Govt Supports 130 Farming Communities to End Tomato Imports
By Praisebell Rosemond Larbi
The government has begun supporting tomato farmers in 130 farming communities across Ghana as part of efforts to reduce the country’s dependence on imported tomatoes and achieve year-round local production.
The initiative targets farming communities considered to have strong potential for large-scale tomato cultivation because of favourable soil and climatic conditions.
Speaking in Bolgatanga during President John Dramani Mahama’s “Resetting Agenda Tour” of the Upper East Region, the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, said the region had significant potential to supply a substantial share of Ghana’s tomato requirements.
Tomatoes are a key component of the Ghanaian diet and are consumed widely by households, restaurants and food vendors. However, seasonal shortages have frequently pushed prices higher and forced consumers to rely on poor-quality produce.
The government believes increasing domestic production will strengthen food security while reducing the country’s exposure to disruptions in regional supply chains. The issue became particularly pressing following restrictions on tomato exports by Burkina Faso, which contributed to shortages and sharp price increases in Ghana.
Under the new programme, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is providing irrigation infrastructure in selected farming communities to reduce farmers’ dependence on rainfall. The objective is to enable production beyond the traditional growing season and create a more reliable supply throughout the year.
Post-harvest losses are another major challenge the programme seeks to address. Farmers often lose a significant portion of their produce when they are unable to find buyers immediately after harvest. Such losses can discourage investment in tomato farming and contribute to fluctuations in supply and prices.
To address the problem, the government says it has secured dedicated off-takers to purchase tomatoes directly from farmers. Some of the produce will also be channelled into domestic processing, creating an additional market while reducing wastage.
The strategy is intended to link increased production with reliable markets, giving farmers greater confidence to expand cultivation. Higher local output could also help stabilise prices, reduce the foreign exchange spent on tomato imports and strengthen Ghana’s food security.
Ghana’s efforts to achieve self-sufficiency in tomatoes have continued for decades, but previous interventions have struggled to provide a lasting solution. Production remains vulnerable to seasonal weather conditions, inadequate irrigation, post-harvest losses, limited processing capacity and market challenges.
The latest intervention therefore faces the test of turning increased production into a sustainable domestic supply system.
If successfully implemented, the programme could help transform tomato farming from a largely seasonal activity into a more commercially viable year-round industry, while reducing Ghana’s reliance on imported tomatoes and improving the resilience of the national food system.
