摘要
Increasing foreign exchange problems and deteriorating prices of traditional exports have led policy makers and donor agencies to seek diversification in export crop production. In Ghana, crops such as pineapples and mangoes appear promising because of their high labour intensity and expanding demand for fruits in Europe. Notwithstanding, there is a possible trade-off between export and food crop production because of the possibility of resource re-allocation. So far the major concern of government has been the growth in export earnings while the micro-level distributional effects remain under-investigated. The study focused on a household survey undertaken in the forest and coastal-savannah transition zones, where the farming system has undergone transition from an established food-crop farming for urban markets to an intensive production of horticultural products for export. Logistic regression and Gini coefficient approaches were used to estimate the determinants of household food availability and income distribution respectively. Though, households engaged in export horticulture appear better-off than those that do not, the sole adoption of either staple or export crop is not sufficient for improving food availability. Consequently, linkages which allow simultaneous and reliably access to equitable distribution of resources and services are critical for household survival in competitive global food markets
