PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES FACING WOMEN FARMERS IN ENSURING FOOD SECURITY IN SELECTED COMMUNITIES IN THE WA MUNICIPALITY OF THE UPPER WEST REGION

Abstract

Food is a basic human right. The United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Right (1948) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966) stress the right of every one to adequate food and specified that the fundamental right of every one is to be free from hunger. Achieving food security is thus viewed as a step toward the more general objectives of poverty alleviation and sustainable, broad-base economic growth. This research is an examination of the prospects and challenges of women in ensuring food security in the Wa Municipality of the Upper West Region. The study adopted Yins (2006) multi-case study approach. Data collection techniques such as focus group discussions, group discussions and questionnaire administration applied and data analyzed based on the use of the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). The study results revealed that about 95% of women farmers from the study communities produce to feed their families and 5% of them produce to sell. Women also go the extra mile of keeping various kinds of animals alongside their farming activities in a bit to ensure food availability all year round. In spite of all these laudable contributions by women and the tentative interventions made, they still face a lot of constraints, which stand as a bulwark to their progress. That notwithstanding, the study revealed that women farmers have ensured food security in the study communities and for that matter Wa Municipality. In the light of the above, there is the need for a more thorough research into the socio-cultural and other factors which hinder the productive capabilities of women farmers. It is equally important for government to initiate a food security policy that is broader in scope and which will focus very much on the constraints faced by women farmers in the Municipality and beyond. Lastly, there is also the need for a collaborative effort of all institutions and development actors with well-intentioned interventions such as the Ministry Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), to seek to enhance women farmers' production abilities.