The state and small-farmer production: A study based on empirical research in Pramso, a small village in southern Ghana.

摘要

Many people in the rural areas in Ghana are unable to feed themselves in spite of enormous agricultural resources at their disposal. This dissertation addresses this paradox and the theoretical issues related to rural food production and the food dilemma in Pramso, a small village in Southern Ghana.;The objectives of this study are three-fold: (i) to examine the underlying causes of hunger in Pramso; (ii) to explore the relationship between the government (and its agencies) and rural food producers, and how this interaction affects food production in the village; and (iii) to make policy recommendations for improvement in Pramso's food predicament.;The date used in this study were gathered mainly from interviews and observations of farmers who live and work in Pramso. Additionally, government agricultural officers at the Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation (PPME) in Kumasi were also interviewed about the food crisis in Ghana and the problems and prospects of rural food production in the country.;Results of the study led the author to conclude that food scarcity in Pramso is a complex and multi-faceted one. Without a doubt, government support is desirable, although efforts to make the farmers self-reliant and self-sufficient in food production would have a useful and lasting impact. Hence, there is the need for greater emphasis on effective mobilization and utilization of local resources.