The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has described Burkina Faso’s decision to ban the export of tomatoes to Ghana as a potential opportunity for the country to strengthen its domestic agricultural sector, warning that failure to act could trigger a food security crisis.
In a statement signed by PFAG National President Wepia Awal Addo Adugwala on Tuesday, March 24, the Association said it had taken note of the directive by Burkinabe authorities and the response by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Agribusiness. While acknowledging the government’s efforts to engage officials from Burkina Faso, PFAG stressed the need for urgent, homegrown interventions to boost local tomato production.
The Association stated, “While the Association understands the government’s decision to engage Burkinabe officials on this matter, it sees this as an opportunity for the government to develop home-grown strategies and support farmers to increase production and ensure self-sufficiency.”
It cautioned that inaction would have severe consequences, adding, “Failure to do so will result in an acute shortage of tomatoes, leading to drastic price hikes, increased inflationary pressures, and an escalation into a full-blown food security crisis.”
PFAG noted that tomato production in Ghana continues to face structural challenges, including heavy reliance on rain-fed agriculture, high input costs, weak market linkages, and significant post-harvest losses. These constraints, it said, have discouraged farmers, particularly during peak planting seasons.
“While these challenges are well known and documented, successive governments have failed to take a transformative and well-coordinated approach to address them, despite spending millions of cedis in the sector,” the statement said.
The Association further pointed to broader global pressures, including geopolitical tensions driving up the cost of energy, fuel, and agricultural inputs, which are expected to increase production costs for farmers. It also highlighted ongoing market gluts affecting other staple crops such as rice, maize, soya, cassava, and pepper, describing the situation as a growing source of frustration for producers.
“The agricultural sector is on the brink of a heightened food security crisis, and the sooner we act pragmatically, the better,” PFAG warned.
PFAG is urging the government to provide “LEADERSHIP, DIRECTION, and a clear STRATEGY” to address the situation across three timelines.
In the short term, it called for immediate support to tomato farmers, particularly those operating within irrigation sites. “This should be in the form of provision of improved seeds, fertilisers, and mechanisation services to enhance production,” the statement said, adding that its members are “ready and available to work with the government in this regard.”
The Association also recommended the establishment of an emergency strategic response plan with key stakeholders to mitigate any potential shortage should diplomatic engagements with Burkina Faso fail.
For the medium term, PFAG proposed expanding land banks, increasing access to irrigated lands, and enrolling more farmers in tomato production. It also stressed the need to strengthen market linkages through the development of storage facilities, particularly cold chain infrastructure, and improved coordination with traders and transporters.
In the long term, PFAG advocated significant investment in irrigation infrastructure, proposing “at least one major irrigation dam in every region” and an increase in Ghana’s irrigable land from 10 percent to over 50 percent by 2028. It also called for the rehabilitation and expansion of tomato processing facilities to ensure full operational capacity.
The Association argued that current developments in the agricultural sector demonstrate the limitations of generalised support programmes, especially for key staples critical to national food security.
“We need a strategic plan, direction, approach, and a special vehicle to unlock their respective potentials,” PFAG stated.
It therefore recommended the creation of specialised programmes with clear financing, monitoring, and accountability mechanisms for major value chains, including rice, tomato, onion, cassava, and maize.
PFAG assured the government of its willingness to collaborate in addressing the challenges and improving productivity across the sector.
“The Association assures the government of its support and readiness to partner to enhance production and improve the food security situation within the country,” the statement said, urging authorities to “leave a legacy of providing a permanent solution to the perennial challenges affecting effective food production by farmers.”
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com