As the world marks World Hunger Day 2026 on the theme, “Nobody Should Go Hungry,” environmental and humanitarian organisation Help Foundation Africa is raising serious and deep concerns over what it describes as Ghana’s worsening environmental destruction and the growing threat it poses to the country’s food future.
The Foundation says while hunger is often associated with the absence of food, the real danger begins when the very environment that produces food is destroyed.
According to Help Foundation Africa, illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, are steadily poisoning Ghana’s rivers, destroying fertile farmlands, wiping out forests, and threatening the livelihoods of farmers and fisherfolk across the country.
In an emotional message as the world celebrates the 2026 edition of World Hunger Day, the organisation warned that Ghana could face a severe food security crisis if urgent and coordinated action is not taken against illegal mining.
“The time to act is NOW,” the Foundation stressed, warning that the destruction caused by galamsey is gradually creating conditions that could make hunger more widespread and difficult to reverse in the years ahead.
The group fears that the country’s long-term ability to feed itself is being quietly undermined as cocoa farms, food crop lands, rivers, and forests continue to disappear under illegal mining operations.
Already in some parts of the country where the menace is highly prevalent, the impact is already being felt. The group observes that rivers that once supplied clean water for irrigation and fishing are turning brown and polluted. Farmlands that sustained generations of families are becoming unusable. Farmers are struggling with declining yields, while fisherfolk face shrinking catches as water bodies become contaminated with chemicals and heavy metals.
Help Foundation Africa believes the consequences go far beyond the environment alone. According to the organisation, galamsey is now becoming a direct threat to public health, employment, rural livelihoods, biodiversity, and national economic stability.
The Foundation noted that the theme for this year’s World Hunger Day places strong emphasis on strengthening local agriculture and building resilient communities against global food insecurity. However, it argues that Ghana cannot achieve this goal while its natural resources continue to be degraded at an alarming rate.
The group is therefore calling on government, civil society organisations, development partners, donors, the media, and environmental advocates to intensify efforts to combat illegal mining and protect the country’s natural ecosystems. It says protecting forests, rivers, and agricultural lands is no longer only an environmental issue but a national survival issue tied directly to food availability and the future wellbeing of generations yet unborn.
Help Foundation Africa is also encouraging citizens to become active voices in the fight against galamsey by speaking up, sharing awareness messages, and demanding stronger enforcement against illegal mining activities.
According to the organisation, restoring degraded lands, supporting local farmers, and safeguarding water bodies are essential steps toward reducing poverty and preventing future hunger crises.
The Foundation believes Ghana still has an opportunity to reverse the damage, but warns that time is running out.
