Beyond The Dialogues

Project Collaborators

Prof. Amos Laar

Principal Investigator

Prof. Amos Laar

Principal Investigator

is a professor of Public Health Nutrition at the University of Ghana. Currently, his research explores the connection between food environments and diet-related non-communicable diseases, as well as how social forces, commercial influences, and structural violence affect the realisation of health. He is an active researcher, having successfully led or co-led more than 25 research grants totalling over $20 million. His scholarly works include over 150 scientific publications in prestigious journals (including The Lancet, Nature Foods, BMJ Global Health, Food Policy, Advances in Nutrition, Health Expectations, Health & Place). In 2021, he was one of two Curators of Ghana’s Food Systems Dialogues and played a cardinal role in the development of Ghana’s 2023-2030 Food Systems Strategy and Investment Plan. The “Healthier Diets for Healthy Lives Project”, which he leads, is currently assisting the government of Ghana to develop a nutrient profiling system and four food-based policies - restricting what can be served, sold, or marketed to children, front-of-pack labelling, public food procurement, and food-related fiscal policies. He is the PI of the “Beyond the Dialogues Project”, which is tracking the implementation of Ghana’s commitment to transform its food systems. He is a Fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences.

Mr Nii-Odoi Odotei

Project Collaborator

Is a Principal Planning Analyst in the Development Policy and Planning Division of the National Development Planning Commission. With over 10 years of post-master’s experience in social

Mr Nii-Odoi Odotei

Project Collaborator

Is a Principal Planning Analyst in the Development Policy and Planning Division of the National Development Planning Commission. With over 10 years of post-master’s experience in social policy, planning, monitoring and evaluation, Mr Odotei has provided technical advice on various social development issues such as food and nutrition insecurity, health, social protection and population. He is currently the Food Systems and Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) Focal Point and supports the convening of stakeholders to formulate national policies and prepare sectoral and district plans to address challenges to nutrition security and food systems challenges. He has obtained an MSc. Degree in Sociology and Social Anthropology from the University of Zimbabwe and a Master of Arts degree in Policy Analysis and Public Management from the International University of Japan.

Dr. Monica Lambon-Quayefio

Project Collaborator

Dr. Monica Lambon-Quayefio

Project Collaborator

Is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Economics at the University of Ghana. She is an applied microeconomist whose broad research focuses on gender and labour markets, social protection, education and digital innovations in agriculture. Her most recent work is focused on collaboration and networking among female entrepreneurs, online matching platforms and their impact on labour market efficiency, education policies and how they affect household behaviour, gender and social protection programs and their gendered effects, as well as the impact of digitised credit on the livelihoods of small holder farmers. Her research uses a mix of experimental approaches and other quantitative methods to explore the impact of interventions and policies. She is also specialised in the design and implementation of randomised controlled trials in developing country contexts in Africa. Her research projects have been funded by the Transfer Project (a UNICEF and FAO funded Initiative), International Growth Centre (from London School of Economics), Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Bill and Melina Gates Foundation, Centre for Effective Global Action (CEGA), Institute of Labour Economics (IZA) among others.

Mr. Silver Nanema

Project Collaborator

Mr. Silver Nanema

Project Collaborator

Has academic and professional training in Nutrition, Food Sciences, and Bioethics. For the past five years, his professional focus has been on advancing food environments and systems through action research. Recently, his work has evolved to incorporate Bioethics to ensure research is ethically, morally, and culturally sensitive and responsive. Collaborating with esteemed public health experts and bioethicists on the African continent, such as Prof. Amos Laar, He has significantly contributed to shaping national and regional discussions on food environment policies, food systems actions, and the intersectionality of food systems with climate change. Additionally, He has played a pivotal role in organizing and contributing to conferences where we disseminate research findings and engage in thought-provoking discussions in the fields of Public Health and Bioethics.

Mr. Richard Azumah

Project Support Staff

Mr. Richard Azumah

Project Support Staff

Is a Project Coordinator with management, professional and academic training from the University of Ghana Business School. His interest is focused on maternal and child nutrition interventions and is evidenced in his research coordination roles in the Ghana Micronutrient Survey (2017) and the International Lipids Nutrient Supplement Study (iLiNs Project 2010-2023).

Prof. Anna Lartey

Co-Principal Investigator

Prof. Anna Lartey

Co-Principal Investigator

is currently an adjunct Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana. She served as the former Director of Nutrition at the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, Rome (2013-2020). She worked as a nutrition researcher in Sub-Saharan Africa for over 27 years, focusing on maternal and child nutrition. She held the International Development Research Centre (IDRC, Canada) Research Chair in Nutrition for Health and Socioeconomic Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (2009-2014). She was a recipient of the Sight and Life Nutrition Leadership Award for 2014. Anna Lartey was the President of the International Union of Nutritional Sciences (IUNS, 2013-2017). She was awarded a Doctor of Science degree, honoris causa, by McGill University in June 2018. In December 2022, she received the International Union of Nutritional Sciences Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to nutrition of global significance, working in a developing country.

Dr. Peter Peprah

Project Collaborator

Dr. Peter Peprah

Project Collaborator

Is an Assistant Chief Statistician and the Director of Methods and Standards Directorate at the Ghana Statistical Service. He has over 25 years of working experience in various capacities in the conduct of household surveys and population and housing censuses. Currently, he is working as a consultant in The Gambia as the Chief Technical Adviser for the 2024 Population and Housing Census. He has expertise in the implementation of health-related household surveys such as Demographic and Health Surveys, Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys, Maternal, Adolescent and Child Health Surveys, Malaria Indicator Health Surveys and Food and Nutrition Security Surveys. Dr Peprah has extensive experience in creating usable data for stakeholder engagements, interpreting data, and disseminating research results in health, education, employment and labour, water and sanitation, migration, energy studies and food and nutrition security. Peter is well-versed in project implementation and management of varying complexities. He collaborates with people from different fields and offers advice on the conduct of research or survey designs, data acquisition and packaging, and dissemination of results to guide policy.

Hon. (Dr) Sebastian Ngmenenso Sandaare

Project Collaborator

Hon. (Dr) Sebastian Ngmenenso Sandaare

Project Collaborator

Is a trained Physician specialist (Public Health) with interest in Nutrition, Population and Family health. He has over 10 years’ experience of medical practice in the rural areas of Northern Ghana. He served in various leadership positions such as medical superintendent and District Director of Health Service. He was a Board Member of Global Fund Ghana (CCM). He is currently a Member of Parliament for the Daffiama Bussie Issa Constituency. He also serves as a member of the Health Committee in Parliament as well as a representative of parliament on the Ghana Aids Commission Governing Board.

Mr. Gideon S. Amevinya

Project Collaborator

Mr. Gideon S. Amevinya

Project Collaborator

Has academic training in Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology and currently holds a Master of Public Health Degree from the University of Ghana. He is a food systems researcher with a strong passion for using empirical data to inform programmatic decisions and interventions. He has comprehensive knowledge and experience in research implementation and management. In the last five years, he has worked with the School of Public Health, University of Ghana, on several internationally funded research projects centred on the food environment, such as the UK-AID/ Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation-funded “Dietary Transitions in Ghanaian Cities”, and an IDRC-funded project, the MEALS4NCDs Project. His research experience and interest focus on nutrition and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs), and particularly investigating the nexus between how the food environment influences health.

Ms. Phyllis Atta Parbey

Project Support Staff

Ms. Phyllis Atta Parbey

Project Support Staff

Is a certified Public Health Nutritionist and currently works with the Development Policy and Planning Division of the National Development Planning Commission. She holds a Bachelor of Public Health Nutrition and a Master of Public Health degree. As a member of the Social Development Team, she works on social policy issues including food Systems transformation and nutrition security, child and youth development, gender equality, disability-inclusive development, population, migration and social protection. Ms Parbey contributed to the development of Ghana’s First Food-Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG) (and produced a scientific paper for publication in AJFAND). Currently, her research focuses on transforming the food system, food environment, non-communicable diseases and maternal and child nutrition. She has scientific works published in reputable peer-reviewed journals.

Ms. Mary Mpereh

Project Collaborator:

Ms. Mary Mpereh

Project Collaborator:

Is a Social Policy and Development Planning Expert with experience spanning both private (consultancy and NGO) and public sectors. She is currently a Technical Adviser on Social Policy at the National Development Planning Commission, and Food Systems Co-convener for Ghana, and was until recently, Ag. Director for the Development Policy Division, and Technical Focal Point for the Scaling Up Nutrition Movement in Ghana. Mary’s career with the Commission has been marked by a passion to ensure that Ghana’s development is pro-poor, gender-sensitive, socially responsive and inclusive, and gives the right of place to Food Systems and Nutrition Security. Notable among the long-and medium-term development policy frameworks she has influenced in that direction are Ghana’s Agenda 2057, Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy (2006-2009), (GPRS II,); Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda (2010-2013) (GSGDA I) and GSGDA II, (2014-2017); Agenda for Jobs: Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All (2018-2021), AFJ I, and AFJ II, (2022-2025). She also served on a number Boards, Project Steering Committees, and Technical Working Groups on gender equality, population and migration, poverty, social and child protection. Her ultimate desire is to see a strong local response to Food Systems Transformation and Nutrition Security, culminating in better health outcomes for Ghanaians. She is currently on retirement, hence her role on the project is being undertaken by Mr. Nii-Odoi Odotei.

