Where are the Poor? A GIS-Multidimensional Non-Monetary Poverty Index Approach for Ghana

Abstract

Governments all over the world especially in developing countries continue to emphasise poverty alleviation and eradication as their overarching goals. A number of international organisations also recognise the need for the reduction of poverty incidence within the next decade, making poverty reduction one of the greatest concerns worldwide. During the past three decades, the government of Ghana has developed and subsequently implemented several development policy frameworks as part of its poverty reduction programmes. One of the parameters that play a key role in reduction and alleviation of poverty is statistics on poverty. However, in many developing countries such as Ghana such statistics do not exist, making poverty alleviation intervention a bit scattered and untargeted. Due to this, there exists a major problem of reaching the poor to address their specific needs. In response to this challenge, there is the need to produce poverty map to assist policy makers. This research therefore sought to use GIS to map out poverty endemic areas by displaying the spatial dimensions of poverty and identifying the poverty pockets across the country adopting a Multi-dimensional (Non-Monetary) Poverty Index approach. Ten indicators which were categories under three dimensions were used. Results of the study showed that across Ghana, a considerable percentage of households are deprived in a number of non-monetary poverty indicators. Analysis of these indicators revealed wide disparities by region.