IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/spr/circec/v4y2024i2d10.1007_s43615-023-00320-y.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Why Small-Scale Circular Agriculture Is Central to Food Security and Environmental Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Case of Ghana

Author

Listed:
  • Ernest Nkansah-Dwamena

    (Lafayette College)

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted global food supply chains, further compounded by the Russia-Ukraine conflict. These events have exacerbated food security concerns and exposed vulnerabilities in an already climate change-impacted global food system. This confluence of challenges prompts a reconsideration of the potential of small-scale circular agriculture in addressing food insecurity and promoting environmental sustainability, particularly within Sub-Saharan Africa, with a focus on Ghana. Moreover, exploring the role of circularity within agrifood value chains to combat food waste and loss is of paramount importance. Nevertheless, the existing sustainable agriculture literature offers limited insights into this domain. This study aims to evaluate the possibilities presented by (a) small-scale circular agriculture and (b) the integration of circular economy principles within agrifood value chains to enhance food security and environmental sustainability in Ghana. Employing ethnographic methods—comprising field observations, in-depth interviews, and focus group discussions—the research assesses the ecological and economic advantages of five circular agriculture systems (mixed cropping, mixed livestock-crop farming, agroforestry, crop rotation, and cover cropping) across five communities in Ghana’s Ashanti Region. The findings demonstrate that small-scale circular agriculture contributes to a more robust and sustainable food system, benefiting both farmers and the environment. The adoption of circular practices enhances household food security, diminishes external input dependency, and fosters a self-sustaining and productive farming approach. Additionally, the study underscores the significance of collaboration and partnership among smallholder farmers, agrifood value chain participants, NGOs, and policymakers, which is essential for creating a conducive environment that reduces food loss and promotes circular agriculture adoption.

