Assessment of flood recession agriculture for food security in northern Ghana: an optimization modelling approach

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dc.creatorBalana, Bedru
dc.creatorSanfo, S.
dc.creatorBarbier, B.
dc.creatorWilliams, Timothy
dc.creatorKolavalli, S.
dc.date2019-07
dc.date2019-06-27T09:08:52Z
dc.date2019-06-27T09:08:52Z
dc.date.accessioned2026-06-27T14:58:29Z
dc.descriptionFood insecurity is a recurrent problem in northern Ghana. Food grown during the rainy season is often insufficient to meet household food needs, with some households experiencing severe food insecurity for up to five months in a year. Flood recession agriculture (FRA) – an agricultural practice that relies on residual soil moisture and nutrients left by receding flood water – is ordinarily practiced by farmers along the floodplains of the White Volta River in northern Ghana under low-input low-output conditions. Opportunities abound to promote highly productive FRA as a means of extending the growing season beyond the short rainy season (from May to September) into the dry season and thereby increase household income and food security of smallholder farmers. This study uses an optimization modelling approach to explore this potential by analyzing the crop mix and agricultural water management options that will maximize household income and enhance food security. Results indicate that growing cowpea, groundnut and melon under residual-moisture based FRA and high value crops (onion, pepper, and tomato) under supplementary irrigation FRA maximize household income and food security. The cash income from the sale of FRA crops was sufficient to purchase food items that ensure consumption smoothing during the food-insecure months. The study concludes that the full potential of FRA will be realized through a careful selection of crop mixtures and by enhancing access of farmers to improved seeds, integrated pest management and credit and mainstreaming FRA through targeted policy interventions and institutional support.
dc.identifierhttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/101917
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/123456789/90924
dc.languageen
dc.publisherElsevier
dc.relationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2021.101329
dc.rightsOpen Access
dc.sourceBalana, Bedru B.; Sanfo, S.; Barbier, B.; Williams, Timothy; Kolavalli, S. 2019. Assessment of flood recession agriculture for food security in northern Ghana: an optimization modelling approach. Agricultural Systems, 173:536-543. doi: 10.1016/j.agsy.2019.03.021
dc.subjectagricultural practices
dc.subjectfloodplains
dc.subjectwater management
dc.subjectcrop production
dc.subjectfood security
dc.subjectmodels
dc.subjectsupplemental irrigation
dc.subjecthousehold income
dc.subjectfood consumption
dc.subjectsmallholders
dc.subjectfarmers
dc.subjectrainfed farming
dc.subjectsoil moisture
dc.subjectdry season
dc.subjectwet season
dc.subjectland allocation
dc.subjectcommunities
dc.subjectflood irrigation
dc.titleAssessment of flood recession agriculture for food security in northern Ghana: an optimization modelling approach
dc.typeJournal Article

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Instituto Internacional de Investigación sobre Políticas Alimentarias (IFPRI)