• Ghana launched a research project to develop tomato varieties yielding up to 20 tonnes per hectare, versus 8 tonnes currently.

• The country faces a production deficit of 300,000 tonnes, which it fills through imports.

• Supply risks are rising after Burkina Faso suspended tomato exports, prompting a $20 million support program.

Ghana has launched an agricultural research project to develop new tomato varieties that can deliver yields of 20 tonnes per hectare. Agriculture Minister Eric Opoku announced the initiative before Parliament on Wednesday, March 25, and he stated that authorities have already mobilized resources to ensure the project’s success.

Ghana aims to triple its current average yield of 8 tonnes per hectare through this initiative. The country seeks to reduce its production deficit, which it estimates at 300,000 tonnes and covers each year through imports.

Local media reported that Ghana is conducting the project in partnership with Nigerian firm WAKI Farms and several research institutes. Ghana intends to use this collaboration to improve productivity and reduce exposure to fluctuations in the subregional tomato market.

Ghana’s tomato production has stagnated for several years. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the country produced an average of 380,510 tonnes between 2020 and 2024, and output has not exceeded 400,000 tonnes during that period.

“While our counterparts in Burkina Faso produce 18 tonnes per hectare, Ghana achieves only eight tonnes on average […] The problem lies mainly in the seed varieties used for tomato production,” said Eric Opoku.

Ghana selected Nigerian partners for this research effort because Nigeria ranks as Africa’s second-largest tomato producer after Egypt, with annual output exceeding 3 million tonnes. In addition, yields in key Nigerian production zones, including Gombe, Borno, and Yobe states, ranged between 14 and 20 tonnes per hectare in 2024, according to the National Agricultural Extension and Research Liaison Services (NAERLS).

A timely context

Accra launched this initiative as the subregional tomato market faces supply pressure. On March 16, Burkina Faso, Ghana’s main supplier of imported tomatoes, announced a suspension of exports as part of its industrial development strategy.

Although the exact share of supplies from Burkina Faso remains unclear due to the informal nature of intra-regional trade, the situation has raised strong concerns within Ghana’s agricultural sector.

In a statement published on March 24, the Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) warned that a prolonged disruption of imports from Burkina Faso, without an adequate domestic response, could trigger tomato shortages, fuel inflation, and increase food security risks.

Amid these concerns, the World Bank announced on March 25 that it secured $20 million in financing from the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to support Ghana in managing potential supply disruptions. Local media reported that authorities will focus interventions on strengthening supply systems, improving storage, and supporting domestic production.

Farmers and industry stakeholders continue to highlight structural constraints beyond low productivity. The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana stated that Ghana’s tomato sector depends heavily on rain-fed agriculture and faces high input costs.

The sector also remains vulnerable to post-harvest losses due to insufficient storage and processing infrastructure. These constraints continue to limit competitiveness and complicate efforts to reduce import dependence.

This article was initially published in French by Stéphanas Assocle

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum