The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Emelia Arthur, has called for a renewed appreciation of Ghana’s traditional food systems, urging citizens to reconnect with the country’s cultural and agricultural heritage.
Speaking on the first day of the Back to Your Village Food Festival held at the Efua Sutherland Park on Saturday, March 28, 2026, the Minister said the event was more than just a celebration of food, but a reminder of identity, culture, and shared values.
According to her, Ghana’s true story is not only captured in policies or urban development, but also in the everyday efforts of farmers and fishers whose work sustains the nation.
“Today, we are not just gathered for a festival, we are gathered for a return to who we are, a return to what feeds us, and a return to our village,” she said.
She emphasised that the country’s identity is deeply rooted in the hands of hardworking individuals across the agricultural value chain.
“This is because the story of Ghana is not only written in our policies or in our cities. It is written in the hands of the woman farmer cultivating food crops under the rising sun, in the hands of the woman smoking fish at dawn, and in the strength of the man who casts his net into the sea at dusk, and in the shared meals that bind our families and communities together,” she stated.
Emelia Arthur further noted that such cultural gatherings are essential in reminding citizens of the values embedded in traditional food practices.
“Occasions like this take us back to times when food was not only abundant in flavours, but was abundant in meaning—prepared with care and shared in unity,” she added.
Powered by Channel One TV, with support from Citi FM, the festival is sponsored by Ecobank, Gino, Didi Shito, Munchee Biscuits, the National Petroleum Authority, and Everpack.
