COVID-19, Agriculture and Food Security in Ghana; The Way Forward

  • John Tennyson Afele Department of Agroforestry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana; African Graduate Mentorship and Coaching Programme, Ibadan - Nigeria
  • Emmanuel Gyan Ansah Department of Agroforestry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana.
  • Eunice Nimo School of Natural Science, Bangor University, Wales – United Kingdom; African Graduate Mentorship and Coaching Programme, Ibadan - Nigeria
  • Sydney Stanley Blankson School of Public Service and Governance, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, Accra-Ghana
  • David Ofoe Gorleku Department of Agroforestry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana.
  • Esther Odi Tieku Cornfields Green Ghana Limited, Accra-Ghana.
  • Cindy Yaa Gyeniaw Department of Environmental Science, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana; African Graduate Mentorship and Coaching Programme, Ibadan - Nigeria.
  • Maxwell Osei Hene Department of Agroforestry, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi-Ghana.
  • Raphael Babatunde Department of Agricultural Economics and Farm Management, University of Ilorin, Ilorin-Nigeria; African Graduate Mentorship and Coaching Programme, Ibadan - Nigeria.

Abstract

Food production, its availability, and accessibility will continue to be key contributors to human existence. The world was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020 and its effect trickled into reduced production of goods and services in many industries across the globe. Understanding the effects of the pandemic in Ghana necessitated the write-up of this paper. The study took the form of a desk review where current studies across the globe on the effect of the pandemic on agriculture and food security were reviewed, after which it was supported by data from self-placed questionnaire administration. Across the globe, agricultural production experienced a reduction that phased into food insecurity. This was not limited only to the extremely affected countries, but also, in countries where COVID-19 infections were low. One key limiting factor that spiked the challenge in the agricultural sector was a reduction in the availability of labour for production. In many leading food-producing countries, the challenge became acute when perishable food crops began to get damaged. In Ghana, the virus similarly led to restrictions in movements in and between epicenters. It was reported by the Ghana Statistical Service that, 77.4% of Ghanaians were negatively affected by the increased prices in food sold in the country. Without immediate and effective management as well as policy interventions from the Ghanaian government, it is highly possible for most farmers and agricultural businesses to completely collapse. This communication is to highlight some ongoing and disturbing effects of the pandemic to policymakers as well as individual and governmental strategies that have been put in place to curb adverse effects on food production. This will help enhance Ghanaians’ standards of living amidst economic challenges.

Published
2022-12-14
How to Cite
Afele, J., Ansah, E., Nimo, E., Blankson, S., Gorleku, D., Tieku, E., Gyeniaw, C., Hene, M., & Babatunde, R. (2022). COVID-19, Agriculture and Food Security in Ghana; The Way Forward. Ghana Journal of Science, Technology and Development, 8(2), 147-159. https://doi.org/10.47881/342.967x