The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), on 16th September 2025, signed an agreement on a road map to deepen collaboration on Disaster Risk Reduction and the One Health approach in Ghana.

The signing ceremony, held at NADMO Headquarters in Accra, marks a milestone in the partnership between the two institutions. The agreement seeks to strengthen Ghana’s capacity to manage risks, build resilient livelihoods, and safeguard food and nutrition security for all Ghanaians.

FAO has been supporting NADMO through its Technical Cooperation Programme (TCP) project titled “Development of Disaster Risk Reduction Strategy for Ghana.” This initiative responds to NADMO’s request for technical assistance in formulating a comprehensive national Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR) Strategy.

Building on this foundation, FAO and NADMO will collaborate under a new project funded by the United Kingdom: “One Health Knowledge Nexus: Generating Knowledge and Evidence for Decision-Makers.” The global project aims to strengthen One Health systems across multiple countries, including Ghana.

With NADMO’s mandate to coordinate One Health initiatives nationally, the collaboration underscores the importance of integrated approaches to health, food systems, and disaster risk management.

Speaking at the ceremony, representatives from FAO and NADMO reaffirmed their shared commitment to advancing resilience, protecting livelihoods, and ensuring sustainable food and nutrition security.

The Director General of NADMO, Major (Rtd) Dr. Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, in his remarks, expressed excitement about the partnership. He added that the road map will serve as a blueprint in the areas of Disaster Management and Disaster Risk Reduction.

“One aspect I would like you to focus on is the formation of a comprehensive document on the three phases of disaster management, especially the preparedness phase. This will give us a good foundation”. He added.

The FAO representative to Ghana, Priya Gujadhur, commended the Director General for the clear vision and leadership for the organisation, and stated that through the foundation of Agricultural Early Warning Systems, they are actively working in six districts in the North at the grassroots level, protecting communities from the effects of climate.

The partnership is expected to contribute significantly to Ghana’s national priorities, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and FAO’s Strategic Framework for better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life.

Present at the meeting were the Deputy Director General in charge of Finance and Administration, Dr. Lutfia Saeed Jamal; Deputy Director General in charge of Technical, Ahmed-Rufai Afarahim Aggudey; Mrs. Ruth Arthur; Director, Disease Epidemics; Esther Owusu, Head of policy planning, monitoring and evaluation and some representatives from NADMO and FAO.