Sustainable Food Systems in Northern Ghana

Sustainable Food Systems in Northern Ghana
Author: Benjamin Kwao
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2017
Genre:
ISBN:
GET BOOK

Download Sustainable Food Systems in Northern Ghana Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

The concept of sustainable food systems gained prominence in the food security discourse as evidence from the 2007-2008 and 2010 world food and financial crisis suggested that food systems were under stress. The concept calls for a move from the production centered notion of food security towards a more socially and ecologically sensitive notion which is interested in addressing a complex array of problems that have rendered the food system ineffective. Given the continued prevalence of poverty and food insecurity in northern Ghana, this study assesses the attempts of international development agencies to improve food security in the region using the notion of sustainable food systems as the assessment criteria. Through triangulation, the study uses a combination of qualitative interview data and documentary analysis to answer the research questions. Various discourses of sustainability and concepts are used to deepen the understanding of the concept, leading to the identification of eight practical goals towards achieving sustainable food systems. Using the practical goals of achieving sustainable food systems as the assessment criteria, the study reveals that the food system in northern Ghana is unsustainable due to three categories of impediments (natural, cultural and economic, and institutional). The assessment of the World Food Programme development assistance in northern Ghana shows that international development operations remain ineffective in addressing the impediments to achieving sustainable food systems in the region. WFP's interventions failed to achieve its potential due to institutional inefficiencies of the agency and its partners. The study contributes to development policy and practice in northern Ghana by establishing the need for development partners to improve institutional efficiency and coordination, empower marginalized groups to access their rights, and prioritize agricultural irrigation in the region.

Sustainable Food Security in West Africa

Sustainable Food Security in West Africa
Author: W.K. Asenso-Okyere
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 314
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1461561051
GET BOOK

Download Sustainable Food Security in West Africa Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Food security is defined as the ability of countries, regions, or households to meet their required levels of food consumption at all times. Food security is an important component of human welfare, and it can act as an indicator of a region's development. This book addresses the roles of trade, policy development, and economic cooperation in creating sustainable food security in the West African region. The largely micro-level analysis is conducted on empirical data from the household where decisions on production and consumption take place. Food security is discussed in terms of its component parts, namely: availability of food (production and trade), its accessibility (incomes and poverty status), and its utilisation (health and nutrition).

Flood recession agriculture for food security in Northern Ghana

Flood recession agriculture for food security in Northern Ghana
Author: Sidibe, Yoro
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 20
Release: 2016-02-26
Genre: Social Science
ISBN:
GET BOOK

Download Flood recession agriculture for food security in Northern Ghana Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

This review describes a range of physical and socio-economic scientific methods and field activities that will be implemented in a proposed research project to develop a better understanding of the extent and patterns of flooding and the potential of flood-recession agriculture. These activities will allow the hydrological characteristics of the river to be matched to crop-livestock systems of flood recession agriculture that are well suited to the study communities and their organizational and institutional frameworks in order to support sustainable growth of such systems. This detailed study will provide recommendations on the technical, economic, institutional and policy measures needed to achieve sustainable intensification of flood recession agriculture in northern Ghana, while complementing efforts undertaken to promote other types of water management systems. Options for out-scaling of flood recession agriculture beyond the study area to other suitable areas will also be explored. The expectation is that the proposed project will improve food security by enhancing knowledge on effective flood recession practices, enhance rural incomes through expanded dry-season farming with new opportunities for rural employment, and improve adaptation to climate change by building more resilient farming communities. To achieve these expected outcomes, proactive policies that clearly identify flood recession agriculture as an alternative farming practice and provide institutional mandates to irrigation support services to promote it through training, demonstration, and outreach programs will be equally valuable.

