The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in partnership with FarmMate Ltd, is set to officially launch the Ghana Tomato Self-Sufficiency Initiative (GHATSI) on Tuesday, September 15, 2026, at the Anlo Senior High School Park (ANSECO) in Anloga in the Volta Region.
The launch, scheduled for 10:00 a.m., will be led by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, and is expected to bring together government officials, regional authorities, traditional leaders, farmers, financial institutions, insurance companies, technical partners and media organisations.
GHATSI Targets Ghana’s Tomato Import Dependency
The Ghana Tomato Self-Sufficiency Initiative is a national Public-Private Partnership (PPP) aimed at developing a reliable, year-round domestic tomato production and processing value chain.
Despite Ghana’s favourable land, water and climatic conditions for agriculture, the country currently spends more than US$400 million annually on imported fresh tomatoes and tomato paste.
The significant import bill is largely attributed to a domestic supply gap during the December to July off-season, when local tomato production falls considerably.
GHATSI seeks to address this challenge by linking farmers and agricultural land to improved production, structured financing, multi-peril crop insurance, aggregation, industrial tomato processing and guaranteed market access.
Government Targets 400,000 Tonnes of Tomatoes Annually
The initiative has set an ambitious target of achieving 400,000 tonnes of tomatoes annually once the programme reaches full scale.
For the initial 2026/2027 production cycle, GHATSI aims to produce approximately 100,000 tonnes of tomatoes.
The first phase will cover more than 10,000 acres of farmland across 40 districts, 12 regions and over 100 communities.
The initial rollout is expected to establish a strong production base that can be expanded progressively until Ghana achieves its full annual tomato production target.
Farmers to Receive Financing, Irrigation and Insurance Support
Under the Farmer Enhancement Package, participating tomato farmers will receive access to financed agricultural inputs, irrigation support, extension services and technical assistance.
Farmers will also benefit from multi-peril crop insurance, which is designed to reduce the financial risks associated with climate-related challenges, pests and other agricultural shocks.
The financing arrangements will allow repayment to be made directly at the point of produce off-take, potentially easing financial pressure on participating farmers.
GHATSI to Create Jobs and Reduce Post-Harvest Losses
Beyond increasing domestic tomato production, the initiative is expected to contribute to food security, job creation and improved farmer incomes across Ghana’s agricultural value chain.
GHATSI also seeks to promote contract farming, create sustainable employment opportunities for young people, reduce avoidable post-harvest losses and strengthen the country’s tomato processing industry.
The broader objective is to reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported tomatoes while creating opportunities for local farmers and businesses to participate in a stronger domestic agricultural economy.
The initiative is being implemented under the theme: “Produce at home. Feed the nation. Export the surplus.”
Source: newsthemegh.com