Blog Category

Ghana

Leveraging the Potential of Ghana's Food System

Jun 25th, 2024 • by Sara Gustafson

Malnutrition—including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight, obesity, and diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—poses a staggering challenge to health, food security, and economic growth outcomes around the world. In Ghana, an estimated 256.1 million people experienced hunger and 240 million were undernourished in 2018. At the same time, rates of obesity and diet-related NCDs in the country have risen significantly—from just 10 percent of Ghanaian adults in 1993 to 40 percent in 2015.

Intersection of Water, Food, and Nutrition Security: Evidence from SSA

Mar 27th, 2024 • by Sara Gustafson

The UN estimates as many as 2.2 billion people worldwide do not have access to clean, safe drinking water. As rising global temperatures, changing precipitation patterns, and a growing global population put additional pressures on this critical natural resource, water insecurity will likely become an even more important determining factor in global and regional conflict. In a recent paper in Food Security, researchers examine the role of water insecurity in two other related challenges: food insecurity and dietary diversity.

Climate-Smart Agriculture in West Africa

Aug 2nd, 2023 • by S. Gustafson

The challenges of climate change and food security are closely intertwined, with agriculture both driving and being impacted by extreme weather events. Policymakers around the globe are faced with the need to increase food production to feed growing populations while reducing that production’s negative impacts on the environment. According to a recent article in Global Environmental Change, climate-smart agriculture (CSA) provides an effective way to enhance countries’ climate resilience while simultaneously ensuring food and nutrition security.

How to Increase Gender Equity in Agriculture: New Evidence from Malabo Montpelier Forum

Jun 17th, 2023 • by S. Gustafson

The twelfth annual Malabo Montpelier Forum was held on June 8 and centered on a new report from the Malabo Montpelier Panel: Bridging the Gap: Policy Innovations to Put Women at the Center of Food System Transformation in Africa. According to the report, nearly two-thirds of African women play a role in the region’s agrifood system.