The nation of Ghana is getting some much-needed help with its agricultural industry.
The World Bank has approved $125.94 million to go to the country under the second phase of the West Africa Food System Resilience Program, according to News Ghana. The project aims to tackle the complex causes of food insecurity. The funding will support recovery efforts for farmers impacted by extreme weather, possibly caused by climate change, while enhancing sustainable tomato production across Ghana.
Rising global temperatures already impact Ghana significantly. Right now, scientists predict the number of dangerously hot days will increase to 140 days per year by 2060. That's more than one-third of the calendar year. While drought affects 13% of the country's population, more than 45,000 Ghanaians are impacted by flooding each year.
While these climate change symptoms negatively affect the country's overall food supply, they lead to particularly bad results for tomato production. Ghanaians rely on tomatoes as an essential part of their diet, consuming about 1.4 million tons of the fruit each year. However, only 34% of those tomatoes are produced locally. Increased funding to the FSRP will give farmers the tools they need to grow this vital ingredient.
While this initiative focuses on tomato production, all farmers will reap the benefits, including those who produce one of Ghana's top exports: cocoa beans. In 2023, the United States imported $154 million worth of cocoa beans from Ghana, the most of any trade partner. Increased productivity in cocoa bean farming could slash prices for consumers at the grocery store.
Currently, nearly 25% of Ghanaians live in poverty, with about 21,000 experiencing hunger in some capacity. In 2021, 33% of the country's workforce was reported to be in the agriculture sector. Even more survive off subsistence farming. By bolstering their agricultural sector, Ghanaians can live healthier and better-fed lives.
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