The harvest forms part of targeted interventions by FSRP
Bulk tomato traders and major market outlets in Accra have praised the government-backed West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP) in partnership with FarmMate Ltd for supplying high-quality, freshly harvested tomatoes to the city’s markets.
Over 240 tons of tomatoes from the Upper East Region have already been delivered this week to major wholesale and premium markets, including Agbogbloshi, CMB Market, Palace Mall, and Accra City Hotel. Other outlets stocking the FSRP-FarmMate tomatoes include Farmer’s Market, Fairway Supermarket, Sky Bar (Villagio), and D Café.
The deliveries mark the first of three to five harvest rounds in the current production period and form part of FSRP interventions under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to stabilize tomato supply and prices in Ghana, particularly during the dry season.
Funded by the Norwegian government and coordinated by the World Bank, the programme seeks to revamp the local tomato industry for year-round availability.
FSRP’s tomato production adheres to climate-smart agricultural practices with strict quality control measures enforced by experts from MoFA’s Plant Protection & Regulatory Services, Directorate of Crops Services, and Directorate of Agricultural Extension Services, as well as the Soil Research Institute, Crop Research Institute, and environmental and social safeguards officers from FSRP and FarmMate.
After harvesting, tomatoes are packed in solar-powered, temperature-regulated on-farm packhouses and transported to outlets within 24–36 hours, ensuring freshness and quality.
Farmers participating in the programme receive smart seeds, enhanced fertilizers, organic manure, pesticides and extension advisory services, while FarmMate provides hands-on support, monitoring and guaranteed off-take of produce.
The FSRP-FarmMate initiative spans 200 acres nationwide, with 110 acres in the Upper East Region, involving approximately 100 farmers across Zebilla, Pwalugu, Tono Irrigation Scheme, and Navrongo.
Other locations include Ningo-Prampram, Okere, Kwahu East, Akumadan Irrigation Scheme and Asunafo South. The Norwegian Tomato Support Programme under FSRP covers 20 districts in six regions and involves 1,500 farmers, 40 percent of whom are women.
FSRP-FarmMate partnership delivers 240 tonnes of tomatoes in Upper East
Yields from the intervention currently average 10 tons per hectare, expected to reach 15 tons per hectare by the end of the 2025 dry season.
The programme targets 6,000 metric tonnes of tomato production.
Traders and buyers have expressed satisfaction with the quality of the tomatoes.
Naomi Atuahene, also known as Shatta-Mama, a bulk trader at CMB Railway Market, said, “The tomatoes are especially good when fresh, even better than those imported from Burkina Faso. We plead with the government to support such initiatives so we don’t have to go to Burkina for tomatoes.”
Hanna Owusu, a bulk trader at Agbogbloshi Market, added, “The tomatoes remain in good shape for up to a week, and the market women like them. I would advise the government to invest in such projects so we don’t rely on Burkina Faso anymore.”
At premium outlets like Accra City Hotel, food safety and quality standards are equally appreciated. Opoku Agyemang Clinton, Sustainability and Compliance Officer at the hotel, highlighted, “FSRP-FarmMate tomatoes conform to international food safety standards, arriving ripe, juicy, and wholesome. Their processes match our commitment to high food safety standards, and our chefs confirm the quality daily.”
Tomatoes account for 40 percent of vegetable expenditures in Ghana, yet only 34 percent of the 1.4 million tons consumed annually are locally produced, creating a reliance on imports, especially from December to May.
Challenges facing local production include poor-quality seeds, pest and disease management, inadequate agronomic practices and post-harvest losses of 20–60 percent.
The FSRP-FarmMate intervention aims to increase yields, stabilize prices and improve local food security while reducing dependence on imports.
AM
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