The July 2024 Food Security Monitor report has highlighted a worrying rise in food insecurity across Ghana, with insufficient food consumption (IFC) increasing by 5.77%.
This surge is primarily driven by the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, marked by persistently high inflation, a weakening currency, and escalating fuel prices, which have significantly raised the cost of essential staples like maize and rice.
This development aligns with earlier forecasts from the World Food Programme (WFP) in their February 2024 report.
The WFP had projected that approximately 1.05 million Ghanaians would face food insecurity between June and August 2024, due to a combination of climate change, low agricultural prices, inadequate infrastructure, and limited access to education.
Ghana’s reliance on global markets, especially for imported rice, further exacerbates its vulnerability.
The report also shows that while IFC levels remained stable in most countries between June and July, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda experienced increases of 5.77%, 3.98%, and 7.5% respectively. Conversely, Zimbabwe recorded a 5.45% decrease.
Year-over-year data reveals that most countries have seen a rise in IFC, with the exceptions being Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, where current levels are lower than those of the previous year.
Additionally, the report identifies several countries as food insecurity hotspots, with over half of their populations facing IFC.
These include Burkina Faso (56.6%), Mali (69.1%), Niger (82.6%), and Nigeria (51.5%).