Sustainable cereal production: A spatial analytical approach using the Ghana living standards survey

Abstract

Ghana as one of the countries south of the Sahara, depends solely on cereals as a major staple food. Ironically, Ghana's economy depends on large importation from the global north, particularly Asia, due to systemic production deficits. The probability of farming households producing enough cereals and the constraints to meeting domestic supply remains imperative. Therefore, the current research focussed on the Ghana Living Standard Survey seventh round (GLSS7) involving 15,045 cereal farmers nationwide. By estimating the probability of farming households producing cereals and the factors that constrain cereal production. Using random-effects regression models, the empirics show that farming households are expected to produce 5.87 tonnes of cereals annually. Specifically, farming households headed by males are expected to produce 6.01 tonnes of cereal crops in a year, 0.14 tonnes more than female-headed households. Non-poor households are expected to produce 6.82 tonnes of cereals in a year compared with an expected production of 6.29 tonnes by poor households. Cereal production is constrained by wealth status, gender, and age of household heads. Our findings attempt to inform and shape policy towards sustained cereal production in Ghana, and by implication countries in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) in Ghana, should bring on board a structural policy that will address constraints related to gender, wealth, and age of household heads to enhance sustainable cereal production.