Land Use Policy 48 (2015) 454–466 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Land Use Policy jo ur nal ho me pag e: www.elsevier.com/locate/landusepol Customary land allocation, urbanization and land use planning in Ghana: Implications for food systems in the Wa Municipality Elias Danyi Kuusaana a,b,∗ , Joyce Angnayeli Eledi c,b a Department of Economic and Technological Change, Center for Development Research (ZEF), Bonn, Germany b Department of Real Estate and Land Management, University for Development Studies, Wa-Campus, Post Office Box 520, Wa—Upper West Region, Ghana c Institut für Raumordnung und Entwicklungsplanung (IREUS), University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 22 April 2014 Received in revised form 17 June 2015 Accepted 26 June 2015 Keywords: Urbanization Land use Land allocation Food systems Wa Municipality and Ghana a b s t r a c t Food insecurity remains persistent in the Global South due to constraints in food production capaci- ties and intricate land tenure systems that stifle investment in agriculture. In the urbanized regions, uncontrolled urbanization and non-compliant land use systems have further worsened the potentials for urban food production. This research is based on a case study of the Wa Municipality in order to assess the influences of customary land allocation and peri-urbanization on land use planning and foods sys- tems in Ghana using explorative and narrative research approaches. The study identified that customary stakeholders responsible for allocating such lands in the Wa Municipality were indiscriminately convert- ing large tracts of hitherto agricultural lands to urban land uses. Statutorily prepared land use plans are hardly enforced and the planning priorities are on residential and commercial land uses that command higher land values to the detriment of agricultural lands. Weak institutional linkages also characterize the mandated planning and land administration institutions, with a planning system that is reactive rather than proactive in addressing development control challenges across the country. There is the need for planning authorities to adopt participatory land uses planning together with customary landholders and educating them on the essence of comprehensive land use planning approaches. Based on the findings, local governments need to partner landowners to identify and reserve high potential agricultural land for sustainable urban food production. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Shocks in the food prices in the last 5years have re-awakened new paradigms in food research. The world continues to battle food insecurity due to persisting constraints with food production, distribution, storage, processing, consumption, and waste manage- ment. There is the need for efficient and effective systems that ensure access to affordable food. The food price hikes that began in 2007/2008 have further ignited concerns regarding food secu- rity. According to Tacoli et al. (2013), food security is the product of effective food systems. The food system refers to all the processes involved in putting food on the individual’s table beginning with food production or farming, through distribution and acquisition until consumption (Cassidy and Patterson, 2008). Within this food ∗ Corresponding author at: Department of Real Estate and Land Management, University for Development Studies (UDS), Wa Campus – Upper West Region, Ghana. E-mail addresses: ekuusaana@yahoo.com (E.D. Kuusaana), joyeledi@yahoo.com (J.A. Eledi). system, planners and planning interventions have the potential to stimulate significant changes in the quality of resources that go into food production particularly, land and labor. For an efficient food distribution system, urban planners have to create room for appropriate and effective transportation, storage and processing infrastructure. Effective food acquisition comes with ensuring easy accessibility to food outlets including market centers and super- markets. Hence, the food system goes beyond farming; it requires proper land use and infrastructure planning. The effectiveness of the food system is vastly dependent on efficient spatial and infras- tructure planning, in order to make spatial allocation for farms, storage and transportation networks. Therefore, the role of land use planning in designing spatial policies and plans is indispensable in facilitating the efficient functioning of food systems. Although available policies for curbing food insecurity globally have focused mainly on food production, optimum productivity remains a mirage in developing countries. Slowing agricultural pro- ductivity has been criticised as one of the key factors responsible for the recent food crises (Tacoli et al., 2013). To improve food production in developing countries, productive spaces are essen- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2015.06.030 0264-8377/© 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.