Understanding Food Insecurity Among Food Producers in Northern Ghana

Development interventions in sub-Saharan Africa often frame food and nutrition insecurity primarily as a production problem, emphasizing technical solutions such as the adoption of high-yielding seeds and the intensive use of chemical fertilizers and agrochemicals. This narrow perspective overlooks the complex, multiscalar factors that contribute to food insecurity and undernutrition in the region. Drawing on surveys and participatory engagement conducted in six communities in northern Ghana, this study explores these complexities among smallholder food producers. Findings reveal that factors such as seasonal variations in food production, limited access to storage facilities and markets, and farmers’ consumption preferences significantly influence food and nutrition security. Based on these insights, we argue that development strategies must move beyond simplistic, production-focused solutions and address the broader set of interconnected factors that shape food and nutrition security in northern Ghana. This research contributes to the growing body of scholarship on food systems by demonstrating how diverse factors across scales drive food insecurity and undernutrition in sub-Saharan Africa. The study also offers important implications for policy interventions aimed at improving food and nutrition security in the region.