The female face of street food vending in Ghana

With the exception of a few countries where cultural norms restrict their activities, women account for over 80 percent of street food vendors across the region.

At the intersection of urban livelihoods and urban food systems

A recent FAO study, conducted in collaboration with the University of Ghana’s School of Public Health, sheds new light on the street food trade in Accra’s metropolitan area, exploring the crucial role of women, as well as the sector’s overall importance and relevance to food and nutrition security in urban areas.

Across sub-Saharan Africa, as in much of the developing world, street food trade and consumption has increased significantly in the last thirty years. Much of this is due to urbanization and the intertwined dynamics of expanding urban populations and urban sprawl.

On the one hand, people commute greater distances for work, and the pace of both work and life in general has increased. This creates greater demand among a growing urban population for easy, quick and inexpensive meal options outside the house.

On the other hand, as the urban population grows, more and more people struggle to find jobs in a wage-labour market that is not expanding as quickly. This is particularly problematic for certain groups (including women and other minorities), who often suffer from a lack of professional skills or resources. For these people, self-employment, often on an informal basis, becomes the only way to earn a living. And selling street food is one of their easiest and most viable options, as it requires no formal education and little start-up capital.

The burgeoning street food sector therefore sits at the intersection of two key characteristics in expanding cities: the need to earn a living and the need for food. As a result, it is crucial to both livelihoods and food and nutrition security in growing urban centers like Accra.

Moreover, and as the study confirmed, street food vendors tend to operate in areas that are especially relevant: in Accra, they were found to cluster in high-poverty areas, and almost half of all vendors were found to operate near schools, making them a central element in food and nutrition security for children and for the poor.

Key findings

The Ghana study found that on average, women account for over 90 percent of all street food vendors at country level. Most of them are between 25 and 45 years of age, and roughly three-fourths of them are married. Almost all of them rely on personal or family money to fund their enterprises, as bank loans and microfinance options are rarely taken into consideration.

The study also revealed that contrary to common perceptions about the sector, the overall hygiene and food safety conditions under which street foods are prepared and sold in Accra are acceptable. This was linked to rising levels of education among the vendors, as well as to training sessions that have been conducted in recent years by local authorities in collaboration with FAO. These sessions have improved vendor knowledge and practices in hygiene and safety standards, as well as food handling and storage.

The female faces of street food vending

In addition to the study, a new video, produced by FAO in collaboration with the University of Ghana, profiles a handful of these women, illustrating the diversity of their individual experiences while also underscoring a common thread of determination, hard work, and resilience in the face of so many challenges.

Comfort is a typical example. Although she has a university degree, she was unable to find a job. So she attended cooking classes and soon set to work developing an eye-catching brand and logo for her new business. At twenty-seven years old, she is relatively new to the world of street food. But thanks to a savvy entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for her work, she is off to a good start. “Comfort Dede Amoah is my name but Cadota is my brand name,” she says as she points proudly to the sign above her kiosk.

I chose to sell food because it is my passion. What makes me happy is cooking and baking cakes and decorating them. — Comfort

Comfort’s day begins at five in the morning, when she wakes and goes to the local market to buy her ingredients. She opens her street food kiosk at eight o’clock, and from then until sunset she sells traditional Ghanaian specialties such as jollof rice, ampesie, palava sauce, fried chicken, banku with tilapia fish, and pastries, which are her true passion.

Though Comfort has only recently begun, most of the women interviewed in the FAO study have been in the street food industry for an average of eight years, indicating that the sector is not merely a temporary source of income, and can in fact be seen as a longstanding employment option. Indeed, for many of them, like Mary, vending is the only job they’ve ever had.

I’ve done this job since I was a child. I can’t imagine doing anything else, apart from selling food. My clients are satisfied because I cook well, and I am happy. — Mary

And while the study found that most women vendors are between 25 and 45 years old, there are many exceptions, such as Adwoa, who is still going strong in her seventies.

I am 74 years old. I sell rice, waakye, and I just added banku to my menu. I really like selling waakye. — Adwoa

The study revealed that street food vendors work an average of ten hours a day, six days a week, though this does not include time spent on buying and cooking ingredients, which means that in reality their days are often even longer.

I wake up around 3 a.m. I prepare my ingredients and tools, and I start cooking. Then I clean the place. — Edith

 

I come here [at] 6:30 a.m. and I close at 11:30 in the evening. It’s normal for me; not too hard. — Cynthia

And while the study noted that the overall standards of hygiene and food safety among the vendors were found to be acceptable, the women themselves can face a range of risks and health hazards.

Fire heat is a major concern. There is a limit to how long you can endure the heat, before it becomes dangerous for your health. — Nanama

Even with the long hours and difficult days, however, many vendors still struggle to run their business.

Now that plantain is out of season, I have to borrow money to buy supplies. But it’s not always enough. — Mary

They are often unable to save money or obtain access to loans, making it harder to expand their business or plan for the future.

As a widow, I pray to God, to make my job profitable enough, so that I can buy a piece of land, and build a house for my children. — Charlotte

 

One of my challenges is the lack of capital. I need help to invest. — Joyce

 

I hope for a better future. There is no pension fund in this job, so I have to save up for a rainy day. — Essi

But despite the hard work and uncertainty, many vendors see street food as their best option.

Food vending is a very good business. It’s better than working for someone else for a meagre salary. At least I can feed my children. — Adam

Indeed, for the women in the video, and for others in Accra and elsewhere in the developing world, street food vending offers a way to start and run a business with small amounts of capital, traditional cooking skills, and whatever cooking equipment they have on hand.

I like to use money to do more things in my life. I have big aspirations. — Cynthia

 

 

See also:

• FAO Video | A Woman’s Business: Street Food Stories from Accra
• FAO Gender | FAO survey on street food vendors in Accra finds women play a central role
• FAO In Action | Supporting women entrepreneurs in providing nutrition and food safety in Ghana