KNUST researchers establish strong link between climate change, food consumption and food security in Ghana

Researchers at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology have confirmed that climate change affects households' ability to access nutritious food.

The 2024 Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) report shows a troubling trend. From 2014 to 2023, the number of severely food-insecure people in Ghana nearly doubled. It rose from 1.5 million to 2.8 million.

This connection between food security and climate change highlights a serious issue. Climate change threatens food consumption and the nutritional quality of diets.

In 2024, the FAO identified Ghana as highly vulnerable to climate change impacts on food security. In 2022, about 63 percent of Ghana’s population, or 21.1 million people, could not afford a healthy diet.

These alarming statistics were discussed at a recent seminar at KNUST titled “Food Consumption and Adaptation to Climate Change: Evidence from Ghana.”

Dr. Frank Adusah-Poku led the research, which analyzed data specific to Ghana. The study aimed to measure how climate change impacts food consumption for both farm and non-farm households.

It examined short-term and long-term weather shocks caused by temperature and rainfall changes. These factors affect food access, availability, nutritional quality, and overall household food security.

Dr. Adusah-Poku noted that climate change drives food insecurity by limiting diversified diets for households. He explained that higher temperatures reduce production yields and increase costs for nutritious foods.

Farm households struggle more due to lower incomes affected by climate change. However, increased rainfall can help them spend more on high-quality foods.

The research also explored how climate change effects vary among different groups of households. It compared those relying on markets versus their own production, as well as northern versus southern regions.

The study found that all farm households are similarly affected by climate change but to varying degrees. Dr. Adusah-Poku clarified that the impact is universal across regions and economic statuses.

He stated that high temperatures reduce farm incomes for all farmers regardless of location or market dependence. Most farm households spend based on their incomes from farming.

A significant part of the study focused on how household income mediates the effects of climate change on food consumption and security.

Researchers evaluated farmers’ off-farm adaptation strategies in response to climate shocks. Dr. Bright Owusu Asante emphasized income diversification as crucial for maintaining food security.

He urged policymakers to support farmers in diversifying their incomes so they can buy diverse foods they cannot produce due to climate impacts.

Dr. Asante highlighted that improving farmers' incomes allows them to purchase missing food groups for better dietary diversity—an essential aspect of food security.

He stressed that income is a key mechanism in this research's findings regarding how farmers manage climate challenges effectively.

The seminar provided stakeholders with a platform to discuss policy implications and future research opportunities, including studying non-farm diversification as a buffer against climate-related losses.