The incidence of poverty over time in Ghana generally and in the regions is illustrated in table 1. These data measures poverty based on consumption. Source: The Ghana Living Standards Survey up to fifth round, quoted in UNDP 2007, 25. Table 1 shows a decline in the incidence of in Ghana from 52% at the beginning of the 1990s to 29% in 2005/06. In three of the Northern regions: Upper West (shown here), Northern and Upper East, poverty did not decline, but remained roughly on level with rates in the early 1990s. The Upper West region had the highest incidence of poverty with 88% of the population being classified as poor. In comparison the Eastern region has had a tremendous fall in poverty from a level of 44% in 1998/99 to one of 15% in 2005/06. The Ghana UNDP report attributes this to the social initiatives on cassava, pineapples, and oil palms. With respect to the Volta region, the region where the districts and villages selected for this study are located, poverty incidence fell from 57% in 1991/92 to 31% in 2005/06 (Ibid 25).
The incidence of poverty over time in Ghana generally and in the regions is illustrated in table 1. These data measures poverty based on consumption. Source: The Ghana Living Standards Survey up to fifth round, quoted in UNDP 2007, 25. Table 1 shows a decline in the incidence of in Ghana from 52% at the beginning of the 1990s to 29% in 2005/06. In three of the Northern regions: Upper West (shown here), Northern and Upper East, poverty did not decline, but remained roughly on level with rates in the early 1990s. The Upper West region had the highest incidence of poverty with 88% of the population being classified as poor. In comparison the Eastern region has had a tremendous fall in poverty from a level of 44% in 1998/99 to one of 15% in 2005/06. The Ghana UNDP report attributes this to the social initiatives on cassava, pineapples, and oil palms. With respect to the Volta region, the region where the districts and villages selected for this study are located, poverty incidence fell from 57% in 1991/92 to 31% in 2005/06 (Ibid 25).
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