According to official statistics, the area annually planted to maize in Ghana currently averages about 650,000 ha (Table 1). Most of the maize grown in Ghana is cultivated in association with other crops, particularly in the coastal savannah and forest zones, so planting densities are generally low. Average grain yields of maize are correspondingly modest when expressed per unit land area, averaging less than 2 t/ha. Total annual maize production is currently estimated at just over 1 million tons. Both of the two key determinants of production (area planted and yield) have increased over the longer term, although the upward trends have been characterized by high year-to- year variability typical of rainfed.
