Ghana To Host Micronutrient Forum 7th Global Conference In September

Ghana will host the Micronutrient Forum (MNF) 7th Global Conference from 28 September to 1 October 2026 in Accra, the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has announced.

According to a statement issued by the NDPC, which chairs the Local Organising Committee, the conference will bring together the international nutrition community for major interactions on how countries can protect nutrition gains and accelerate action in a rapidly changing world.

It will be held under the theme, “Nutrition at the Frontiers of a Changing Environment.”

The conference will convene researchers, policymakers, programme implementers, funders, civil society, development partners and the private sector.

It will connect scientific evidence to implementation experience and policy decisions, with a strong focus on practical, scalable solutions as the world approaches the 2030 development targets.

The conference is expected to be officially opened by the Vice-President of the Republic of Ghana, Her Excellency Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, signalling Ghana’s high-level commitment to nutrition as a national development priority.

The NDPC noted that the conference comes at a critical moment for global nutrition, as climate change, humanitarian emergencies, conflict, displacement, changing food systems and tightening financial conditions are placing hard-won gains under pressure.

MNF 2026 will examine how the nutrition community can respond to these realities while building more resilient, equitable and sustainable systems for the future.

Executive Director of the Micronutrient Forum, Saskia Osendarp, PhD, said the theme comes at a pivotal time for nutrition.

She said with climate change, funding cuts and humanitarian emergencies threatening progress made, the conference will bring together evidence on how to advance nutrition in the new environment.

She added that as the leading international nutrition platform in 2026, the conference will provide a unique opportunity to take stock of progress and gaps in delivering global and regional commitments, translate evidence into tangible recommendations for research, policy and programmes, and celebrate and build on African leadership in nutrition.

The scientific programme will link discovery, delivery and decision-making through three tracks: biology and efficacy; programme design and implementation; and the enabling environment. Discussions will cover the integration of nutrition across agriculture, food, health, climate and social protection systems; nutrition financing; dietary change in evolving food environments; protection of nutrition data; and nutrition responses in conflict and humanitarian settings.

Sessions will also consider advances in micronutrient biology, artificial intelligence and intervention design, as well as the effective and equitable delivery of fortification, supplementation, biofortification and food-systems approaches.

Attention will also be given to governance, partnerships, policies and investments required to translate knowledge into measurable and lasting improvements in nutrition.

Hosting the conference in Ghana will place African expertise and locally led solutions at the centre of wider research, investment and policy discussions.

The NDPC is coordinating Ghana’s preparations with the Micronutrient Forum and partner institutions. The event will provide a platform for professionals, institutions and emerging leaders from Ghana and across the continent to share experience, strengthen partnerships and help shape the future direction of nutrition action.

Chair of the MNF 2026 Conference Committee and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana, Anna Lartey, PhD, said addressing micronutrient deficiencies in sub-Saharan Africa is an investment in human potential as it improves health, strengthens learning outcomes, raises productivity and helps build more resilient communities for future generations.

She said Ghana’s hosting of the conference presents a unique opportunity to elevate regional leadership, deepen collaboration and accelerate progress towards better nutrition across Africa.

By bringing the conference to Accra, MNF 2026 will expand opportunities for regional participation and foster closer collaboration between African stakeholders and partners worldwide.

The conference is expected to generate practical recommendations to inform research, policy, financing and programme delivery beyond the four-day event.

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