Advocacy for urban farming is rising in Ghana as evidence supports its role in improving food security and cutting import reliance. Recent academic findings also suggest that household-level production systems are contributing to improved nutrition outcomes and strengthening local food supply chains in urban areas.
A 2025 study published in Food and Energy Security (Wiley) by Quaye et al. finds that integrated crop–livestock systems within urban settings are associated with measurable improvements in household welfare. The authors report that such systems enhance “food access and dietary diversity,” with households combining crop cultivation and small livestock recording stronger outcomes than those relying on single production streams.
The study further links access to productive resources such as land and credit with improved “nutrition outcomes,” highlighting the structural factors that influence the effectiveness of urban farming systems.
The findings add weight to a growing policy conversation around decentralising food production, particularly in cities where demand for fresh vegetables continues to outpace local supply. Backyard farming, in this context, is increasingly being repositioned from a subsistence activity to a practical component of urban food systems.
Complementing this, Sarpong, Dinye, Donbein, and Amoako (2025), in Urban Agriculture as a Catalyst for Food Security and Sustainability in Ghana’s Rapidly Urbanizing Cities, published in the Asian Journal of Agricultural and Horticultural Research, identify urban agriculture as a key lever for strengthening food security in Ghana. Their analysis points to gains in “food access and availability,” alongside improvements in “dietary diversity” and “household income,” particularly among women engaged in small-scale production.
The authors further emphasize the role of urban farming in enhancing “resilience during economic shocks,” reinforcing its importance in periods of food price volatility and urban supply instability.
Taken together, the studies are informing a more deliberate push toward reducing Ghana’s reliance on imported vegetables. With a notable share of urban consumption sourced externally, stakeholders continue to argue that scaling backyard and community-level production could contribute to import substitution while improving supply stability.
In market terms, increased household production carries implications that extend beyond direct consumption. Surplus output from backyard farms can be channelled into local distribution systems, supplying informal markets and small-scale retailers. This creates an additional layer of economic activity, positioning urban farming not only as a food security intervention but also as a viable micro-enterprise opportunity within urban economies.
There is also a clear nutritional dimension. Both studies underscore the role of urban agriculture in improving access to fresh produce, with “dietary diversity” emerging as a consistent outcome. In practical terms, this supports healthier consumption patterns within urban households, particularly where access to quality vegetables is constrained by cost.
However, the research also points to binding constraints. Limited access to land, financing gaps, and weak integration into urban planning frameworks continue to restrict the scale at which backyard farming can operate. Addressing these barriers remains central to translating current advocacy into sustained impact.
Even so, the direction of evidence remains increasingly consistent. Findings from Quaye et al. (2025) and Sarpong et al. (2025) position backyard and urban farming as credible components of Ghana’s evolving food system, supporting improved “food access,” enhancing “dietary diversity,” and contributing to a more resilient, locally anchored supply structure capable of withstanding urban food demand pressures.
