Vice President Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has reiterated government’s commitment to strengthening agricultural infrastructure and expanding agribusiness, with particular emphasis on tomato production and value addition.
She gave the assurance during discussions with executives of GB Foods in Barcelona, aimed at deepening collaboration to reduce Ghana’s reliance on imported tomato products while expanding local processing capacity for both domestic consumption and export.
The Vice President explained that government interventions across the agricultural value chain are intended to improve production efficiency, support agro-processing, and strengthen linkages between farmers and industry.
She emphasised that inclusive growth remains central to the initiative, noting the need to ensure that smallholder farmers are integrated into the emerging value chains.
“We look forward to mutually beneficial relationships and sustained business as we expand to other areas and encourage local farmers. We want to ensure smaller farmers are also included, so no one feels left out. We are committed to building and sustaining an inclusive system,” she said.
According to her, strengthening partnerships in agriculture will help stabilise supply chains, create jobs, improve rural incomes, and contribute to broader economic transformation.
“We are aware that these interventions are key to job creation. The goal of our agro-industrial drive is to improve lives and ensure our citizens benefit fully from our resources. We look forward to broad support to maximise these opportunities,” she added.
On his part, the Director of Corporate Affairs for Africa at GB Foods, Teddy Ngu, disclosed that the company has acquired about 6,000 hectares of land in the Afram Plains for large-scale tomato cultivation.
He noted that the project is expected to help address supply shortages, especially following disruptions linked to export restrictions from neighbouring countries.
Mr Ngu explained that improving tomato yields in Ghana would require the adoption of modern farming techniques and technology-driven agriculture.
“Tomatoes are one of the most difficult crops to grow. In Ghana and Nigeria, yields average about five tonnes per hectare, compared to 120 tonnes in Spain and 180 in China. There is huge potential here, but it requires the right technology—precision irrigation and specialised farming techniques,” he said.
He added that similar interventions in Nigeria had significantly boosted yields from five to 60 tonnes per hectare, expressing optimism that Ghana could achieve comparable results with the right investment.
The partnership is expected to enhance food security, reduce import dependency, and strengthen Ghana’s long-term agro-industrial development strategy.
