A Member of Parliament for Offinso North Constituency, Dr. Fred Kyei Asamoah, has called on the government to urgently expand and modernise the Akomadan Irrigation Scheme to support year-round tomato production and reduce Ghana’s reliance on imports.

Delivering a statement in Parliament in March 2026, the MP stressed that Ghana’s tomato sector is facing a deepening crisis driven by a widening gap between production and demand, post-harvest losses, and overdependence on external supply sources.

According to him, Ghana produced about 468,000 metric tonnes of tomatoes in 2023, far below the national demand of 1.26 million metric tonnes, leaving a deficit of nearly 60 percent.

He warned that recent developments, including a tomato export ban by Burkina Faso, expose Ghana’s vulnerability and the urgent need to strengthen domestic production.

Dr. Asamoah described the situation not merely as a production shortfall but a systemic failure, pointing to significant post-harvest losses ranging between 20 and 50 percent nationwide, with losses in Offinso North reaching as high as 42 percent during peak seasons.

He also highlighted sharp price volatility in the tomato market. In 2023, imported tomatoes sold for about GH¢3,000 per wooden crate, while locally produced ones averaged GHS1,500.

Currently, prices have surged to approximately GHS6,000 per crate at the farm gate, underscoring supply instability.

The MP identified the Akomadan area as a strategic hub for addressing the crisis.

Akomadan has a long history of irrigation development dating back to the 1970s, when initial infrastructure covering 65 hectares was established with support from the government and the World Bank.

The scheme has since undergone multiple phases of rehabilitation and expansion, including interventions under former President John Agyekum Kufuor and more recently under Nana Akufo-Addo.

Despite these efforts, he noted that only a fraction of the irrigable land is currently in use. Out of 624 hectares identified for irrigation, just 171 hectares have been developed, with only about 60 hectares actively functional.

This, he said, leaves most farmers dependent on rainfall and limits year-round production.

Dr. Asamoah emphasised that modern irrigation technologies, particularly drip systems introduced between 2017 and 2018, must be scaled up to improve water efficiency and sustainability.

He further called for a comprehensive approach to agricultural development, including investment in storage and processing facilities, improved access to credit and farm inputs, strengthened extension services, and better feeder roads to connect farms to markets.

“The people of Offinso North and Ghana are not asking for charity; they are asking for opportunity,” he stated, adding that with the right investments, the constituency could help Ghana achieve tomato self-sufficiency, stabilise prices, eliminate risky cross-border sourcing, and create jobs across the agricultural value chain.

The MP concluded by urging sustained and expanded government commitment to irrigation-driven agriculture, describing it as essential to ensuring food security and economic resilience in Ghana.