The rate of insufficient food consumption (IFC) increased by 5.77 percent in July 2024, indicating that Ghana is experiencing an increasingly severe food insecurity problem.
The most recent Food Security Monitor report states as much.
The prolonged cost-of-living issue, which has been made worse by consistently rising inflation, a declining value of the dollar, and skyrocketing fuel prices, is mostly to blame for this considerable increase.
The cost of necessities has increased due to these economic constraints, especially staple grains like rice and maize.
This alarming situation is consistent with forecasts made by the World Food Programme (WFP), which cautioned that between June and August of 2024, 1.05 million Ghanaians will experience food insecurity in its report from February 2024 and its analysis from March of that same year.
The World Food Program (WFP) recognized a number of contributing issues, such as limited access to education, low agricultural prices, inadequate infrastructure, and climate change.
Ghana is more susceptible to changes in the world market because of its significant reliance on imported rice.
The July report also showed that, although IFC rates in most countries did not change from June to July, there were noteworthy rises of 5.77 percent, 3.98 percent, and 7.5% in Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda, respectively.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe’s IFC fell by 5.45% in the same time frame.
The IFC has increased in most countries year over year, with the exception of Mozambique, Rwanda, South Sudan, Uganda, and Zambia, where the present levels are lower than they were a year ago.
Additionally, the research names a number of countries as hotspots for food insecurity, where more than half of the populace has inadequate food intake.
These comprise Nigeria (51.5%), Burkina Faso (56.6%), Mali (691.6%), Niger (82.6%), and Niger (82.6%).
Source: newsthemegh.com