Ghana is not facing a nationwide food crisis but is contending with “deep, concentrated” vulnerabilities that require targeted policy action, Government Statistician Dr Alhassan Iddrisu has indicated at the release of the Food Insecurity Vulnerability Report.
Presenting findings from the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS), Iddrisu stressed the need to move beyond broad national averages toward “timely, precise and actionable” data to guide interventions, particularly as households grapple with rising food prices, inflationary pressures, and climate-related shocks.
The report, based on the Mobile Vulnerability Analysis and Mapping (mVAM) survey conducted in collaboration with the World Food Programme (WFP), covered 9,000 households across all 16 regions between October and December 2025 using a telephone-based methodology designed to generate “near real-time insights.”
According to the data, about 91 percent of households maintain acceptable food consumption levels, suggesting a degree of national resilience. However, an estimated three million people remain vulnerable, with conditions described as “poor or borderline” in terms of food consumption.
More critically, the survey highlights widespread stress among households, with roughly one in three adopting “medium to high coping strategies,” while nearly a quarter are already in “crisis or emergency” coping situations. These include reducing meal quality, borrowing for subsistence, and in some cases selling productive assets or cutting back on health and education spending.
Iddrisu cautioned that such coping mechanisms are “not sustainable,” noting that many households are effectively “sacrificing tomorrow” to manage present conditions.
The report further identifies clear patterns of vulnerability. Northern regions, including the North East, Northern, Upper East, and Upper West, record significantly higher exposure, with close to 40 percent of households experiencing food consumption challenges. Households without formal education are found to be “up to 10 times more vulnerable,” while those dependent on small-scale agriculture face risks “about six times higher” than households engaged in trading or savings-based activities.
The findings also point to structural constraints, including limited market access and high food expenditure burdens, where affordability, rather than physical access, emerges as the primary barrier.
On policy implications, Iddrisu emphasised that “targeting must improve,” urging stakeholders to focus interventions on high-risk populations. He further underscored the need to “act earlier,” treating coping strategies as early warning indicators rather than waiting for consumption levels to deteriorate.
Social protection coverage remains limited, with only about 1.5 percent of households reporting receipt of assistance, a situation he described as “not sufficient” given prevailing conditions.
The Government Statistician also called for sustained investment in resilience, including climate-smart agriculture, diversified livelihoods, and stronger food systems, alongside efforts to improve economic access to markets.
He noted that food security remains central to Ghana’s broader development agenda, linking it to inclusive growth, poverty reduction, and the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 2 on zero hunger.
The statistician reaffirmed the GSS commitment to placing “credible data at the centre” of policymaking, stressing that better evidence should translate into “decisive action” to protect livelihoods and strengthen long-term economic stability.
