Ghana: the State of Agriculture and Prospects for Food Security in the Context of Achieving SDGs

Author:

Tatyana Denisova

Abstract:

For the first time in Russian African studies, the author examines the current state of agriculture, challenges and prospects for food security in Ghana, which belongs to the group of African countries that have made the most progress in achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are a collection of 17 global goals adopted by UN member states in 2015 with a view of achieving them by 2030. The SDGs include: ending poverty in all its forms everywhere (Goal 1); ending hunger, achieving food security and improved nutrition, and promoting sustainable agriculture (2); ensuring healthy lives and promoting well-being for all at all ages (3), etc. These goals are considered fundamental because the achievement of a number of other SDGs – for example, ensuring quality education (4), achieving gender equality (5), ensuring sustainable consumption and production patterns (12), etc. – largely depends on their implementation.

Ghana was commended by the world community for the significant reduction in poverty, hunger and malnutrition between 2000 and 2014, i.e. for the relatively successful implementation of the first of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs, 2000–2015) – the eradication of extreme poverty and hunger. However, SDGs require more careful study and planning of implementation measures.

In order to achieve the SDGs, the Government of Ghana has adopted a number of programs, plans and projects, the successful implementation of which often stumbles upon the lack of funding and lack of coordination between state bodies, private and public organizations, foreign partners – donors and creditors, etc., which are involved in the processes of socioeconomic development of Ghana.

The author determines the reasons for the lack of food security in Ghana, gives an assessment of the state of the agricultural sector, the effective development of which is a prerequisite for the reduction of poverty and hunger, primarily due to the engagement of a significant share (45%) of the economically active population in this sector. The study shows that the limited growth in food production is largely due to the absence of domestic markets and necessary roads, means of transportation, irrigation and storage infrastructure, as well as insufficient investment in the agricultural sector, rather than to a shortage of fertile land or labor.

Keywords:

Ghana, agriculture, food security, Sustainable Development Goals, poverty, hunger, malnutrition

DOI:

10.31132/2412-5717-2018-45-4-16-31

References:

Abramova I. Global’nyy ekonomicheskiy krizis i strany Afriki. (Global economic crisis and African countries) . Mirovaya ekonomika i mezhdunarodnyye otnosheniya. (World economy and international relations). 2009, № 9, p. 90–98
Addressing Sustainable Development Goal 2: The Ghana Zero Hunger Strategic Review. Accra. 2017. 86 p.
Afrika v kontekste globalynoy prodovol’stvennoy bezopasnosty. (Africa in the context of global food security). Moscow. IAfr RAS, 288 p. ISBN 978-5-91298-165-4.
Agriculture in Ghana: Facts and Figures 2015. Accra. Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA). 2017, 121 p.
Assessing Progress in Africa toward the Millennium Development Goals. MDG Report 2015. Addis Ababa. 2015. 90 p.
CIA. The World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/ ge-os/gh.html (accessed 20.08.2018)
Climate & Agriculture. http://www.our-africa.org/ghana/climate-agriculture (accessed 17.08.2018)
Cooke E. Hague S. McKay A. (2016). The Ghana Poverty and Inequality in Ghana Report. UNICEF, 2016. 37 p.
Fituni L.L., Abramova I.O. Natsional’nie interesy Rossii na afrikanskom napravlenii v kontekste fundamental’nih trendov i formiruiushihsia ugroz v mirovoy ekonomike i politike. (The African direction of Russia’s national interests in the context of fundamental trends and emerging threats to the global economy and international relations). Afrika i natsional’nie interesi Rossii (Africa and national interests of Russia). Moscow. IAfr RAS. 2016, рp. 5–19. ISBN 978-5-91298-183-8.
Fituni L.L. Ekonomika Afriki: vyzovy postkrizisnogo razvitiya. Stat’ya 2. Real’nyy sektor vchera, segodnya, zavtra. (The economy of Africa: the challenges of post-crisis development. Article 2. Real sector yesterday, today, tomorrow) Aziya i Afrika segodnya. (Asia and Africa today). 2010, № 9, pp. 8–14.
Gavrilova N.G. Sel’skoe hozjaystvo i problemy prodovol’stvennoy bezopasnosty v Gane (Agriculture and Food Security in Ghana). Gana: 60 let nezavisimosty (Ghana: 60 years of independence). Moscow. IAfr RAS, pp. 135–143. ISBN 978-5-91298-204-0.
Ghana LEAP 1000 Programme: Baseline Evaluation Report. Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP). Accra. 2016. 88 p.
Ghana: Nutrition Profile. USAID. 2014. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ 1863/USAID-Ghana-Profile (accessed 18.12.2017)
Ghana: Nutrition Profile. USAID. 2014. https://www.usaid.gov/sites/default/files/documents/ 1864/USAID-Ghana-Profile (accessed 18.12.2017)
Ghana. Socio-economic context and role of agriculture. Country Fact Sheet on Food and Agriculture Policy Trends. Accra. 2015. 6 p.
Laar A.K. Aryeetey. N.O. Mpereh M. Zotor F.B. Improving nutrition-sensitivity of social protection programmes in Ghana. 2017. https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/proceedings-of-the-nutrition-society/article/improving-nutritionsensitivity-of-social-protection-programmes-in-ghana/79452B16DA9DA1D7E9E43B44D4888271 (accessed 17.08.2018)
New Country Classifications by Income Levels: 2017–2018. World Bank. https://blogs.worldbank.org/opendata/new-country-classifications-income-level-2017-2018 (accessed 20.08.2018)
Nyumuah R.O. Hoang T. C. Amoaful E.F. Agble R. Meyer M. Wirth J.P. Locatelli-Rossi L. Panagides D. Implementing large-scale food fortification in Ghana: Lessons learned. Food and Nutrition Bulletin. 2012, № 33, pp. 293–300.
Rustin S. Almost 90% of Ghana’s children are now in school. 7 Apr 2015. https://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/apr/07/ghana-global-education-campaign-young-ambassadors-visit-ghanaian-school (accessed 17.08.2018)
Simple solutions can save Ghana’s agriculture sector. https://www.ghanaweb.com/ Ghana-HomePage/NewsArchive/Simple-solutions-can-save-Ghana-s-agriculture-sector-313824 (accessed 17.08.2018)
The Challenge of Agriculture in Ghana: What is to be Done? https://www.modernghana. com/news/203908/the-challenge-of-agriculture-in-ghanawhat-is-to-be-done.html (accessed 17.08.2018)