The Western Region has emerged as the most expensive region in Ghana to maintain a healthy diet, according to a new report released by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).
The region recorded a minimum Cost of a Healthy Diet (CoHD) of GH¢21.29 in the first quarter of 2025, significantly higher than the national average of GH¢15.11.
This figure represents a GH¢6.18 increase above the national average and GH¢11.46 more than the Ahafo Region, which recorded the lowest CoHD at GH¢9.83. Other high-ranking regions include Greater Accra (GH¢20.31), Volta (GH¢20.29), Eastern (GH¢16.89), and Ashanti (GH¢15.99).
The findings were presented during a dissemination workshop and the launch of the quarterly CoHD monitoring initiative by MOFA in Accra.
The study, conducted by MOFA’s Statistics, Research and Information Directorate (SRID) with technical support from Tufts University (USA), assessed the affordability of healthy diets across 15 regions, excluding the Central Region.
The CoHD is defined as the minimum cost required to meet daily nutritional needs, as outlined in Ghana’s food-based dietary guidelines. Inability to afford this minimum cost suggests limited access to adequate nutrition.
Speaking at the event, Ms. Eunice Arhin, Deputy Director at SRID-MOFA, said data was collected from over 70 food items across 190 markets nationwide, using weekly pricing updates to compute monthly regional averages.
According to the report, vegetables and animal-source foods formed the largest cost components, accounting for 30% and 27% of the total diet cost respectively. Starchy staples contributed 20%, followed by legumes, nuts, and seeds (14%), fruits (7%), and fats and oils (1%).
Ms. Arhin attributed the price variations to seasonal availability and transportation costs, explaining that prices fluctuate depending on supply levels and the distances food items travel to reach markets.
“For example, during scarcity, prices go up due to limited supply. And if food is transported from a distant location, costs naturally rise due to logistics,” she noted.
However, the study also identified the least-cost items in each food group. For starchy staples, white maize, yellow maize, and dried cassava chips (konkonte) were the cheapest.
In the fruit category, fresh coconut, avocado, and pawpaw offered the most affordable options. Among vegetables, alefu, carrot, and kontomire topped the list, while kako, koobi (salted tilapia), and mutton were the least-cost animal-source proteins.
Mr. Paul Siameh, Acting Chief Director of MOFA, emphasized the importance of access to healthy diets, linking nutrition to national productivity, child development, and chronic disease prevention.
He added that the findings would support evidence-based nutrition and food policy formulation.
Professor Richmond Aryeetey from the University of Ghana School of Public Health called for standardized measurement systems to ensure transparency in market pricing and urged policymakers to use the report to improve nutrition outcomes across the country.
Importantly, the quarterly CoHD monitoring initiative aims to guide national and regional efforts in making healthy diets more affordable and accessible, especially for vulnerable populations.
