Ghana moves to cut tomato imports as Tuba Irrigation Site is rededicated for local production

In a decisive move to boost local agriculture and reduce the nation’s reliance on imported tomatoes, Dr. Peter Boamah Otokunor, Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness (PIAA), has led a high-level engagement with farmers at the Tuba Irrigation Site near Weija.

Last week, Dr. Otokunor, accompanied by a team from his office and the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA), met with members of the Tuba Water Users Association—a group comprising tomato and other vegetable farmers. The visit follows the government’s recent ban on tomato imports from Burkina Faso, a policy aimed at stimulating domestic production and achieving import substitution.

According to Dr. Otokunor, the government has taken a strategic decision to rededicate the Tuba irrigation facility specifically for tomato cultivation. The move is expected to support national efforts to replace foreign tomatoes with homegrown produce, create jobs, and stabilize local market prices.

“We had a fruitful conversation about government’s decision to, among other things, rededicate the Tuba irrigation site for tomato production, to support the nation’s effort towards tomato import substitution, following the earlier announced ban of tomato importation from Burkina Faso,” Dr. Otokunor stated in a post following the engagement.

The Tuba Water Users Association welcomed the initiative, expressing optimism that the focus on tomatoes—a staple in Ghanaian cuisine—will lead to better water management, increased yields, and guaranteed offtake agreements. Farmers raised concerns about access to improved seedlings, storage facilities, and market linkages, all of which were discussed during the interactive session.

Dr. Otokunor, who holds a Ph.D. in Agricultural Economics from the University of Ghana and is a Chartered Financial Economist, has been a key figure in the government’s agricultural transformation agenda. In addition to his role as Director of PIAA, he serves as the Director of Interparty and Civil Society Relations for the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and is a lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA).

His team confirmed that follow-up actions will include input supply support, technical assistance from GIDA, and the activation of post-harvest management protocols to prevent waste. The rededication of the Tuba site is part of a broader government strategy to revive underutilized irrigation schemes across the country, with tomato production as a pilot commodity.

Industry analysts have described the ban on tomato imports from Burkina Faso as a bold but necessary step, noting that sustained investment in irrigation and farmer training will be critical to its success. With the Tuba site now focused on tomatoes, stakeholders are hopeful that Ghana can significantly cut its annual tomato import bill, which runs into millions of dollars.

“The goal is clear: produce what we eat and eat what we produce,” Dr. Otokunor added. “This engagement is just the beginning of a sustained partnership with our farmers to make tomato self-sufficiency a reality.”

The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) is expected to release further guidelines on input subsidies and market guarantees for tomato farmers in the coming weeks.