ADVANCING EQUITABLE LIVELIHOODS OF PEOPLE INVOLVED IN GHANA'S FOOD SYSTEMS: A SCOPING REVIEW OF EVIDENCE

Veronica Tawiah Annaful^*Reginald Adjetey Annan

• Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

Ghana's food system plays a critical role in sustaining livelihoods, particularly for smallholder farmers, women, and youth. Yet, these groups remain disproportionately affected by poverty, insecure land rights, weak market integration, and limited access to finance and public services. This scoping review synthesizes evidence from 72 empirical studies to examine the barriers and enablers of equitable livelihoods within Ghana's agri-food system. Studies were sourced from academic databases covering diverse agroecological zones and value chains including cocoa, rice, sweet potato, cashew, and fisheries. Most studies employed cross-sectional designs and focused on smallholder systems. The review identified five major thematic constraints: insecure land tenure, unequal access to credit and extension services, low resilience to climate and economic shocks, weak market linkages, and persistent gender disparities. These challenges are further compounded by low digital and financial literacy, infrastructural deficits, and exclusionary norms that marginalize women and youth. Despite these barriers, several promising interventions emerged. Gender-transformative approaches, digital financial tools, adult education, and membership in farmer-based organizations were shown to improve access to productive resources, income generation, and adaptive capacity. Findings reveal that equity in Ghana's food system cannot be achieved through isolated efforts. Integrated, context-sensitive policies that are grounded in intersectional evidence and local realities are needed to restructure institutions, enhance access to opportunity, and build resilience.