Suggested Citation

  • Ernest Nkansah-Dwamena, 2024. "Why Small-Scale Circular Agriculture Is Central to Food Security and Environmental Sustainability in Sub-Saharan Africa? The Case of Ghana," Circular Economy and Sustainability, Springer, vol. 4(2), pages 995-1019, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:4:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s43615-023-00320-y
    DOI: 10.1007/s43615-023-00320-y
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s43615-023-00320-y
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1007/s43615-023-00320-y?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. H. Hengsdijk & W. J. Boer, 2017. "Post-harvest management and post-harvest losses of cereals in Ethiopia," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 9(5), pages 945-958, October.
    2. Osman Gulseven & Jacques Mostert, 2017. "Application of Circular Economy for Sustainable Resource Management in Kuwait," International Journal of Social Ecology and Sustainable Development (IJSESD), IGI Global, vol. 8(3), pages 87-99, July.
    3. Steve Kennedy & Martina K. Linnenluecke, 2022. "Circular economy and resilience: A research agenda," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 31(6), pages 2754-2765, September.
    4. Christopher B. Barrett & Thomas Reardon & Johan Swinnen & David Zilberman, 2022. "Agri-food Value Chain Revolutions in Low- and Middle-Income Countries," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 60(4), pages 1316-1377, December.
    5. Philip K. Thornton & Mario Herrero, 2015. "Adapting to climate change in the mixed crop and livestock farming systems in sub-Saharan Africa," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 5(9), pages 830-836, September.
    6. Sarah Velten & Julia Leventon & Nicolas Jager & Jens Newig, 2015. "What Is Sustainable Agriculture? A Systematic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(6), pages 1-33, June.
    7. Selorm Kobla Kugbega & Prince Young Aboagye, 2021. "Farmer-herder conflicts, tenure insecurity and farmer’s investment decisions in Agogo, Ghana," Agricultural and Food Economics, Springer;Italian Society of Agricultural Economics (SIDEA), vol. 9(1), pages 1-38, December.
    8. Alessandro Muscio & Roberta Sisto, 2020. "Are Agri-Food Systems Really Switching to a Circular Economy Model? Implications for European Research and Innovation Policy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(14), pages 1-15, July.
    9. Valeria Ferreira & Miguel Ángel Almazán-Gómez & Victor Nechifor & Emanuele Ferrari, 2022. "The role of the agricultural sector in Ghanaian development: a multiregional SAM-based analysis," Journal of Economic Structures, Springer;Pan-Pacific Association of Input-Output Studies (PAPAIOS), vol. 11(1), pages 1-27, December.
    10. Lowder, Sarah K. & Skoet, Jakob & Raney, Terri, 2016. "The Number, Size, and Distribution of Farms, Smallholder Farms, and Family Farms Worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 16-29.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Judith Janker & Stefan Mann & Stephan Rist, 2018. "What is Sustainable Agriculture? Critical Analysis of the International Political Discourse," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, December.
    2. Rodríguez del Valle, Adrián & Fernández-Vázquez, Esteban, 2024. "Analyzing market power of the agricultural industry in Asia," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 81(C), pages 652-669.
    3. Clay, Nathan & Zimmerer, Karl S., 2020. "Who is resilient in Africa’s Green Revolution? Sustainable intensification and Climate Smart Agriculture in Rwanda," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    4. Grillitsch, Markus & Asheim, Björn & Fünfschilling, Lea & Kelmenson, Sophie & Lowe, Nichola & Lundquist, Karl Johan & Mahmoud, Yahia & Martynovich, Mikhail & Mattson, Pauline & Miörner, Johan & Nilsso, 2023. "Rescaling: An Analytical Lense to Study Economic and Industrial Shifts," Papers in Innovation Studies 2023/11, Lund University, CIRCLE - Centre for Innovation Research.
    5. Luis Bauluz & Yajna Govind & Filip Novokmet, 2020. "Global Land Inequality," PSE Working Papers halshs-03022318, HAL.
    6. Glauben Thomas & Svanidze Miranda, 2023. "Globaler Agrarhandel: robustes Sicherheitsnetz zur Reduktion von Hungerrisiken in Krisenzeiten," Wirtschaftsdienst, Sciendo, vol. 103(7), pages 491-499, July.
    7. Phélinas, Pascale & Choumert, Johanna, 2017. "Is GM Soybean Cultivation in Argentina Sustainable?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 452-462.
    8. Livia Marchetti & Valentina Cattivelli & Claudia Cocozza & Fabio Salbitano & Marco Marchetti, 2020. "Beyond Sustainability in Food Systems: Perspectives from Agroecology and Social Innovation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-24, September.
    9. Hurley, Mason, 2016. "Re-examining Changes in Farm Size Distributions Worldwide Using a Modified Generalized Method of Moments Approach," Master's Theses and Plan B Papers 249287, University of Minnesota, Department of Applied Economics.
    10. Surajit Bag & Muhammad Sabbir Rahman, 2024. "Navigating circular economy: Unleashing the potential of political and supply chain analytics skills among top supply chain executives for environmental orientation, regenerative supply chain practice," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 33(2), pages 504-528, February.
    11. Marivoet, Wim & Ulimwengu, John M., 2024. "Spatial typology for food system analysis: Taking stock and setting a research agenda," World Development Perspectives, Elsevier, vol. 35(C).
    12. Yuewen Huo & Songlin Ye & Zhou Wu & Fusuo Zhang & Guohua Mi, 2022. "Barriers to the Development of Agricultural Mechanization in the North and Northeast China Plains: A Farmer Survey," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 12(2), pages 1-14, February.
    13. Dang, Hai-Anh H & Carletto, Calogero, 2022. "Recall Bias Revisited: Measure Farm Labor Using Mixed-Mode Surveys and Multiple Imputation," IZA Discussion Papers 14997, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Koen Deconinck & Marion Jansen & Carla Barisone, 2023. "Fast and furious: the rise of environmental impact reporting in food systems," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 50(4), pages 1310-1337.
    15. Hung‐Hao Chang & Ashok K. Mishra & Tzong‐Haw Lee, 2019. "A supply‐side analysis of agritourism: Evidence from farm‐level agriculture census data in Taiwan," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 63(3), pages 521-548, July.
    16. Peipei Yang & Wenxu Dong & Marius Heinen & Wei Qin & Oene Oenema, 2022. "Soil Compaction Prevention, Amelioration and Alleviation Measures Are Effective in Mechanized and Smallholder Agriculture: A Meta-Analysis," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(5), pages 1-18, April.
    17. Regan, Courtney M. & Connor, Jeffery D. & Summers, David M. & Settre, Claire & O’Connor, Patrick J. & Cavagnaro, Timothy R., 2020. "The influence of crediting and permanence periods on Australian forest-based carbon offset supply," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 97(C).
    18. Adelhart Toorop, Roos & Ceccarelli, Viviana & Bijarniya, Deepak & Jat, Mangi Lal & Jat, Raj Kumar & Lopez-Ridaura, Santiago & Groot, Jeroen C.J., 2020. "Using a positive deviance approach to inform farming systems redesign: A case study from Bihar, India," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    19. Ruth Hill & Carolina Mejia-Mantilla & Kathryn Vasilaky, 2021. "Is the Price Right? Returns to Input Adoption in Uganda," Working Papers 2105, California Polytechnic State University, Department of Economics.
    20. T. S. Amjath-Babu & Pramod K. Aggarwal & Sonja Vermeulen, 2019. "Climate action for food security in South Asia? Analyzing the role of agriculture in nationally determined contributions to the Paris agreement," Climate Policy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 19(3), pages 283-298, March.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:circec:v:4:y:2024:i:2:d:10.1007_s43615-023-00320-y. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.