Academic City’s Waakye packaging venture wins multinational packaging award – Life Pulse Daily
Editor-in-chiefFebruary 6, 20263 Mins read26
Academic City’s Waakye Packaging Venture Wins International Award
Introduction
Academic City University has earned international recognition after its innovative Waakye packaging project won a prestigious award at the 2026 World Celebrity Global Packaging Awards. This achievement highlights the university’s commitment to sustainability and showcases Ghanaian talent on a global stage.
Key Points
- Academic City University students won the Sustainable Packaging category at the 2026 World Celebrity Global Packaging Awards
- The winning team included Mohammed Yasin Abdul Wahab, Sarah Akpedze Amewu, and Jeremy Acquaah
- Their project, Eco Haven Waakye Packaging, focused on environmental sustainability and practical application
- The competition attracted 246 entries from 90 institutions across 23 countries
- This win follows Academic City’s first runner-up position at the Royal Crown Packaging Competition
Background
Waakye, a popular Ghanaian dish consisting of rice and beans, traditionally faces packaging challenges that affect both food quality and environmental impact. Academic City University students recognized this opportunity to develop a sustainable solution that could benefit local vendors while addressing global environmental concerns.
The World Celebrity Global Packaging Awards, organized by the World Packaging Organisation (WPO), serves as a platform to recognize innovative packaging solutions that prioritize sustainability, functionality, and environmental responsibility. The competition draws participants from educational institutions worldwide, making the achievement particularly noteworthy.
Analysis
The success of the Eco Haven Waakye Packaging project demonstrates several important trends in packaging innovation. First, it shows how local food culture can inspire solutions with global relevance. The team’s approach to Waakye packaging addresses universal concerns about food preservation, waste reduction, and environmental impact.
The competition’s scale – with 246 entries from 90 institutions across 23 countries – underscores the growing importance of sustainable packaging in the global marketplace. Academic City’s victory positions Ghanaian innovation alongside international competitors, challenging stereotypes about African technological capabilities.
The project’s recognition also reflects a broader shift in packaging design philosophy. Modern packaging solutions must balance multiple factors: environmental sustainability, cost-effectiveness, cultural appropriateness, and practical functionality. The Eco Haven team successfully navigated these competing priorities to create a solution that resonates across cultural and geographic boundaries.
Practical Advice
For institutions and individuals interested in developing similar sustainable packaging solutions, several lessons emerge from Academic City’s success:
1. **Identify local problems with global potential**: Start with challenges specific to your community or culture, then consider how solutions might apply more broadly.
2. **Focus on practical implementation**: Awards committees and industry partners value solutions that can be realistically implemented, not just theoretical concepts.
3. **Build interdisciplinary teams**: The winning project likely benefited from diverse perspectives combining design, engineering, environmental science, and cultural understanding.
4. **Document thoroughly**: Competitions require detailed documentation of the design process, testing methods, and sustainability metrics.
5. **Consider the entire lifecycle**: Successful sustainable packaging addresses production, use, and disposal or recycling phases.
FAQ
What is Waakye?
Waakye is a traditional Ghanaian dish made from rice and beans, typically served with various accompaniments like fried plantains, spaghetti, and stew. It’s a popular street food that faces unique packaging challenges due to its multiple components and moist ingredients.
What makes this packaging sustainable?
While specific technical details weren’t provided in the announcement, sustainable packaging typically involves biodegradable materials, reduced plastic usage, improved food preservation to reduce waste, and designs that minimize environmental impact throughout the product lifecycle.
How competitive was the award?
The competition was highly competitive, with 246 entries from 90 educational institutions across 23 countries. This international participation demonstrates the global interest in sustainable packaging solutions.
What other awards has Academic City won?
Academic City University previously placed first runner-up at the Royal Crown Packaging Competition, organized by Royal Crown Packaging Limited and the Institute of Packaging Ghana. This consistent performance highlights the university’s strength in packaging innovation.
Conclusion
Academic City University’s success in the World Celebrity Global Packaging Awards represents more than just an academic achievement. It demonstrates how Ghanaian innovation can compete and excel on the global stage, particularly in areas of sustainability and practical problem-solving. The Eco Haven Waakye Packaging project serves as inspiration for students, educators, and entrepreneurs across Africa, showing that local challenges can inspire solutions with worldwide impact. As sustainability becomes increasingly important in packaging design, innovations like this will likely become even more valuable, potentially leading to commercial applications that benefit both the environment and local economies.
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