The Ghana Institute of Horticulturists (GHiH) has called on the government to establish a dedicated fund to support the development and release of locally adaptable tomato varieties that are high-yielding, pest-resistant and tolerant to heat.
According to the Institute, developing climate-resilient tomato varieties was critical to boosting domestic production and reducing the country’s dependence on imported tomatoes.
It also urged the government, as an interim measure, to subsidise hybrid-pollinated tomato varieties recommended by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to make improved planting materials more affordable and accessible to farmers.
The Institute said it was ready to collaborate with MoFA and the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to develop and deliver tailored training programmes for Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) and other relevant technical officers.
It explained that the training would equip the officers with technologies and practical knowledge to improve tomato production, post-harvest handling and other areas of the value chain, which could then be passed on to farmers across the country.
The President of GHiH, Dr Mohammed Mujitaba Dawuda, who read the Institute’s communique, also called for increased investment in greenhouse tomato production to complement output from open-field cultivation, particularly during the dry season.
The Institute further urged the government to deepen its collaboration with the private sector to guarantee markets and good prices for tomato farmers.
“We urge the government to strengthen and widen its collaboration with the private sector to ensure guaranteed markets and good prices for tomato produce to maintain farmers’ interest in sustainable production,” the communique stated.
It also called for the rehabilitation and operationalisation of existing tomato processing factories, including the Pwalugu and Wenchi tomato factories, to expand the market for locally produced tomatoes and reduce the country’s dependence on imported processed tomato products.
The Institute said reviving the factories would also create more employment opportunities for the youth along the tomato value chain.
The GHiH commended the government for its interventions under the Feed Ghana Programme, particularly policies aimed at increasing tomato production and reducing the country’s dependence on imported fresh and processed tomatoes.
The communique was issued at the 26th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the GHiH held at Fiapre, near Sunyani in the Bono Region.
The conference was held on the theme: ‘Building a Resilient Tomato Value Chain in Ghana: Need for Stronger Stakeholder Engagement.’
FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, FIAPRE
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