The July 2024 Food Security Monitor report reveals a significant rise in food insecurity across Ghana, with the rate of insufficient food consumption (IFC) increasing by 5.77 per cent.
This alarming trend is driven by a cost-of-living crisis exacerbated by persistent high inflation, a weakening currency, and soaring fuel prices, which have collectively driven up the prices of essential commodities like maize and rice.
This escalation in food insecurity aligns with earlier projections by the World Food Programme (WFP). According to the WFP’s February 2024 country brief and preliminary March 2024 analysis, an estimated 1.05 million Ghanaians were expected to face food insecurity between June and August 2024. Factors contributing to this situation include climate change, low agricultural prices, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to education, alongside Ghana’s vulnerability to global market shifts, particularly in the importation of rice.
The report also notes that while the rate of IFC remained stable in most countries between June and July, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda experienced increases of 5.77 per cent, 3.98 per cent, and 7.5 per centrespectively. In contrast, Zimbabwe saw a 5.45 per cent decrease.
On a year-over-year basis, most countries have seen an increase in IFC, with exceptions being Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, where current levels are lower than those recorded a year ago.
Additionally, the report identifies several nations as food insecurity hotspots—where more than half of the population faces IFC—including Burkina Faso (56.6%), Mali (69.1%), Niger (82.6%), and Nigeria (51.5%).
