Why Ghana? It’s an obvious choice!

A sustainable and completely vegan alternative to animal-based protein sources. Production saves up to 99% of land and water resources compared to other protein sources such as soy and meat. Great health benefits due to its cholesterol-free proteins, low calorie content, added minerals and antioxidants. Ofcourse, we are talking about spirulina: the future-proof food that we produce in Ghana to boost the local economy and fight malnutrition. But as a Dutch company, we get the question a lot: why Ghana?

Well, there are tons of reasons for us to work in Ghana. But let’s start with the most obvious reason: the tropical climate. With temperatures always hanging around 30 degrees Celsius and a strong light intensity, this climate is perfect for spirulina cultivation. Together with Alga.farm - a Dutch company with over 8+ years of production experience - we designed a bioreactor that makes optimal use of this climate and ensures premium quality. But while obvious, the climate is not the main reason for choosing Ghana.

With the country being ranked as the most stable political environment within the West-African sub-saharan region, Ghana offers a stable democratic climate. Ghana has been in the top 3 of most peaceful countries in West Africa for over a decade, and that doesn’t surprise us: the people are super motivated and willing to cooperate, which is very helpful. Since our start, we have been accompanied by the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (KITA): an educational institution that has been at the forefront of agricultural consultancy for local projects since 1984. They gave us a warm welcome, taught us the local manners and introduced us to multiple communities. Besides the stable and peaceful environment, the country also offers an attractive economy. The economy has been growing for the past few decades - in 2019 Ghana even had the world’s fastest growing economy. 

However, it is not all sunshine and rainbows. Ghana faces several challenges. Since 2022 the country has been battling its worst financial crisis in decades, with the inflation rate exceeding 50 percent. Partly due to this financial crisis, the youth unemployment rate has risen to over 30 percent. Also, the country faces several challenges when it comes to prevention and treatment of malnutrition. Luckily, Ghanaians are making great efforts to overcome these challenges. During our first visit, we were told about the great potential of Ghana and the big amounts of unused land. So - together with the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture - we started thinking: how can these pieces of unused land be turned into a force to fight the country’s current challenges? And that’s when the penny dropped: let’s use these pieces of unused land for spirulina production! Since the production technique is relatively cheap, not that time-costly and simple, this could be the perfect way to create an extra income stream and create youth employment. And at the same time, we can use this future-proof food to fight malnutrition locally. Two bats with one stone.

So while we get the question a lot, we consider Ghana to be an obvious choice. Ofcourse, the country faces multiple challenges, but it offers the perfect environment for running our business and we believe that together with the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture, we can make a great impact. Besides the tropical climate, we believe that the Ghanaian people and partners and the political stability offers the perfect recipe to further roll out our concept. We will keep you posted!