FARMERS along Ghana’s south-eastern coastal belt have called for increased support in irrigation and access to farm inputs to scale up vegetable production and strengthen the country’s food security.
The farmers in Keta, Dzita, Anloga, and Aflao have, over the years, transformed sandy coastal lands into productive fields, contributing significantly to food supply, employment, and cross-border trade.
In an interview with The Ghanaian Times on Wednesday, the farmers said they use irrigation pumps to draw groundwater and cultivate crops such as shallots, onions, tomatoes, okro, and pepper throughout the year. Their produce supplies urban markets across the country and beyond.
A member of the Vegetable Farmers Association at Whuti, Mr Felix Wisdom Apeku, told The Ghanaian Times that farmers had long practised irrigation farming in line with national priorities aimed at achieving food self-sufficiency and promoting agribusiness development.
“We have been doing what the country is now promoting for years,” he stated, adding that with the right support in farm inputs and improved market access, the country could substantially increase food production.
Mr Apeku estimated that more than 10,000 people are engaged in vegetable farming along the coastal belt, making the sector a major source of livelihoods in the area.
A farmer at Whuti, Mr Joseph Bodza, also described vegetable farming as a reliable source of income and employment.
According to him, he has expanded his operations from one plot to eight plots and currently employs three workers, enabling him to support his family.
However, he noted that climate change and prolonged dry seasons continue to pose challenges to production.
“Because of climate change, many farmers are afraid of losing their produce during the dry season, so they reduce their activities,” he explained.
He added that during peak farming seasons, available lands along the lagoon and the sea are fully cultivated, with irrigation pipes spread across large areas.
Mr Bodza stressed that increased support, particularly in irrigation facilities and farm inputs, would enable farmers to expand production and improve yields.
An agricultural expert, Adu Gyamfi, said the Dzita–Aflao vegetable production corridor presents a practical model for scaling up irrigation farming and strengthening local food systems in the face of climate variability.
He emphasised that government interventions should prioritise support for such farmer-led initiatives to enhance productivity and sustainability.
FROM GEOFREY BUTA, KETA
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