Abstract:
The economy of Ghana is largely agricultural contributing about 19.7% of the Gross
Domestic Product (GDP). Crop-based agricultural products account for 14.5% with only 2.7%
contributed by domestic animal production (GSS, 2019). Frozen fish and meat products are
listed among the top ten imported commodities to Ghana (UN Comtrade, 2017). Therefore,
a low level of in-country animal products contributes to the low contribution to the GDP.
This imbalance in crop and animal agriculture is also reflected on the plate of everyday
Ghanaians with more than 70% of protein coming from cereals, roots and tubers.
Inadequate intake of animal protein has contributed to the prevalence of stunting among
children and the alarmingly increasing overweight adult population in the country (FAOSTATS,
2010).
Most livestock-related activities take place in northern Ghana which is considered the
breadbasket of the country. Therefore, scaling up animal agriculture in northern Ghana as a
means for poverty alleviation has long been proposed with several interventions initiated.
However, the impact of these has been minimal due to multiple factors.
On the contrary, there exist multiple examples of research and developmental interventions
in agriculture with sustained impact through integrating the interventions with the flow of
businesses from production to consumer. This is best achieved by an approach that has
come to be known as the ‘Value Chain Approach’.
