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This paper looks at the food security situation in three
most deprived and poverty-stricken regions in the Northern
parts of Ghana and examines how farmer households cope
during food insecure periods. The study concludes that
although farmers in these regions cultivate purposely for
household consumption and sell the surplus, food was not
available throughout the year in the farmer households
interviewed. On the average staple foods produced lasted for
seven months. Coping mechanisms during months of inadequate
household food provision included migration to southern
Ghana for wage labor, support from relatives and friends
outside the regions, sales from livestock and household
valuables as well as reduction of food intake and
consumption of less preferred food. Erratic rainfall
patterns, high cost of agrochemicals, lack of knowledge on
improved farming and post harvest practices as well as lack
of production credit and markets for farm produce were some
of the constraints militating against increased production
and improvement in food security. Measures to remove these
constraints will therefore go a long way to improve the
household food security situation in Northern Ghana.
Key words:
Farming households, food security, constraints, coping
strategies, Ghana. |
