Modeling inequality in access to agricultural productive resources and socioeconomic determinants of household food security in Ghana: a cross-sectional study
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Date
2023
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Agricultural and Food Economics
Abstract
Women in rural communities remain the most vulnerable population in accessing
agricultural productive resources with dire implications for food security, malnutrition, and poverty. Effective agricultural and food-related policies should be based
on a better understanding of the complex inter-relationship of how socioeconomic,
demographic, gender, women empowerment, and geographical location indicators
simultaneously affect access to agricultural productive resources and food security. The
study quantified the level of inequality in access to agricultural productive resources
and explored the mechanism through which socioeconomic status mediates the effect
of geographic location on food security. This is a community-based cross-sectional
study using a multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling design to generate
a representative sample of the target population who live in coastal and non-coastal
communities. The Gini inequality index, generalized structural equation models,
multivariable modified Poisson and Negative binomial regression models were used.
The inequality in access to agricultural productive resources was marginally higher
among women than in men, higher in the coastal areas than in the non-coastal areas,
and higher among women with low empowerment in agricultural production decision-making. The empowerment of women in agricultural decision-making was found
to increase with age, as older women were more empowered to make decisions
in agriculture. Approximately 17% [95% CI 15.6–18.6] of the population were food secured (coastal=13.9%, non-coastal communities=20.7%). Socioeconomic status
mediates the effect of living in coastal versus non-coastal rural communities on food
security. To improve food security, the government should prioritize interventions
geared toward improving women’s access to productive agricultural resources. These
interventions must consider gender-specific constraints, poverty alleviation schemes,
legal framework, sociocultural factors, and decision-making power.
Description
Research Article
Keywords
Inequality, Agricultural productive resources, Women empowerment, Food security, Gini index