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| 26 mar 2012 |
14:52 |
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Competing claims and food security in Ghana and Mali
Food production rose and the number of undernourished people fell in both Ghana and Mali, mainly as a result of an increase in the area of agricultural land but also as a result of increased agricultural production per hectare
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(see Figure S.1).
The increase in agricultural areas in these two countries has been at the cost of forest area (Ghana) and wetlands/savannah (in Mali).
As a consequence, there is a clear trade-off between increased food production and ecosystem degradation: there has been a loss of biodiversity in both countries, while livelihood activities in forests in Ghana and in wetlands downstream of irrigation dams in Mali are threatened.  |
Complementary findings
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Undernourishment in both Ghana and Mali was reduced in the period 2000-07, yet is still significant in certain regions in each country. See Section 2.2.
Actual yields in Ghana and Mali are much lower than potentials. The main cause of the yield gap is a lack of nutrients, not of water. See Section 3.3.
Yield improvements are most effective in reducing competing claims on land, but are not likely to be obtained easily. High variability in rainfall, diversity in soil characteristics, uncertain land tenure/ownership positions, and limited market access for inputs and outputs are some of the main underlying causes of farmers being uncertain whether investments in yield improvements will be profitable. See Section 3.4.
Reducing farmers' uncertainties about whether productivity improving investments will be profitable, may be an important response to the problem of reducing competing claims on land and water between different groups and regions, and of alleviating pressure on natural ecosystems. There are many ways to help farmers reduce these uncertainties and increase their productivity in rain-fed production systems without the need for them to make several large investments at the same time. See Section 6.2.
Whatever solution or policy intervention is used to address competing claims on natural resources, there will always be conflicting interests among the stakeholders. The key to reducing these conflicts is to promote dialogue with the various stakeholders in order to bring forward possible ways to reduce trade-offs between claims on natural resources. This calls for a strategy and an operational plan to improve sustainable food production in countries like Ghana and Mali where serious competing claims on natural resources have been identified. See Chapter 4 and Chapter 5. |
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Methodology
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| Food security is seriously at stake in Ghana and Mali, which are partner countries in the Dutch development cooperation policy. This report addresses the extent to which competing claims on land and water hamper domestic food production, and the major reasons behind these competing claims. The study also identifies a number of ways to enhance sustainable food production growth in these two countries. The report is based on a literature review and data analyses. |
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