Photo: Eggs are stored in crates before being sold in markets. The eggs are taken from layers at the I.M. Unity Farms in Dormaa, Ghana.

Every year on the second Friday of October, World Egg Day is celebrated with activities worldwide that recognize the importance of eggs to nutrition.

This year, the Ghana National Association of Poultry Farmers (GNAPF), with support from the American Soybean Association’s World Initiative for Soy in Human Health (ASA/WISHH) AMPLIFIES Ghana Project, used the day to increase awareness of the benefits and nutritional value of eggs, using its new slogan “For good health, think egg.”

AMPLIFIES supported GNAPF in the design, planning and organization of this year's festivities at Ghana’s State House. A promotional float involving hundreds of participants including students, farmers, association members and various stakeholder groups paraded through Accra, distributing eggs and promotional leaflets, while also disseminating information on eggs. All this was done with the support of a brass band and a master of ceremonies.

At the Ghana State House, students from Accra Polytechnic showcased over 40 egg dishes, demonstrating the egg’s versatility as a "superfood." Keynote addresses and speeches were given by prominent nutritionists, government officials and poultry farmers. The presentations were interspersed with entertainment, music and fun facts about eggs. The turnout and ensuing media profile provided much needed visibility to GNAPF, and set the foundation for the upcoming, joint Ghana Poultry Project (GPP)-AMPLIFIES national campaign to promote poultry products, and increase per capita consumption from less than one egg a month to higher levels, closer to other countries with similar levels of development.