The number of Ghanaians experiencing a food crisis surged sharply in 2024, with an additional 900,000 people struggling to access adequate food, according to data from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).
Data released to mark World Food Day showed that the number of food-insecure individuals rose from 12.4 million in the first quarter of the year to 13.3 million by the fourth quarter, representing a 7.3 per cent increase in people affected by limited food access, availability, and utilisation.
In its statement, the GSS noted that despite ongoing national and local initiatives to reduce hunger, regional and gender disparities remain significant.
The Volta Region recorded the highest rate of food insecurity at 52 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024, while the Greater Accra Region, though maintaining the lowest rate, saw a steep increase from 20.2 per cent to 29 per cent over the same period.
The report also underscored a persistent gender gap, with food insecurity being more prevalent among female-headed households. The proportion of such households that were food insecure increased from 40.4 per cent to 44.0 per cent between the first and fourth quarters of 2024.
For male-headed households, the rate rose from 32.4 per cent to 37.1 per cent, maintaining a gender gap of about 7 percentage points.
The worsening food crisis is also taking a toll on child health. The share of households with underweight children under five years that were food insecure climbed from 38.0 per cent to 44.9 per cent during the year.
Additionally, the GSS highlighted the strong link between hunger and poverty, revealing that the number of people who are both food insecure and multidimensionally poor increased by 400,000, from 3.7 million to 4.1 million Ghanaians.
“This reinforces the need for integrated policy responses that address multiple deprivations such as income, health, education, and living standards simultaneously,” the GSS stated.
As Ghana strives to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger), the GSS urged that future policy measures should focus on coordinated, data-driven interventions to boost food availability, improve access to nutritious diets, and strengthen sustainable production systems.
“Strengthening support for smallholder farmers, promoting climate-resilient agriculture, bridging regional and gender gaps, and fostering stronger partnerships among government, development partners, and communities are critical for ensuring that no household is left behind in the fight against hunger,” the release concluded.
