Ghana’s tomato crisis triggered by Burkina Faso’s export ban has ignited a fierce debate over the country’s agricultural capacity, with the Food and Beverages Association of Ghana (FABAG) accusing the Ministry of Food and Agriculture of failing its most basic responsibility: ensuring domestic food production.
The association argues that the crisis is not about scarcity of resources, but a breakdown in leadership and policy direction in a sector central to Ghana’s economic and food security.
FABAG has called for the restructuring or dissolution of the Ministry.
In a statement, the association said a country with Ghana’s agricultural resources should not depend on a neighbour for a basic food crop that takes only 60 to 90 days to grow.
“If the Ministry of Food and Agriculture cannot mobilise the country to produce tomatoes within two to three months, then the Ministry has failed in its core mandate and has no justification to continue to exist in its current form,” said John Awuni, Chairman of FABAG.
The statement follows a tomato supply shortage that emerged after Burkina Faso banned tomato exports to Ghana. The neighbouring country’s decision, reportedly driven by its own domestic supply concerns, cut off a major source of tomatoes for Ghanaian food processors and consumers.
Tomatoes are a short-cycle crop. Under irrigation, they begin to harvest within 60 to 90 days after planting. This means Ghana could, in theory, plant and harvest three tomato crops in a single year.
The association listed the resources already available in Ghana that can be used to grow tomatoes rapidly. Irrigation dams at Vea, Tono, Botanga, Kpong, Dawhenya, and Ashiama. Agricultural universities, research institutions, extension officers in every district and existing farmers already producing tomatoes. There is also a pool of unemployed youth who could be mobilised into farming, and the government has launched a 24-hour economy policy across production sectors.
Awuni argued that with all these resources, the failure to produce tomatoes points to a single problem.
“The problem is not farmers, not land, not climate but the problem is leadership and policy direction,” he said.
The association framed the tomato shortage as a national security issue, warning that dependence on another country for a basic food item leaves Ghana dangerously exposed.
“Depending on another country for a basic food item like tomatoes is not just an agricultural issue but a national security risk. Today, it is tomatoes, tomorrow it may be something else. Economic security is national security,” part of the statement said.
Ghana has historically relied heavily on tomato imports from Burkina Faso, with the trade corridor supplying a huge portion of the tomatoes used by the country’s food processing industry. When the ban took effect, processors who had built their operations around imported tomatoes found themselves without raw materials.
FABAG outlined a series of measures it says the government must implement immediately:
· Declare a National Tomato Emergency Programme
· Distribute improved tomato seeds nationwide within two weeks
· Provide subsidised fertiliser and agro-chemicals
· Activate all irrigation schemes for dry season tomato farming
· Mobilise youth groups for commercial tomato farming
· Provide guaranteed prices for tomato farmers
· Support greenhouse tomato production
· Revive tomato processing factories
· Provide cold trucks and storage facilities to reduce post-harvest losses
· Set a target for Ghana to become tomato self-sufficient within one year
The association further questioned why Ghana continues to maintain a full ministry, agricultural universities, research institutions, irrigation dams, extension officers, and subsidy programmes while still importing tomatoes.
“If within two to three months the Ministry cannot organise tomato production under irrigation across the country, then government must seriously consider restructuring the Ministry into a Production-Focused Agricultural Authority with clear targets and accountability,” Awuni said.
