Niger coup sanctions raise the price of onions in Ghana and exacerbate the food situation.
Seventy percent of Ghana's onion imports come from Niger, a major exporter of dried onions in West Africa.
Ghana's Accra - Most Saturday mornings, people haggle over fresh food at Yakubu Akteniba's hut at the 33-kilometer-distance Adjen Kotoku market, where he sells onions.
However, since early August, commerce has slowed down as a result of the interruption of the food supply chain in West Africa.
“The 200-member onion vendors' association at the market used to receive at least 20 truckloads of onions every day, according to Akteniba, who spoke to Al Jazeera on their behalf. "The number of trucks arriving here has recently decreased to two to five each day... Most of us will be out of a job if nothing changes, he said.
Four nations away from Ghana but also a part of the 15-member Economic Community of West African States, Niger is the cause of the crisis (ECOWAS).
Mohamed Bazoum, the nation's democratically elected president since 2021, was overthrown by members of the Nigerien presidential guard on July 26. In retaliation, ECOWAS enacted a variety of penalties, including the closure of Niger's border crossings and a halt to commerce with it.
West Africa is currently experiencing a food crisis as a result of the choice.
According to market intelligence portal Indexbox, Niger is the primary exporter of dry onions in the area, accounting for about two-thirds of all shipments in 2021.
According to data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC), Niger was the world's 31st greatest exporter of onions in 2021 with $23.4 million worth of exports.
Onions ranked as Niger's sixth-highest export in the same year. From Niger, onions were primarily exported to Ghana ($21.7 million), Ivory Coast ($1.15 million), Benin ($451,000), Togo ($84,500), and Nigeria ($35,100). The ECOWAS sanctions in Niger have the support of all five nations.
However, the sanctions have caused a shortage of onions and other food items like beans and millet, which has increased the price in areas where there is still a supply.
According to Akteniba, "They [ECOWAS] have stopped the vehicles from coming."
Before the military took over, a 100 kg sack of onions cost $61, but the price has already nearly quadrupled to $105, according to Akteniba. The price of a 25kg sack of onions has increased from $17 to $27 since the borders were blocked.
favourite vegetables
The famous bulb-shaped vegetable is a mainstay in many West African countries' cuisines, especially Ghana. To garnish numerous meals, onions are often boiled, fried, caramelized, or even served raw.
However, as the nation's economic problems fester, the price of onions has skyrocketed; according to the Ghana Statistical Service, almost a quarter of Ghana's 32 million citizens live on less than $1 per day.
Deborah Biney, a 40-year-old mother of two, told Al Jazeera, "I adore onions but for some time now I am cutting back on the number in making meals since it is becoming too pricey." "I used to buy three large pieces of onions for $0.17 in my neighbourhood before the political situation in Niger, but now I use the same amount to buy just one piece."
According to medical professionals, onions also help blood sugar control and increase bone density.
Patience The nutritious importance of onions cannot be understated, according to nutritionist and home economics teacher Naa Adjeley Adjei, who also told Al Jazeera that it would be "disturbing" if households stopped consuming the vegetables because of their skyrocketing costs.
Onions are low in calories and fat but high in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, according to Adjei. They also have a distinctive flavour that enhances recipes and increases hunger. They are rich in fibre, vitamin C, and other healthy substances that may have anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer qualities.
Twenty percent of the onions sold in Ghana come from Nigeria, and five percent of the onions eaten there are exported from Burkina Faso. Only 5% of the onions Ghana uses domestically are grown there.
However, 70 percent of onions, worth roughly $2 million per week, were imported from Niger, according to Bryan Acheampong, the minister of food and agriculture.
At the recent introduction of a government initiative to increase food security in Ghana, he commented, "I find this an embarrassment and an unnecessary drain on our scarce foreign cash."
He continued by saying that the administration of Nana Akufo-Addo is putting the finishing touches on an "ambitious five-year strategy" to increase food security and resilience by assuring year-round production to stop the importation of crucial goods like tomatoes and onions.
food safety
Even in the event that ECOWAS decides to use force, the military administration of Niger has refused to free Bazoum and signalled its intention to hold onto power for at least three more years before handing back control to civilians.
Experts have cautioned that if the deadlock continues, it could have terrible humanitarian repercussions and cause a food security crisis in the area.
The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations conducted a study in April that revealed acute food insecurity in West and Central Africa is on pace to reach a 10-year high this year, with humanitarian aid being severely hampered by insecurity in conflict-affected areas of Burkina Faso and Mali.
