When I joined the FCI4Africa Project at the Sustainable Agrifood Systems Engineering Lab (SASEL) at 海角精品黑料, I expected to spend my time analyzing databases and policy documents. Instead, I embarked on a journey that reshaped how I think about food, health, and people鈥檚 lives in Ghana, Nigeria, and other low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).
My work began with a simple question: How can fortified staple foods be produced sustainably in LMICs while supporting trade within Africa and beyond? Answering it meant tracing connections between farmers, processors, policymakers, and families across multiple countries. I quickly realized that research is never just about numbers; it is about people.
One of my main focuses was food fortification, adding essential vitamins and minerals to staples like maize and palm oil. Life Cycle Assessments revealed a surprising insight: when success is measured per nutrient delivered rather than per kilogram produced, fortification can improve nutrition while reducing environmental impact. This taught me that sometimes the breakthrough lies in redefining the problem. One key takeaway is that fortification programs must balance nutritional, environmental, and economic sustainability, making them practical, scalable, and inclusive across Ghana, Nigeria, and other LMIC contexts.
I also gained perspective on regulatory realities. On paper, most countries mandate fortification. In practice, many small-scale millers struggle to comply not from neglect, but because the costs are overwhelming. Rapid testing devices exist, yet many rural labs still lack basic tools. Behind every statistic are families at risk of malnutrition, women facing anemia, and processors caught between survival and service.
What surprised me most was how personal this work felt. I expected to sharpen my research skills, which I did, but I also developed a deep connection to the human stories behind the data. Sustainability is not only about policies, carbon footprints, or trade regulations; it is about creating systems that actually work for farmers, processors, and households striving for better nutrition across LMICs.
From this experience, I carry three lessons with me. First, the best solutions are grounded in real world realities. Second, research only matters if it can be translated into action. Third, asking better questions often matters more than finding perfect answers.
This internship gave me more than analytical skills; it gave me perspective and purpose. I now see my role as building bridges between research and real-world change, supporting FCI4Africa鈥檚 mission to foster resilient, equitable, and nutritious food systems while promoting sustainable trade and digital transformation in Ghana, Nigeria, and across Africa.
