those actions matter.

“Our School Health-Based Facilitators have become indispensable partners,” she noted.

“They plant the seeds of awareness and responsibility early in life, simplifying scientific principles and making them accessible to young minds.”

Dr. Darko commended the facilitators for bridging the gap between policy and practice, highlighting how their work enables children to carry food hygiene lessons beyond the classroom into their homes and communities.

This ripple effect, she said, helps shape a generation that understands and champions the importance of safe food.

Quoting a local adage from Ningo-Prampram—“Mɔko nɛgbe ji mli, ekɛhewalɔ kɛ nyɛnmɔ,” meaning “what enters the stomach should bring strength and not sickness”—Dr. Darko reminded all stakeholders that food safety is not a luxury but a necessity.

She called for stronger partnerships between science and society, education and enforcement, and across generational lines, to make food safety a national norm.

“As we commemorate World Food Safety Day, let us use this platform to recommit to educating, empowering, and protecting our communities. Together, through science and education, we can make safe food the norm—not the exception,” the address concluded.

The 2025 WFSD SHEP Workshop forms part of nationwide activities to promote safe food practices and improve public health outcomes, particularly in schools and underserved communities.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith