The Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) has reported that more than 13 million Ghanaians were food insecure by the end of 2024, marking a 7.3 percent increase since the first quarter of the year.
According to newly released data ahead of World Food Day, the number of people struggling to access sufficient and nutritious food rose from 12.4 million in the first quarter to 13.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2024.
This troubling rise, the GSS explained, is the result of ongoing challenges in food access, availability, and proper utilisation across the country.
The report was released under the theme of this year’s World Food Day, “Right to Food for a Better Life and a Better Future”.
It highlights serious disparities in food security, both regionally and across gender lines.
The Volta Region recorded the highest level of food insecurity at 52 percent, while the Greater Accra Region had the lowest rate at 29 percent.
The report also revealed a significant gap between male and female-headed households.
Women-led households were more vulnerable to food insecurity, with rates increasing from 40.4 percent in the first quarter to 44 percent by the end of the year.
In comparison, male-headed households saw a rate of 37.1 percent in the same period.
Food insecurity was also linked to poor child health.
Among households with underweight children under the age of five, the rate of food insecurity rose from 38 percent in the first quarter to nearly 45 percent in the fourth quarter.
Additionally, the number of Ghanaians who are both food insecure and multidimensionally poor increased by 400,000 during the year, rising from 3.7 million to 4.1 million.
The GSS warns that if immediate, coordinated, and evidence-based interventions are not implemented, Ghana risks falling behind on Sustainable Development Goal 2, which aims to end hunger and promote sustainable agriculture.
It is calling for stronger policies that improve access to nutritious food, support smallholder farmers, and advance climate-resilient agricultural practices.
The report emphasises the importance of collaboration between the government, development partners, and communities to close the existing regional and gender gaps in food security.
“Food insecurity is not inevitable. With the right data, the right policies, and the right partnerships, every Ghanaian can have access to safe, nutritious, and affordable food. The time to act is now, so that no table is left empty,” the GSS stated.
