Drivers of export-led agriculture in Ghana: The case of emerging cashew production in Ghana's Brong Ahafo Region

The Brong Ahafo region, often referred to as the 'breadbasket' of Ghana, in the last decade has become the centre of increasing expansion of cashew nuts production for export. Farmers in the region are increasingly devoting their time and lands to the production of raw cashew nuts for the export market instead of producing food for the local market. We adopt a political ecology approach to demonstrate how the historical legacy of export-led agriculture and its integration of local agriculture into the global market drives the production of cashew nuts in Ghana. Our analyses were informed by interview responses from farmers, and a review of critical agrarian scholarship, policy documents and cashew production and consumption reports. We find that historical legacies, government policy narratives and global market integration are driving the commodification of local agriculture in Ghana and conclude that there is an urgent need to plan for an agricultural transition that considers both immediate and long-term impacts.