The Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC) has signed a partnership agreement with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) Ghana to support young entrepreneurs in the food innovation sector.
The collaboration aims to bridge the gap between creative food products and regulatory requirements, ensuring that start-ups meet the highest safety and quality standards, a press release issued to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, said Tuesday.
Under the agreement, KIC and the FDA will provide training, mentorship, and guidance to help emerging businesses navigate the certification process more efficiently. Speaking at the signing ceremony, the Executive Director of KIC, Mr Benjamin Gyan-Kesse, underlined the significance of the partnership in fostering business growth and market competitiveness.
He stated that ensuring FDA certification for start-ups would enable them to meet global standards, access new markets, and safeguard consumer health and safety.
“This partnership will also help establish mentorship and advisory sessions that align food innovation with regulatory excellence,” he added. The Chief Executive Officer of the FDA, Dr Delese Mimi Darko, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to supporting Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in meeting compliance standards.
She explained that the FDA, through its Progressive Licensing Scheme, sought to empower businesses beyond regulatory enforcement by making it easier for them to bring their products to market. She highlighted the role of the FDA’s Industrial Support Directorate, which provides targeted assistance to regulated industries to help them navigate regulatory requirements successfully.
“As regulators with a difference, the FDA is not only focused on enforcement but also on empowering MSMEs to meet compliance standards and bring their products to market with ease. This commitment is embodied in our Progressive Licensing Scheme,” she stated.
The initiative reflects KIC’s ongoing efforts to promote innovation, entrepreneurship, and sustainable growth among young agripreneurs, while also reinforcing the FDA’s dedication to supporting local businesses and maintaining high consumer safety standards.
Through this partnership, KIC and the FDA aim to create a more enabling environment for food innovation in Ghana, empowering start-ups to develop and scale products that meet international benchmarks. Kosmos Innovation Center is a non-profit organisation that invests in young entrepreneurs and small businesses. It empowers entrepreneurs to turn their ideas into viable, self-sustaining businesses.
The FDA is a state agency established by Section 80(1) of the Public Health Act, 2012 (ACT 851) responsible for regulating food, drugs, food supplements, herbal and homeopathic medicines and veterinary medicines. It also regulates cosmetics, medical devices, household chemical substances, tobacco and tobacco products, and the conduct of clinical trials.
Source: GNA
