Africa must reclaim its food systems by investing in indigenous crops and reducing dependence on imported food, Professor Ibok N. Oduro, a food scientist has said.
“Africa’s food future will not be imported. It must be cultivated, innovated and sustained from within,” she said when she delivered her inaugural lecture at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Speaking on the theme “Hidden Harvest: Reclaiming Africa’s Plate,” the Professor of Post-Harvest Technology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), said Africa had abundant indigenous food resources capable of addressing food insecurity, malnutrition and climate challenges, but continued to overlook them.
She noted that the continent spent about US$97 billion on imported food between 2021 and 2023, representing a significant outflow of resources that could otherwise be invested in infrastructure, healthcare and agricultural development.
“This shift is not only changing what we eat; it is changing who we are,” she said, adding that the rising consumption of refined carbohydrates, sugars and fats was contributing to increasing levels of obesity, diabetes and other diet-related diseases across Africa.
Drawing inspiration from the biblical Parable of the Talents, Prof Oduro likened Africa’s indigenous crops to hidden resources neglected for decades due to lack of recognition, investment and confidence.
“A lot of indigenous foods that we have neglected are now being marketed globally as superfoods. These neglected foods hold the answers to some of our most pressing food security and nutrition challenges,” she said.
Prof Oduro said the decline in consumption of indigenous foods was partly due to colonial and post-independence agricultural policies that prioritised export-oriented cash crops over local food systems.
She also highlighted post-harvest losses, noting that between 30 and 50 per cent of food produced in sub-Saharan Africa was lost before reaching consumers, resulting in significant annual economic losses.
Prof Oduro cited research innovations by her team, including the successful production of gari from sweet potato, which gained international recognition after initial scepticism.
She said indigenous crops were nutritious, climate-resilient, drought tolerant and culturally significant, making them essential to Africa’s sustainable development agenda.
Prof Oduro called for increased investment in indigenous food research and value addition, stronger policy support, reduction of post-harvest losses, promotion of local food consumption through education, and support for youth-led agribusiness innovation.
“The harvest is not absent; it is simply hidden. It is time to bring that harvest into the light. It is time to reclaim Africa’s plates,” she said.