According to the association of onion dealers, the expansion of armed group activity in the Sahel is also causing problems for the region's food supply chain.
Terrorist attacks against our trucks, particularly in the Niger region, are a significant problem. The level of instability, rather than the coup, is having a significant impact on the availability of onions and other crops like beans and millet, according to Peter Appiah Mensah, whose trucks transport these items from Niger to Ghana.
Ziad Hamoui, co-chair of the Food Trade Coalition for Africa, told Al Jazeera that the regional bloc's economic sanctions against the uranium-rich nation, particularly the border blockade, had a price.
He urged regional authorities to change their positions.
The regional trade advocacy group Borderless Alliance's president for Ghana, Hamoui, said, "I think it's still necessary to sustain the regional trade flows." "First off, closing borders won't actually stop trade. Therefore, on the one hand, sealing the borders does not resolve the problem.
The speaker continued, "On the other hand, there needs to be policies where countries can be held responsible... we need to have institutions in place that allow countries to talk to one other in times of complaints and concerns."
Some of the onion trucks are also backed up against the borders of Burkina Faso, which is also dominated by the military and has allied with Mali to support Niger. Vegetable sellers in Ghana are concerned that by the time the borders are reopened, the veggies may have rotted and lost value.
Akteniba said, "Perhaps this is a wake-up call for our government to invest more in farming our own onions here in Ghana." The only issue is that because of the weather, our onions are quite little compared to those from Niger, which are larger. A remedy for this predicament is required.
The situation in Ghana, where onion prices have soared and a food crisis has deepened due to the coup in Niger and the subsequent sanctions imposed by ECOWAS, is increasingly concerning.
Ghana relies heavily on imports from Niger, particularly for onions, which are a staple in the country's cuisine. The coup in Niger, which ousted President Mohamed Bazoum, triggered a series of sanctions, including the closure of border crossings and a halt to trade with the country. As a result, the supply chain for essential food items, including onions, has been severely disrupted.
Before the coup and subsequent sanctions, Ghana used to receive a substantial daily supply of onions, with up to 20 truckloads arriving at the Adjen Kotoku market. However, this has dwindled to just two to five trucks per day, jeopardizing the livelihoods of onion vendors like Yakubu Akteniba and their ability to meet the demand for this essential vegetable.
Niger is a critical exporter of dry onions in West Africa, accounting for a significant portion of the region's onion shipments. This dependency on Niger for onions has made Ghana particularly vulnerable to the consequences of the sanctions. As a result, prices have skyrocketed, with a 100 kg sack of onions surging from $61 to $105, and a 25 kg sack increasing from $17 to $27 since the borders were closed.
This price increase is having a profound impact on the daily lives of Ghanaians, many of whom already live on meager incomes. People like Deborah Biney are forced to cut back on their onion consumption due to the rising costs, impacting the nutritional quality of their meals.
Onions are not only a beloved ingredient in Ghanaian cuisine but also provide essential health benefits. They are low in calories, rich in vitamins and antioxidants, and have been associated with improved blood sugar control and bone health. The rising prices of onions, therefore, present a health concern for the population.
Ghana's dependence on onion imports is a significant concern, with only 5% of the onions used domestically being grown within the country. This reliance on foreign sources, particularly Niger, poses economic vulnerabilities and drains foreign currency reserves.
The Ghanaian government is recognizing the need to enhance food security and resilience by promoting domestic production to reduce reliance on imports. This includes efforts to increase local production of key vegetables like tomatoes and onions.
Meanwhile, the ongoing political instability in Niger, with the military refusing to release Bazoum and committing to retaining power, raises the spectre of a prolonged crisis with dire humanitarian consequences. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has already warned of acute food insecurity in West and Central Africa, exacerbated by insecurity in conflict-affected areas.
Additionally, the expansion of armed group activity in the Sahel region, including attacks on trucks carrying goods like onions and beans, further compounds the challenges facing the food supply chain in the region.
As the crisis unfolds, regional trade advocates like Ziad Hamoui are urging for a reconsideration of the economic sanctions and border closures, emphasizing the importance of maintaining regional trade flows while addressing concerns through diplomatic channels.
In the face of these challenges, Ghanaians are left hoping for a solution that will not only stabilize onion prices but also ensure a consistent and secure supply of essential food items to their nation. Akteniba's call for investing in local onion production is a viable long-term solution, but it will require concerted efforts and innovations to match the quality and quantity of imported onions from Niger.