Brief review of Ghana’s food system transformation pathways

Brief review of Ghana’s food system transformation pathways
Author: Asante, Felix A.
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 22
Release: 2024-03-25
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:
GET BOOK

Download Brief review of Ghana’s food system transformation pathways Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Global estimates show over half a billion people go hungry (FAO, 2020) and close to 2 billion people are either obese or overweight with another 2 billion of the world’s population suffering from micronutrient deficiencies (Micha et al., 2020, Fresco et al., 2017). Inarguably, the world faces significant malnutrition problem (including micro- and macro-nutrient deficiencies, obesity, and diet related non-communicable diseases). This is evident in a recent analysis pointing out that effort in achieving the Global Nutrition Targets is likely to be missed. The observed malnutrition threat is accompanied by climate change, which is influencing food production and consumption trends, and thereby leading to undernutrition and affecting overall development. In addition, there are growing incomes, accelerated urbanization, and expanding middle classes which are also causing significant changes in consumer behaviour and nutritional choices, necessitating both public and private expenditures for better food market integration. As a result, there is a pressing need to examine our food systems to guarantee food and nutrition security and to advance sustainable development. It is likely that the COVID-19 impact may further exacerbates the worsening food insecurity and nutritional status of the most vulnerable groups including women, children and adolescents, refugees and displaced people, smallholders in rural areas, and the urban poor.

Sustainable Food Production

Sustainable Food Production
Author: Shahid Naeem
Publisher: Columbia University Press
Total Pages: 109
Release: 2021-11-02
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0231548443
GET BOOK

Download Sustainable Food Production Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Industrial agriculture is responsible for widespread environmental degradation and undermines the pursuit of human well-being. With a projected global population of 10 billion by 2050, it is urgent for humanity to achieve a more sustainable approach to farming and food systems. This concise text offers an overview of the key issues in sustainable food production for all readers interested in the ecology and environmental impacts of agriculture. It details the ecological foundations of farming and food systems, showing how knowledge from the natural and social sciences can be used to create sustainable alternatives to the industrial production methods used today. Beginning with a discussion of the role of agriculture in human development, the primer examines how twentieth-century farming methods are environmentally and socially unsustainable, contributing to global change and perpetuating inequalities. The authors explain the principles of environmental sustainability and explore how these principles can be put into practice in agrifood systems. They emphasize the importance of human well-being and insist on the centrality of social and environmental equity and justice. Sustainable Food Production is a compelling guide to how we can improve our ability to feed each other today and preserve the ability of our planet to do so tomorrow. Appropriate for a range of courses in the natural and social sciences, it provides a comprehensive yet accessible framework for achieving agricultural sustainability in the Anthropocene.

Ghana: Processes and outputs associated with the UN Food Systems Summit

Ghana: Processes and outputs associated with the UN Food Systems Summit
Author: Asante, Felix A.
Publisher: Intl Food Policy Res Inst
Total Pages: 12
Release: 2024-03-25
Genre: Political Science
ISBN:
GET BOOK

Download Ghana: Processes and outputs associated with the UN Food Systems Summit Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Like other countries in the sub-region particularly West African economies, Ghana is grappling with multiple burdens of malnutrition which is accompanied by climate change that influence food production and consumption trends, and thereby leading to undernutrition and affecting overall development. In addition, growing incomes, accelerated urbanization, and expanding middle classes are also causing significant changes in consumer behavior and nutritional choices, necessitating both public and private expenditures for better food market integration. While food insecurity, and undernutrition (e.g. stunting, micronutrient deficiencies) persist, obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases are rising rapidly. General nutrition situation and identification of the highest priority nutrition problems. Various estimates of nutritional status of Ghanaian children under aged 5 years show that 19% were stunted, 5% were wasted, and 11% were underweight. In 2018, the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) showed nearly similar rates of stunting (18%), wasting (7%) and underweight (13%), suggesting that stunting prevalence improved only marginally during the last 5-6 years, whereas child wasting and underweight worsened during the period. Other significant problems of undernutrition in Ghana include a high prevalence anemia in children 6-59 months (55%), adolescent girls (48%) and women of reproductive age (42%). From the foregoing, the high priority nutrition challenges in Ghana, include “stunting and wasting in children under 5 years of age; anemia in children 6-59 months of age, adolescent girls, and women of reproductive age; but also, overweight and obesity in school-age children and younger adolescents; and overweight and obesity in women of reproductive age (15-49 y of age). Report of the Demographic and Health Surveys show a significant rising trend in adult obesity – from 10% in 1993 to 40% in 2015 (GSS et al., 2015). Also, the Ghanaian food environments (particularly in the urban areas) is currently characterized by cheap highly-processed foods, with nutrient-dense foods such fruits and vegetables lacking in meals because it is unaffordable (Laar, 2021).

