Story by Eugene Nyarko Jnr. | Accra | August 20, 2026
Ghana is set to host the Micronutrient Forum (MNF) 7th Global Conference from September 28 to October 1, 2026, bringing together leading researchers, policymakers, programme implementers, development partners, civil society organisations and private-sector stakeholders to deliberate on the future of global nutrition.
The four-day conference, to be held in Accra under the theme “Nutrition at the Frontiers of a Changing Environment,” will focus on practical and scalable solutions to protect nutrition gains and accelerate action as countries work towards the 2030 development targets.
The conference is expected to be officially opened by the Vice-President of the Republic, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, signalling Ghana’s commitment to making nutrition a national development priority.
Global nutrition gains under pressure
The conference comes at a time when climate change, humanitarian emergencies, conflict, displacement, changing food systems and declining financial resources are threatening hard-won progress in nutrition.
Executive Director of the Micronutrient Forum, Dr Saskia Osendarp, said the conference would provide an important platform for the global nutrition community to examine how to advance nutrition in the face of emerging challenges.
She said the event would bring together evidence on how countries could sustain nutrition progress while responding to climate change, funding constraints and humanitarian emergencies.
Dr Osendarp said the conference would also provide an opportunity to assess progress and gaps in meeting global and regional nutrition commitments and translate evidence into recommendations for research, policy and programmes.
Linking science to policy and implementation
The scientific programme will connect research, programme implementation and decision-making through three major tracks covering biology and efficacy, programme design and implementation, and the enabling environment.
Key discussions will include the integration of nutrition into agriculture, food, health, climate and social protection systems, nutrition financing, changing dietary patterns, protection of nutrition data and nutrition responses in conflict and humanitarian settings.
Participants will also examine advances in micronutrient biology, artificial intelligence and intervention design, alongside strategies for improving the delivery of food fortification, supplementation, biofortification and food-systems interventions.
The conference will further explore the governance structures, partnerships, policies and investments needed to translate scientific knowledge into measurable and sustainable nutrition outcomes.
Ghana positioned as African nutrition hub
The hosting of the conference in Ghana is expected to place African expertise and locally driven solutions at the centre of international discussions on nutrition research, investment and policy.
The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), which chairs the Local Organising Committee, is coordinating Ghana’s preparations in collaboration with the Micronutrient Forum and partner institutions.
Chair of the MNF 2026 Conference Committee and Professor of Nutrition at the University of Ghana, Prof. Anna Lartey, said addressing micronutrient deficiencies in sub-Saharan Africa represented an investment in human potential.
According to her, improved nutrition contributes to better health and learning outcomes, increased productivity and more resilient communities.
She said Ghana’s hosting of the conference presented an opportunity to strengthen regional leadership, deepen collaboration and accelerate progress towards improved nutrition across Africa.
The conference is expected to create opportunities for nutrition professionals, institutions and emerging African leaders to exchange experiences, build partnerships and contribute to shaping the future direction of nutrition action.
Hybrid participation
MNF 2026 will be held in a hybrid format, allowing participants to attend physically in Accra or participate online.
Researchers, academics, policymakers, health and nutrition professionals, programme implementers, students, civil society organisations, development partners and private-sector institutions are expected to participate.
The conference will take place from September 28 to October 1, 2026, in Accra and online.
Registration is available through the Micronutrient Forum conference platform, with #MNF2026 serving as the official hashtag.
The Micronutrient Forum is an international platform dedicated to advancing evidence, policy and action on micronutrient health through collaboration, knowledge exchange and advocacy.
The organisers said the conference was expected to produce practical recommendations to guide research, policy, financing and programme delivery beyond the four-day event.
