The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG) has described the recent killing of Ghanaian tomato traders in Burkina Faso as a tragic incident that also exposes Ghana’s growing vulnerability in food supply, warning that the development could disrupt tomato imports and trigger a sharp rise in prices.
In a press statement dated February 18, 2026 and signed by the Association’s President, Wepia Addo Awal Adugwala, and other executives, the peasant farmers noted that Ghana’s heavy dependence on Burkina Faso for tomatoes has left the country exposed, noting that any disruption in the supply chain could make the staple unaffordable for many Ghanaian households.
The Association stressed that the tragedy should serve as an urgent wake-up call for the country to reassess its agricultural direction and pursue self-sufficiency not only in tomatoes but across the vegetable value chain.
The farmers revealed that Ghana spent over $22.3 million on tomato imports in 2024 alone, with more than 90 percent of the imports coming from Burkina Faso. It said Ghana’s annual tomato demand is estimated at about 800,000 metric tonnes, but domestic production remains between 370,000 and 420,000 metric tonnes, leaving a wide deficit that continues to be filled through imports.
According to the Association, the production shortfall is not a natural occurrence but a result of policy failures and weak prioritisation, citing the country’s overreliance on rain-fed farming due to inadequate irrigation facilities.
The farmers also raised concern about post-harvest losses, stating that between 30 and 50 percent of tomatoes harvested in Ghana are lost due to poor storage systems, lack of processing facilities and deplorable road networks, a situation it says continues to weaken farmers’ incomes and undermine national food security.
The Association called on the government to treat the situation as a matter of national emergency and prioritise urgent interventions, including providing a time-bound roadmap and dedicated funding for the completion of the Irrigation for Wealth Programme.
They also urged the government to commence and complete the Pwalugu Multi-Purpose Dam within its tenure, while complementing large-scale projects with boreholes and subsidised solar-powered irrigation pumps for farmers in major farming districts to enable all-year-round production.
The farmers further proposed the creation of strategic agricultural enclaves for commercial vegetable cultivation, including tomatoes and onions, in selected agro-ecological zones with favourable conditions and the necessary infrastructure to attract private sector investment.
The Association also urged the government to reduce the cost of production by resourcing research institutions to develop and multiply disease-resistant and market-preferred seeds, while engaging fertiliser companies and other input suppliers to bring prices down.
It additionally called for an immediate national strategy to tackle post-harvest losses through mass recruitment and deployment of extension officers, improvement of feeder roads linking farming communities to market centres, establishment of storage and cold chain facilities, and the rehabilitation and creation of tomato processing factories to absorb surplus produce and stabilise prices during glut seasons.
“We urge that the country build a resilient agricultural system that ensures no Ghanaian farmer or consumer is left at the mercy of such precarious circumstances. Let’s save the Ghanaian farmer and secure Ghana’s future,” the statement concluded.