A network of research and agriculture-related institutions has been established to research into food security policies and advocate for favourable agriculture policies.

The network, FoodSpan, would analyse national and international policies that impact on food security and lobby for food self-sufficiency and sustainable agricultural policies in the country.

Speaking at the inauguration of the network at a two-day workshop organised by ActionAID in Accra on riday, Mr Clement Eledi, Deputy Minster of Food and Agriculture, said food security was key to reducing poverty and promoting development.

He said food-related diseases were responsible for 15 million deaths every year, adding that out of the 800 million under-nourished people world-wide 792 were in the developing world.

The Deputy Minister mentioned land tenure system, rain-fed agriculture, poor export earnings from agriculture, global trading system and poorly developed market infrastructure as some factors responsible for food insecurity.

Mrs Frema Osei-Opare, Country Director of ActionAID, Ghana, urged African leaders to take a common position when dealing with the global trading system to secure favourable terms of trade for the continent.

Dr Ndong Mba, Food and Agriculture Organisation Representative in Ghana, said civil society and non governmental organisations were important partners in finding lasting solutions to food insecurity.