Exploring the Problems the Gari Processing Industry Encounter in the West Gonja Municipality, Ghana

Abstract

The gari enterprise is a catalyst for economic progress and a route out of poverty as it is a major staple food for many Ghanaians. Despite the problems confronting gari enterprises, it has attracted less attention. As such, this study aims to explore the problems facing gari enterprises in the West Gonja Municipality of Ghana. The case study design was adopted for the study. The sample size comprised 30 participants who were engaged in gari enterprises. Interview and observation guides were used to collect data, whereas thematic analysis and pairwise ranking were used to analyse the data. The results showed that gari enterprises faced internal problems covering, technology adoption, and marketing problems, while external problems encountered included funding and poor infrastructure. However, production problems emerged as the most predominant. In general, both internal and external problems undoubtedly influenced the operation of the gari enterprise. To overcome these problems, gari enterprises should acquire and use modern equipment for production, develop their human capital, and secure affordable loans.