The Ministry of Food and Agriculture, through the West Africa Food System Resilience Program (FSRP), has reaffirmed its dedication to tackling tomato shortages and minimizing excessive imports, particularly during the dry season.
To stabilize market prices, the ministry is rolling out a Tomato Intensification Program in key production areas across Ghana, aimed at increasing local tomato production.
This initiative is supported by a $2.2 million grant from the Norwegian government and is being implemented under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, with coordination from the World Bank.
Under the FSRP-Norwegian Tomato Scheme, 1,500 tomato farmers are receiving agricultural inputs and training, with the goal of producing 10,000 metric tons of tomatoes within the first quarter of the year.
As part of the project, the Crops Research Institute under CSIR in Kwadaso, Kumasi, is developing breeder and foundation seeds tailored to Ghana’s hot and humid agroecological conditions.
Speaking on the initiative, Dr. Michael Kwabena Osei, Principal Research Scientist and Tomato Breeder at CSIR-Crops Research Institute, and Dr. Gabriel Owusu, Project Officer for the Norwegian Tomato Support under FSRP, shared insights during an interview on February 14.
Dr. Osei highlighted that the Food System Resilience Project, funded by the World Bank, includes a sub-project supported by the Norwegian government to enhance tomato production. He noted that private entities are already engaged in producing certified tomato seeds in Wenchi.
He expressed optimism about the long-term impact of the initiative, stating
“At this stage, we are well-positioned to reduce tomato imports. In the next two to three years, we expect to cut more than 50% of tomato importation, with the ultimate goal of eliminating it entirely.”
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