“We Eat Every Day, but I’m Perpetually Hungry”: Interrogating Food System Transformation and (Forced) Dietary Changes in Tamale, Ghana

Food system transformation and dietary changes appear ubiquitous in urban areas of Africa. These changes can be as dramatic and rapid as urbanization processes unfolding on the continent. Large cities, secondary cities and small towns all tend to experience these food system changes at varying degree and in unique ways. There is evidence in the Ghanaian context to suggest that urban food system transformations are more prevalent in smaller than larger cities. This chapter is based on a qualitative investigation into urban residents’ lived experiences regarding dietary changes underpinned by complex processes of urban food system transformation in Tamale. It is inspired by a participant’s remark that “we eat everyday but I’m perpetually hungry,” a sentimental expression that captures people’s frustration about ongoing dietary changes borne out of unsatisfactory food availability that affects their subjective wellbeing. The study reveals that the subjective experience of food security among the elderly men is impacted negatively by the unfolding food system transformation in the city. In addition to agricultural and economic development policies, the increased role of women in food decision making and their increased participation in activities outside of the home fuels the micro-level dietary changes. A recommendation is made to broaden the scope of Ghana’s Livelihood Empowerment Against Programme (LEAP) for purposive targeting and better coverage of the elderly urban poor.