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Ghana has experienced fluctuations in inflation, often driven by rising food prices. In November 2024, inflation increased to 23.0%, up from 22.1% in October, largely due to food price hikes.
The government has frequently highlighted the success of its Planting for Food and Jobs Initiative, which has now entered a second phase. However, this programme has faced criticism from stakeholders in the agricultural sector, as outlined in this, this, and this article.
At the NPP’s final rally on December 5, 2024, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia stated that Ghana ranks third in food security across Africa, attributing the alleged success to government policies, including the Planting for Food and Jobs programme.
On November 4, 2024, during a campaign event in Drobonso, he made comparable claims, which were reiterated at a community engagement in Ejura on November 13, 2024, and again on November 18, 2024, at an NPP rally. Despite these repeated assertions, a fact-check by CitiVerify has revealed significant discrepancies between Dr Bawumia’s statements and internationally recognised food security rankings.
Verification
Verifying the claim began with a simple Google search, which led to a December 2022 publication by Economist Impact. This report is the Global Food Security Index (2022), evaluating 113 countries based on the affordability, availability, quality, and safety of food. It ranked Ghana 7th in Africa.
Additionally, we found a publication by The African Exponent regarding food security rankings in 2024, which confirmed that Ghana still remains 7th in Africa, with Rwanda ranked as the 3rd country on the continent.
Conclusion
Evidently, Ghana ranks as the seventh African country in food security and not third as claimed by the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party.
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