Ghana has signed a landmark Public-Private Partnership (PPP) agreement aimed at drastically scaling up local tomato production and reducing the country’s reliance on imports.
The deal, signed by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, and FarmMate targets annual production of 600,000 tons of tomatoes through expanded farming operations, processing facilities, and logistics infrastructure nationwide.
The initiative is projected to create over 300,000 direct and indirect jobs across the value chain and support thousands of smallholder farmers with improved inputs, training, and market access.
Ghana currently spends millions of dollars annually importing fresh and processed tomatoes, mainly from neighbouring countries, to meet domestic demand.
The shortfall has been linked to post-harvest losses, limited processing capacity, and seasonal supply gaps.
Under the PPP arrangement, government will partner with FarmMate to establish large-scale commercial farms, modern irrigation systems, and tomato processing plants in key production zones.
The agreement also covers cold-chain logistics and aggregation centres to reduce spoilage and ensure year-round supply.
Hon Opoku said the project aligns with the government’s agenda to achieve food self-sufficiency, strengthen agro-industrialisation, and create sustainable livelihoods in rural communities.
He noted that boosting tomato production will also stabilise prices for consumers and provide raw material for local industries.
The Ministry will work with farmer cooperatives, agribusinesses, and district assemblies to roll out the programme.
Stakeholders say the deal could transform Ghana from a net importer to a regional supplier of fresh and processed tomato products if production and quality targets are met.
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Source:
opemsuo.com