Briefing Paper

West African Agriculture and Climate Change: A Comprehensive analysis – Ghana

“The agricultural sector in Ghana is mostly rainfed and includes crops, livestock, and fisheries. More than half the country’s workers are employed in agriculture. Cocoa remains the single most important cash crop in Ghana, while the two most important food crops are cassava and maize. Malnutrition, estimated at 19.9 percent in 2008, is one of the lowest in the region. However, poverty is endemic in the three northern regions, where more than 95 percent of the population lives on less than $US2 a day. Moreover, the large increase in population anticipated by 2050 is a concern for food availability and conservation of the natural resource base.”