Improving diets in rural Ghana

Improving diets in rural Ghana
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org.
Total Pages: 60
Release: 2021-06-28
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 9251345627
GET BOOK

Download Improving diets in rural Ghana Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

This publication presents an in-depth analysis of the food system in Ghana with the dual purpose of providing an overview of the current situation, and identifying opportunities for leveraging the role of small and medium-sized enterprises for nutrition-sensitive food systems. The data collected and the results of the analysis enhance the understanding of some of the challenges that, in the Ghanaian context, contribute to determining diet-related issues; more importantly, the analysis identifies opportunities and entry points for improving diets by overcoming some of the challenges faced by small and medium-sized enterprises. The information provided could be of support not only for further analyses, but also for planning interventions and designing policies to improve nutrition in Ghana and in other contexts.

Agroecological Footprints Management for Sustainable Food System

Agroecological Footprints Management for Sustainable Food System
Author: Arnab Banerjee
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 518
Release: 2020-12-16
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 9811594961
GET BOOK

Download Agroecological Footprints Management for Sustainable Food System Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

Agroecological footprints are a unique and popular concept for sustainable food system. Measuring and keeping a tab on the agroecological footprints of various human activities has gained remarkable interest in the past decade. From a range of human activities, food production and agriculture are most essential as well as extremely dependent on the agroecosystems. It is therefore crucial to understand the interaction of agroecosystem constituents with the extensive agricultural practices. The environmental impact measured in terms of agroecological footprints for a healthy for the sustainable food system. The editors critically examine the status of agroecological footprints and how it can be maintained within sustainable limits. Drawing upon research and examples from around the world, the book is offering an up-to-date account, and insight into how agroecology can be implemented as a solution in the form of eco-friendly practices that would boost up the production, curbs the environmental impacts, improves the bio-capacity, and reduces the agroecological footprints. It further discusses the changing status of the agroecological footprints and the growth of other footprint tools and types, such as land, water, carbon, nitrogen, etc. This book will be of interest to teachers, researchers, government planners, climate change scientists, capacity builders, and policymakers. Also, the book serves as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of agriculture, agroforestry, agroecology, soil science, and environmental sciences. National and international agricultural scientists, policymakers will also find this to be useful to achieve the ‘Sustainable Development Goals’.

Sustainable Food Systems

Sustainable Food Systems
Author: Terry Marsden
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 248
Release: 2014-01-21
Genre: Business & Economics
ISBN: 1136185429
GET BOOK

Download Sustainable Food Systems Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle

In response to the challenges of a growing population and food security, there is an urgent need to construct a new agri-food sustainability paradigm. This book brings together an integrated range of key social science insights exploring the contributions and interventions necessary to build this framework. Building on over ten years of ESRC funded theoretical and empirical research centered at BRASS, it focuses upon the key social, economic and political drivers for creating a more sustainable food system. Themes include: regulation and governance sustainable supply chains public procurement sustainable spatial strategies associated with rural restructuring and re-calibrated urbanised food systems minimising bio-security risk and animal welfare burdens. The book critically explores the linkages between social science research and the evolving food security problems facing the world at a critical juncture in the debates associated with not only food quality, but also its provenance, vulnerability and the inherent unsustainability of current systems of production and consumption. Each chapter examines how the links between research, practice and policy can begin to contribute to more sustainable, resilient and justly distributive food systems which would be better equipped to ‘feed the world’ by 2050.