The Chief Executive Officer of Akuafo Nketewa, Dr Charles Nyaaba, has criticised the Food and Agriculture Minister, insisting that public assurances on tomato supply will not solve the looming shortage unless farmers are directly engaged.
Speaking on JoyFM’s Super Morning Show on Thursday, March 26, Dr Nyaaba said farmers are worried about a potential supply gap between now and mid-May, warning that government communication alone cannot address the situation.
“This is not about PR work. You are talking about Ghanaian panic,” he said, stressing that producers remain uncertain about where tomatoes will come from during the critical period.
His comments come in response to recent assurances by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku, who announced a major plan under the Feed Ghana Programme to scale up local tomato production and reduce reliance on imports.
Under the initiative, government aims to expand tomato cultivation from 1,000 acres last year to 40,000 hectares this year, supported by improved seeds, plant protection products, irrigation through boreholes, and partnerships with technical operators to guarantee markets for farmers.
But Dr Nyaaba argues that farmers the key drivers of production have not been consulted.
“Since this issue happened, no single farmer has been engaged. So we don’t really know what is going on,” he said, adding that claims about mobilising over 100 communities to grow tomatoes have not been verified by stakeholders on the ground.
He further questioned the practicality of the minister’s assurances, particularly at a time when Ghana heavily depends on tomato imports from Burkina Faso between December and May.
“What have we done from this March to May so Ghanaians will not panic, now that we can’t go to Burkina?” he asked.
According to him, the situation has been worsened by reports that Ghanaian traders, particularly women, are being restricted from accessing tomato supplies in Burkina Faso a key source of imports during the lean season.
Dr Nyaaba also distinguished between building market infrastructure and ensuring production, warning that without engaging farmers on how to increase output, new market centres will not solve supply challenges.
“There’s a difference between putting up a marketing centre and production. If you are not engaging farmers on how they are going to produce, how are you going to supply that market?” he quizzed.
Despite government’s claims of pilot successes in 81 communities and the establishment of Farmer Service Centres and a dedicated farmers’ market near the University of Ghana bypass, he maintains that the absence of direct farmer engagement undermines the credibility of the plan.
He described the minister’s media engagements as a recurring pattern, accusing him of prioritising public messaging over stakeholder consultation.
“PR will not put food on the table for anybody. It’s not time for a minister to be saying those things,” he said.
Dr Nyaaba emphasised that farmers are already taking independent steps to prepare for the next production season, but insisted that a coordinated national effort backed by clear engagement and support packages is needed to stabilise supply and prevent price hikes.
