How Ghana is losing millions of tons of food and billions in value every year
Every day in Ghana, truckloads of fresh tomatoes rot before reaching the market. Baskets of plantain and cassava spoil on rural roadsides. In homes and restaurants, leftovers pile into bins instead of plates. It is a quiet but devastating reality that costs the nation an estimated ₵76 billion each year — food that could have nourished millions.
In his inaugural lecture delivered at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, Prof. Richmond Aryeetey, Fellow of the Academy and nutrition scholar, described food waste as “one of Ghana’s most urgent but overlooked nutrition and economic challenges.” His words were a reminder that the problem of food waste is not only about inefficiency — it is about justice, health, and the future of Ghana’s food system.
The Scale of the Problem
According to national estimates, Ghana wastes around 3.2 million tons of food annually — roughly a third of what the country produces. That figure represents crops that never leave the farm, harvests spoiled by inadequate storage, food damaged during transport, and uneaten meals in homes and restaurants.
Globally, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that about one-third of food produced for human consumption is lost or wasted each year. But Ghana’s situation carries a sharper irony: even as millions of tons of food are thrown away, over 15 million Ghanaians experience moderate or severe food insecurity.
“We produce enough food to feed ourselves,” Prof. Aryeetey noted, “but the way we manage our food system means too much is lost before it ever nourishes a person.”
Where the Waste Happens
Food is lost or wasted at nearly every stage of Ghana’s food chain.
At the farm level, poor post-harvest handling and lack of processing facilities mean that perishable crops like tomatoes, plantain, and vegetables rot within days of harvest. Many farmers lack access to proper storage or cold-chain systems, forcing them to sell produce at low prices — or see it spoil completely.
During transportation and in markets, bad roads, long delays, and exposure to sun and heat accelerate spoilage. Traders report that up to 40% of perishable produce can be lost on long routes from rural farms to urban centers like Accra and Kumasi.
In households, food is often wasted because of poor planning, over-purchasing, or misconceptions about what is “fresh” or “leftover.” Restaurants and food vendors, too, discard large portions of unsold food at the end of the day, citing lack of storage or food safety fears.
The cumulative effect is staggering: billions of cedis lost in wasted labour, land, energy, and water — resources that could have built livelihoods and improved diets.
The Hidden Cost of Waste
Beyond the economic loss, food waste has serious nutrition and environmental consequences.
Each ton of wasted food represents nutrients that never reach people who need them most — children, women, and families already struggling with hunger. Ghana’s food waste thus directly undermines national nutrition goals.
The environmental cost is also significant. Decomposing food releases methane, a potent greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change. The water, fertilizer, and energy used to produce that wasted food further amplify Ghana’s ecological footprint.
In 2012, malnutrition cost Ghana nearly $3 billion which is about 6.4% of national GDP through illness, lost productivity, and school absenteeism. Reducing food waste could recover a portion of those losses while improving both food availability and affordability.
Turning Waste into Opportunity
Despite the bleak picture, food waste offers an opportunity for innovation and reform.
1. Community Food Recovery:
Local programs could collect surplus food from markets, farms, and restaurants to redistribute to families in need. Civil society organizations in other African countries have pioneered “gleaning” programmes — recovering excess produce for community feeding initiatives.
2. Investment in Cold-Chain Infrastructure:
From refrigerated trucks to modern storage hubs, investment in temperature-controlled supply chains can extend the shelf life of perishable goods. Ghana’s growing agritech sector could play a leading role here.
3. Food Loss Data Systems:
Accurate tracking of where and why food is lost is crucial. Prof. Aryeetey emphasized the need for “evidence for accountability” — better data to guide interventions and policy decisions.
4. Consumer Awareness:
Households and vendors also need awareness campaigns on food planning, portion control, and creative reuse of leftovers. Simple behaviour changes can have national impact.
Policy and Leadership Matter
Prof. Aryeetey’s lecture framed food waste not as an isolated agricultural issue, but as a symptom of weak food system governance. Fragmented policies, poor coordination, and limited investment have left Ghana without a unified approach to reducing food losses.
He called on government to elevate nutrition and food systems under a National Nutrition Commission, possibly with oversight from the Presidency. Such leadership, he argued, could align the many ministries and agencies working in silos and channel funding into smarter, multisectoral solutions.
“If we continue to package food systems only as an agricultural or income issue,” he warned, “we will keep missing its nutrition and health dimensions.”
Every Ghanaian Has a Role
Ultimately, solving food waste requires a whole-of-society effort. Farmers need tools and training; traders need storage and transport solutions; consumers need awareness; and policymakers need to prioritize waste reduction in national development plans.
The public, too, can take small steps: buy only what can be consumed, store food properly, share surplus, and support food recovery initiatives. When households reduce waste, the ripple effect benefits everyone.
As Prof. Aryeetey put it, “We must demand that our food system works for us — not against us.”
A Call to Action
Ghana’s ₵76 billion food waste problem is not just a statistic; it is a story of lost opportunity, broken systems, and untapped potential. Reducing waste could unlock food security, drive rural incomes, and cut hunger in half — all while protecting the environment.
Next in the series →
“Ghana’s Hidden Hunger: 2.4 Million Children in Food Poverty.”
A closer look at how poor diets, rising inequality, and food system inefficiencies are shaping the health of Ghana’s next generation.
