Ensuring Food Security in Ghana – The Role of Maize Storage Systems

1. Research Framework and Objectives Ghana is about 99% self-sufficient in the production of maize (Nyanteng and Asuming-Bempong, 2003), the major staple for many low-income Ghanaians, yet the aggregate staple maize availability projections in Ghana does not take into account insecurity problems in the post-harvest season caused by poor storage, distribution difficulties, high prices and low incomes. This study uses the concept of food “securitystorage” relationship or “availability-gap” to refer to the ability of poor Ghanaians to access maize available in the post-harvest season from storage. This estimated “availability gap” therefore measures available maize needed to raise food consumption of the poorest Ghanaians to the minimum nutritional requirement during the post-harvest season. Unfortunately, the price of maize is usually highest in the post-harvest season when maize is not easily available. As a result, Ghanaians with increased poverty levels have insufficient purchasing power to access a minimally healthy maize diet in the postharvest season. Therefore, ensuring easy availability of maize to the poor can scarcely be accomplished without sufficient maize stored in the post-harvest season to stabilize prices. The focus of this collaborative research is to provide information on how to develop effective national storage policies to overcome chronic maize shortages and high prices in the post harvest season in order to ensure security in staple maize for low income Ghanaians.