Ghana

In Ghana, the proportion of undernourished people has decreased from 34 percent to five percent in the last 20 years. Yet, signs of alimentary security and nutrition are mixed, because while per capita caloric intake is strong, protein per capita could be increased. Other issues also need attention: Ghanaians’ life expectancy remains quite low at 57, and child mortality has decreased steadily over the last ten years but must continue to lower from its current number of 69 per 1000 live births. Almost one-third of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product depends – and more than half the population subsists – on agriculture.

FAO's main in-country programmes

Special Programme for Food Security
As part of FAO assistance to Ghana in the field of food security, the SPFS pilot phase was initiated in five districts with activities on water control in 1997.   In 2001, a Unilateral Trust Fund project funded by the African Development Bank (AfDB) started to implement food security activities, which covered six regions and 11 districts, with over 1 000 poor farming households participating in the various initiatives according to the original technical components: water control (irrigation systems, water harvesting, infrastructure), crop intensification (use of high-yielding varieties, soil and water management and conservation and integrated pest management practices) and diversification (small livestock management, farmhouse, fisheries). Farmer Field Schools were used as an extension method to promote the best practices and improved systems. The programme included a south-south cooperation component with China, under which several Chinese experts and technicians completed field assignments in Ghana in support of the various SPFS activities. 

National Programme for Food Security (NPFS)
Drawing on positive results with the implementation of the SPFS pilot phase, the Government of Ghana prepared the Ghana strategy framework for food security and action plan in 2005. In the same year, following an official request for assistance from the government, the AfDB completed the preparation of a six-year project in support of the national programme for food security known as the Ghana Food Security Action Plan (GFSAP). The plan focuses on large-scale water development, rural road infrastructure and market development, enhancement of crops, as well as small livestock and aquaculture within a comprehensive food security strategy.

Regional Programme for Food Security (RPFS)
Ghana is a member of ECOWAS – Economic Community of West African States (http://www.ecowas.int/) and of CEN-SAD – Community of Sahel-Saharan States (http://www.cen-sad.org/).


Emergency Prevention System for Transboundary Animals and Plant Pests and Diseases (EMPRES) Animal Health Component 
Ghana officially reported Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI)/H5N1 in 2007, which only affected domestic poultry. Since that time, no new outbreaks have been observed. Following the 2007 outbreaks however, an FAO/World Organization for Animal Health (FAO/OIE) Crisis Management Centre – Animal Health mission was deployed to help control the disease. FAO brought earlier assistance through sub-regional technical coordination programmes and is still implementing three HPAI projects in Ghana (one international, two regional). An integrated national action plan was also produced for a comprehensive response during a rapid assessment mission led by FAO, in collaboration with OIE, African Union InterAfrican Bureau For Animal Resources and the World Health Organization.

Ghana is also affected by many other animal diseases such as Foot-and-Mouth Disease, Peste des Petits Ruminants and African Swine Fever. Ghana’s participation in FAO sub-regional networks for epidemiosurveillance and animal health communication, managed from the regional animal health center in Bamako, will contribute to the control of these diseases, in addition to HPAI.

last updated: 7 July 2011