WFP report: Flooding and soaring food prices drive food insecurity in Ghana
Flooding and soaring food prices are exacerbating food insecurity in Ghana, according to a recent report from the World Food Programme (WFP).
According to WFP country brief for February 2024, preliminary findings from the March 2024 analysis indicate that an estimated 1.05 million people in Ghana would face food insecurity between June and August 2024.
Factors such as climate change, low prices, poor infrastructure, and inadequate education compound the issue, while Ghana’s vulnerability to global price spikes, particularly for imported rice, further strains affordability.
The report also underscores the triple burden of malnutrition, with stunting among children under 5 remaining high, especially in the Northern Region, and disproportionate rates of vitamin and mineral deficiencies, particularly anaemia, among women and children.
“Preliminary findings from the March 2024 analysis indicate that an estimated 1.05 million people in Ghana would face food insecurity (IPC/CH phase 3 and 4) between June and August 2024. Although this reflects a notable decrease from the 2.2 million projected in November 2023, it aligns with concerning projections from March 2023, where 1.37 million people were estimated to be food insecure.”
“High food prices, exacerbated by natural hazards like flooding, remain significant drivers of food insecurity in Ghana, despite some alleviation in inflation,” the report added.
Despite these challenges, the WFP has been collaborating with the Ghanaian government since 1963 to address food security and nutrition challenges, advocating for food fortification standards, promoting the consumption of fortified foods, and supporting initiatives like Ghana’s School Feeding Programme.
Looking ahead, the WFP aims to engage the private sector to bolster food systems, combat malnutrition, and reinforce social protection programs in Ghana.
