An analysis of the population-food crop nexus in Ghana

Abstract

Rapid population growth has consequences for food production in Ghana. This paper assesses the trend and pattern of population growth in the country from 1960 to 2000, and projections for 2010, in ten administrative regions of Ghana, using population census data. In addition, it assesses crop production from 1960 to 2002, using data from the Ghanaian Ministry of Food and Agriculture and FAO, and concludes with an assessment of the relationship between population and food crop production. Predictions of the amount of food that would be required as a result of population growth have been computed for 2010, for certain crops in the Upper East and Upper West regions and at the national level, based on simple regression models and projected populations. Predictions show that maize, sorghum and millet production in Upper East, and sorghum production in Upper West would have to increase by an annual rate of 6,3%, 0,9%, 6,0% and 10,5%, respectively, in order to meet the needs of the projected population in 2010. At the national level, cocoyam and plantain production would have to increase by 1,9% and 12,7% per annum respectively, to meet demand of Ghana’s projected population of 2010. However, in 2000 groundnut production in the Upper East Region exceeded what the population needed. Thus, assuming groundnut production decreased by an annual rate of 4,4%, it could still be sufficient to sustain the population of the region until 2010. The paper concludes by making a number of recommendations.