The Ghana Food Movement (GFM), established in 2019, is advocating for the use of nutritious, homegrown, and climate-resilient produce in Ghana. This initiative aims to counter the country's reliance on foreign cuisine and imported ingredients.
Abiro Wisdom, a catering school graduate, joined the GFM after finding his university course at Accra Technical University focused on international cuisines, rather than the local foods he grew up with in northern Ghana. He believes the agricultural heartland of northern Ghana, with its diverse crops, could be key to addressing the country's food system.
The GFM, which has been registered as a non-profit for five years, operates its own kitchen for recipe development, often brainstorming ideas around single ingredients like moringa leaves or tigernuts. The group hosts monthly pop-ups, dine-and-dance nights, panel discussions, and recipe testing events for chefs and local businesses. It has also started collaborating with schools to foster an appreciation for local ingredients among children.
Aimee Wallin, the GFM's Malian-Swedish co-managing director, highlights the importance of preserving Ghana's food heritage, stating that knowledge from older generations and farmers is crucial. The movement recently received a Champions of Change title in the 50 Best Restaurants Awards for its work.