Solidaridad West Africa has launched the Home Gardening Initiative to encourage urban households to grow their own vegetables in a hygienic way. The initiative is designed to address critical issues related to food security and nutrition and empower individuals and communities to take control of their nutritional needs. Mr Bosman Owusu, the Country Representative of Solidaridad Ghana, speaking at the launch dubbed ' Won so dua bi' said growing one's own vegetables would ensure that it was done with the best standards. Key collaborators include the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands, Holland Greentech, Basel Green foods, Yayra Glover, East West Seeds, and the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana.  The event was on the theme: 'Working together to grow safe and nutritious food.' The two-day programmme was partnered with Home Gardening Ghana, an online community with over 280,000 members, which had a training session for aspiring home gardeners on best production practices, exhibitions of produce, and the sale of gardening tools and inputs. Additionally, the event also provides a platform for home gardening enthusiasts to network and share experiences. He said it would also help them apply the right organic manure to support the vegetables and avoid pesticides, adding that the initiative was also to support individuals with some capacity. 'We believe that the success of this initiative relies heavily on community awareness and participation and the movement towards a more sustainable and food-secure community,' he added. Mr Owusu said Initiative was being implemented under Solidaridad's 'Acting Now Programme', which sought to contribute to food security by supporting producers in building more resilient food systems. Dr Solomon Gyan Ansah, the Director of Crop Services at the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, said there was the need to pay attention towards home gardens as a strategy to also enhance household food security and nutrition and to avert famine. He said it provided families with access to fresh, n utritious produce, reducing their reliance on expensive and often unhealthy processed foods. He said by growing their food, individuals and communities reduce their reliance on industrial agriculture, which often comes with a heavy environmental footprint. 'Home gardening also encourages the use of organic practices, thus reducing the use of harmful pesticides and fertilizers, and promoting biodiversity,' he added. The Director encouraged all and sundry to take the exhibition as well as the techniques in home gardening for vegetable production as well as techniques in animal production for home gardeners (Poultry, Fish and Rabbit) seriously to help together to grow safe and nutritious foods. Madam Naomi Tuinstra, Second Secretary at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, said initiative resonated deeply with the Netherlands' core values and their steadfast dedication to sustainable agricultural practices. She said they recognised the critical role that small-scale, community-based initiatives pla y in enhancing local food production and ensuring access to nutritious sustenance for all. She said Ghana's agricultural landscape held immense potential, and this initiative served as a beacon of hope, offering tangible solutions to enhance local food production. 'By promoting sustainable practices, sharing knowledge, and providing information, we aspire to empower individuals and communities to cultivate their own sustenance, thus bolstering food security at the grassroots level,' she added Madam Tuinstra said the Netherlands government remained deeply interested in Ghana's journey towards sustainable food security. 'We aim to leverage our expertise in innovative agricultural techniques, technology, and capacity-building to drive lasting, positive change,' she said. She said it would be through such initiatives that stakeholders could forge stronger, more resilient communities equipped to overcome the challenges of tomorrow. Source: Ghana News Agency