A Far Away Country

 

Curriculum Theme 1 Theme 2 Theme 3 Theme 4 Theme 5 Feature Stories Schools A Far Away Country Ghana at a Glance Diversity in Ghana

Getting a feel for a far-away country's geography and physical characteristics is difficult, in part, due to the lack of common reference points with places we know. Maps show scales and locations, but getting a real sense of place is a multi-dimensional exercise. The country of Ghana is often compared to the state of Oregon because of their similar sizes. To further this comparison, imagine that the state of Oregon (just under 3.5 million people) has the population of Ghana (just over 18.5 million people) and that most of those 18.5 million people live between the cities of Eugene in central Oregon and Lakeview on the southeastern border with Nevada. Ghana has just become a little easier to visualize. The geography of a place also helps tell the story of a country's agricultural heritage and production.

Layer by Layer

Ghana consists of two major ecological zones—the closed-forest (high-forest or closed-canopy forest) zone and the savannah zone. The closed-forest zone occupies the southwestern third of the country and is home to almost two-thirds of Ghana's population. The production of most of Ghana's export crops of timber, cocoa, minerals, and ores takes place there as well. The savannah zone has open tree canopies, shrubs, and distinctive grasses.

The savannah zone stretches along a narrow band of coastline, west of Accra to the border of Togo, and into an interior region covering the northern two-thirds of the country. Much of Ghana's original vegetation in both zones has been cut down, planted over, or mined through.

Two-thirds of the country's population is living in one-third of the country's area; where the production of a large volume of products requires an intensive use of the land. Maintaining a high level of production and conserving environmental resources have become big challenges for the people of Ghana.

Perils of Production

Agriculture—producing crops and raising livestock—is critically important to Ghana's economic health. More than half of the people in Ghana make their living through some means of agriculture. Producing crops such as yams, various grains, cocoa, oil palms, kola nuts, and timber makes up the majority of the country's large-scale agriculture. Yet home gardens and subsistence farming account for the economic survival of many Ghanaians. Small gardens in both the countryside and urban areas produce crops that are used for personal consumption, traded for staples not grown by the family, and sold at roadside stands for a small, but vital, source of income.

During the 1960s and 70s, Ghana's agricultural output fell dramatically. Clear-cutting of forests, depletion of nutrients from tilled land, lack of infrastructures to transport and market produce, and a devastating drought contributed to a dramatic decline in Ghana's agricultural economic stability. Government assistance during the 1980s focused on increasing cocoa and timber yields for export rather than sustainable agriculture for domestic consumption. Increasing production of cocoa and timber meant tilling more land, cutting more forests, and growing crops in ecologically sensitive areas. By the early 1990s, the government began to look at ways to increase the local production of food. Extension services were set up to assist local farmers, crop-disease research was begun, and a farmer's organization was established to help organize a cooperative for marketing and selling produce. Although these steps helped identify the needs of local farmers, the majority of governmental economic incentives remain with large-scale farming.

Gender Roles in Farming

Most of the workers in commercial agricultural enterprises are men. Large-scale timber companies, mono-crop agri-businesses, mining companies, and fishing industries employ men to do the hard labor needed for producing these goods. Women in Ghana work in non-commercial agricultural production, mostly small-scale farming in the country and the city. Along with their children, women cultivate home gardens and raise livestock and poultry. The money made from selling produce, eggs, and meat at small roadside stands contributes an important source of income to the family. The role of women in Ghana's agricultural production and marketing is historically and culturally vital to the family's survival. The growing number of female-headed households in Ghana has sparked the interest of international advocacy groups. New studies are being conducted to examine ways of improving women's opportunities to market their produce. Research is also focused on improving food safety and long-term agricultural sustainability.

Sustaining Crops and Culture

While research projects and studies are being undertaken, large-scale commercial agricultural industries continue to put pressure on the economy, tillable land, and traditional farming practices. The exportation of goods has created a new economy for many Ghanaians. Working for large agriculture companies provides the family with an income to pay for schooling and housing and provides an opportunity to become less reliant on subsistence farming to feed the family. But it also creates pressure for more arable land. Forests and savannahs are becoming tilled fields and hillsides. Trying to find the balance between economic prosperity and sound agricultural practices involves men and women, cities and villages, progress and prudence. Ghanaians are asking, How do we sustain small-scale farming and create opportunities for our people? What practices must we abandon and what practices should we implement to ensure the health of the land and the people? How do we grow crops and cultural practices that enrich and enhance all people? These questions aren't unique to Ghana or Africa. Finding the answers requires a concentrated effort from all countries struggling to find the balance between sustenance and success.