Contrasting Experiences of Water and Food Scarcity in Northern Ghana and Accra

In this blog post, I draw upon my personal insights as a Ghanaian to compare experiences of water and food scarcity in Northern Ghanaian Regions and Ghana’s capital Accra.

Insecurity and Regional Divides

Persistent and unequal water and food scarcity characterise Ghana. The majority of agriculture is rain-fed, with under 1% of cultivated land being irrigated, emphasising Ghana’s vulnerability to water scarcity in agriculture.

Variable water access can be attributed to the legacies of colonial development which prioritised Accra’s water infrastructure development over other regions, a problem that has persisted due to post-independence political instability (Harris, 2021). 

With Ghana becoming increasingly urbanised, additional strain on urban water and food supplies makes it crucial to understand experiences of water and food insecurity across Ghana (Akparibo et al., 2021). 

Water and Food Scarcity in Northern Ghana

Hunger and water insecurity are most prevalent in Northern Ghana. Southern Ghana benefits from two rainy seasons, enhancing food production, whilst Northern farmers contend with just one rainy season and warm, dry weather. Consequently, Northern Ghanaian regions experience the most severe food insecurity nationally (Kolog et al., 2023).

Water access is also a significant challenge with households in Northern regions being 16 times more likely to spend 30 minutes or more collecting water than those in Greater Accra, highlighting regional divides. 

The impact of water and food scarcity on Northern youth livelihoods is often overlooked as water scarcity limits agricultural productivity in Northern regions dependent on farming, forcing young people to migrate elsewhere for employment. Rural-urban migration puts pressure on cities like Accra, worsening existing issues of unsafe water (Boahen and Owusu, 2023).

Figure 1: The impact of water scarcity in Northern Ghana

Water and Food Scarcity in Accra

Through discussions with Ghanaian young people in Accra, I found it interesting to discover how Accra’s population copes with limited access to safe water and soaring food prices. Accra’s reliance on sachet water is evident. Historically, sachet water was used by the urban poor to overcome water insecurity. Now, most citizens use sachet water as a source of clean, accessible water (Moulds et al., 2022). Every time I visit Ghana, I buy sachet water for the day ahead from local street sellers.

Figure 2: Sachet water is available to buy from sellers on the street side. Sachet water is an essential item that offers Ghanaians access to clean water.

Recently, my Ghanaian family members have used social media to spread awareness about the rising cost of essential goods. Previously cheap roadside foods like plantains, kenkey and nuts have become expensive, hurting the nation’s poorest citizens. 

Like many other African nations, Ghana is heavily reliant on food imports, a vulnerability exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict which has contributed to increased food prices. However despite these global food chain disruptions, many Ghanaians blame government corruption and the misallocation of public funds for enduring food price surges.

From my research, in Accra, water and food insecurity are driven more by cost than availability and access, reflecting the diverse socioeconomic statuses and lifestyles present within the capital. Recognising regional disparities, including inequitable access to affordable food and unequal water infrastructures, is crucial for fostering an inclusive solution to insecurity across Ghana.