Workshop on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition

Ghana and Other Regional SuccessesBy Francis Zotor,

President of the African Nutrition Society

Image: Frontierofficial

For Ghana ‘business as usual’ on nutrition status will be costly to its growing economy3 Projected productivity losses assuming status quo on nutrition status (million cedis), 2011-2020

*Based on present-day value of future productivity losses; demographic data based on the United Nations population projection for Ghana and adjusted for the preliminary total population from the 2010 census; nutrition data from the Ghana Demographic and Health Surveys (GDHS), national surveys, and other sources

Ghana is one of only four countries on course to meet 4/5 WHA undernutrition targets4

Prevalence of under 5 stunting (%) Prevalence of under 5 wasting (%)

Prevalence of under 5 overweight (%) Rate of exclusive breastfeeding of infants under 6 months (%)

WHA TARGET 2025

WHA TARGET 2025

WHA TARGET 2025*

*Indicative based on available 2011 data; WHA undernutrition targets for stunting and overweight use base year of 2012

WHA TARGET 2025*

Ghana's progress is good relative to its neighbours but the rate of anaemia in women is a concern5

Prevalence of under 5 stunting (%), 2014 Prevalence of under 5 wasting (%), 2014

Prevalence of under 5 overweight (%), 2014 Women of reproductive age with anemia (%), 2011

A closer look at Anaemia levels in Ghana - 1

IndicatorUnder 5yrs

Male 139852 142421 114839Female 127716 130369 105728Total 267568 272790 220567

Above 5yrs 2013 2014 2015 (Jan-Oct)Male 362297 226867 151421

Female 591855 493453 433230Total 954152 720320 584651

Total Anaemia cases (All ages) 1221720 993110 805218

2013 2014 2015 (Jan - Oct)

Source: GHS - DHIMS II Report, 2013 - 2015

A closer look at Anaemia levels in Ghana - 2

Source: GHS - DHIMS II Report, 2013 - 2015

A closer look at Anaemia levels in Ghana - 3

Source: GHS - DHIMS II Report, 2013 - 2015

Diversity of diet is critical to improved nutrition, health and human developmentGhanaian children aged 6-23 months consuming at least 4 food groups based on WHO/UNICEF guidelines (%), 20117

FAO reported in 2009 that the “Ghanaian diet largely relies on starchy roots… the share of protein and of lipids in the dietary energy supply is lower than recommendations”8

Data suggests a correlation in Ghana between mother’s level of education and recommended infant and young children feeding practices

*consumption based on the day or night preceding the survey

Ghana has a strong commitment to reduce hunger and to improve nutrition9 Countries’ ranks for commitment to reduce hunger and commitment to improve nutrition

NCI (commitment to reduce malnutrition) rank

Country Indexes and Political WillCountry HRCI NCI HANCI GHI

Ghana 16 17 17 15.5

Togo 16 42 35 23.0

Burkina Faso 8 13 7 31.8

Cote D’Ivoire 37 14 25 26.3

Nigeria 42 34 40 32.8

Senegal 20 7 12 23.2

Guinea Bissau 44 38 45 30.3

Kenya 20 19 20 24.0

South Africa 10 15 9 12.4

Peru 6 2 1 9.1

HRCI: Hunger Reduction Commitment; NCI: Nutrition Commitment; HANCI: Hunger and Nutrition Commitment Index; GHI: Global Hunger Index

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References

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References

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