Government must engage horticulturists on tomato crisis – GhIH
The Ghana Institute of Horticulturists (GhIH) has called on the government to formally engage horticultural professionals as part of efforts to address the persistent challenges confronting Ghana’s tomato sector.
The Ghana Institute of Horticulturists (GhIH) has urged the government to formally engage horticultural experts to tackle the ongoing tomato crisis in Ghana. GhIH President, Dr Mohammed Mujitaba Dawuda, made the plea during the opening of the Institute's 26th Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference in Sunyani. The three-day event, held from October 1 to 3, 2026, aimed to build a resilient tomato value chain in Ghana through stronger stakeholder engagement.
Dr Dawuda highlighted several challenges facing the tomato sector, including soil fertility, seed and variety selection, root-knot nematodes, pests and diseases, high temperatures, irrigation issues, and post-harvest losses. He also pointed to the recurring problems of tomato glut and scarcity. "The tomato challenge has been common knowledge in Ghana for decades," Dr Dawuda stated. The recent terrorist attack in Burkina Faso involving Ghanaian tomato traders further underscored the urgency of the issue.
Despite horticulture's vital role in Ghana's food system, the government has yet to formally engage GhIH as a stakeholder, Dr Dawuda noted. He emphasized that the Institute has been conducting research, training, and stakeholder engagements to contribute to the development of horticulture and address the tomato sector's challenges. However, the government has not provided the necessary attention or formal collaboration.
Reaffirming the Institute's commitment to its mission, Dr Dawuda called for active participation from researchers, farmers, agricultural officers, traders, students, NGOs, farmer-based organizations, and other stakeholders in developing practical solutions. Prof Elvis Asare Bediako, the Special Guest and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), urged institutions and actors in the tomato sector to move beyond talking and instituting collaboration.
He stressed that interconnected problems require interconnected solutions, such as addressing disease outbreaks, poor-quality planting material, climate variability, inadequate post-harvest handling, weak market linkages, and insufficient processing capacity.
Written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