Ms. Paulina Addy

Project Collaborator:

Ms. Paulina Addy

Project Collaborator:

Director, Women in Agricultural Development Directorate, Ministry of Food and Agriculture. Started work in Accra at the WIAD Head Office, understudying the scope of work at the national level, which had direct control over operations across the regions and Districts at the time. Later worked at the District level (implementation), training Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) in the then Brong Ahafo Region. Thereafter, assumed a coordinating role at the Regional and now at the National level, supporting planning, policy and budgeting processes and reviews and also managing administrative issues. Key activities cover areas in nutrition from the agricultural lens, enhanced Food safety/food transformation and agribusiness/value addition, climate change/risk management, as well as gender mainstreaming. Recently been involved in Food Systems and Resilience activities. Collaborates with various Ministries, Departments and Agencies in related sectors and serves on Technical Committees and Task Teams.

Dr. Kasim Abdulai

Project Collaborator:

Dr. Kasim Abdulai

Project Collaborator:

Is a distinguished academic and practitioner in the field of public health and nutrition with an extensive portfolio reflecting a profound impact in education, research, and community engagement. Holding a PhD in Public Health from the University of Ghana, Dr Abdulai has leveraged his expertise to significantly contribute to nutrition and dietetics education at the University of Cape Coast, where he has been an instrumental faculty member since 2018. Dr Abdulai has over five years of experience in academia, teaching a variety of courses related to nutrition and dietetics. Beyond the classroom, Dr Abdulai actively participates in community outreach and health promotion activities, contributing to addressing nutritional challenges faced by various populations in Ghana. As a researcher, Dr Abdulai has focused on maternal nutrition and noncommunicable diseases, with several publications that have the potential to shape public health policies and practices. Kasim’s commitment extends to serving as the Central-Western Zonal Secretary for the Ghana Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (GAND). He is also the Executive Director (Operations) for Coalition of Actors for Public Health Advocacy (CAPHA). Currently, Kasim serves as the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee-UCC for the upcoming African Nutrition Conference 2024 (ANEC IX) in Ghana.

Coordinator: Ms. Alice Sallar Adams

Project Support Staff:

Coordinator: Ms. Alice Sallar Adams

Project Support Staff:

Holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nutrition and Food Science and a Master of Public Health from the University of Ghana. She has also received further training in field epidemiology, project management, and monitoring and evaluation. Her research experience has focused on maternal and child health, including contributions to projects such as the Trial for the Reduction of Infant Undernutrition through Modified Feeding (TRIUMF). Over the past five years, her work has expanded to include disease surveillance, particularly in relation to polio and COVID-19. She is currently involved in public health emergency preparedness and response activities in the country. She has contributed to the development of national policies and guidelines on mass vaccination for vaccine-preventable diseases and the integration of COVID-19 vaccination into routine immunisation in Ghana. In addition, she has supported capacity building through her involvement in the training of field epidemiologists under the Ghana Field Epidemiology and Laboratory Training Programme (GFELTP) and the African Field Epidemiology Network (AAFENET) at the School of Public Health, University of Ghana.

Nana Ama Serwaa Osei

Project Support Staff

is a Registered Nutritionist with academic training in Nutrition and Food Science and is currently pursuing an MSc in Bioethics at the University of Ghana, School of Public Health.

Nana Ama Serwaa Osei

Project Support Staff

is a Registered Nutritionist with academic training in Nutrition and Food Science and is currently pursuing an MSc in Bioethics at the University of Ghana, School of Public Health. Her work sits at the intersection of public health nutrition, food systems, and ethics. Over the years, she has been involved in research and advocacy efforts to improve school meals in Ghana and address diet-related non-communicable diseases. Her evolving academic focus in bioethics reflects her commitment to ensuring that nutrition policies and food systems interventions are not only evidence-based but also ethically sound, contextually relevant, and socially just. Through her work, she has contributed to policy discussions, research dissemination efforts, and multi-stakeholder engagements that aim to improve food systems governance and promote equitable access to healthy diets. She is also interested in the ethical challenges within public health research and clinical trials in Ghana. She is driven by a commitment to advancing food systems that protect health, uphold dignity, and prioritise fairness.