Agotime Ziope Tomato Farmers Cry Out

STORY BY CHRISTIAN AHODIE YAW.

Tomato farmers in the Agotime Ziope District of the Volta Region say their livelihoods are on the brink of collapse. From heavy post-harvest losses to falling market prices and the devastating impact of climate change, the farmers are crying out for urgent government support.

Farming Hub Under Threat

Ziope and its surrounding communities are widely regarded as the food basket of the Volta Region when it comes to tomato production. Farming here is done almost all year round, with many families relying solely on it for survival. But the story is changing. Farmers say they are counting more losses than gains, and the situation is pushing many households deeper into poverty.

A farmer lamented that a box of tomatoes which previously sold between ₵350 and ₵500 now goes for as little as ₵50, leaving them with no profit. The lack of storage facilities makes matters worse, with most of the harvested tomatoes rotting within days.

We have nowhere to keep our tomatoes. This year, the sun was too harsh, the rains delayed, and then drought set in. The tomatoes dried up, some cracked, and we lost everything. Many of us are thinking of abandoning tomato farming altogether,” a distraught farmer told our reporter. Christian Ahodie Yaw

Calls for Processing Factories and Irrigation

Farmers believe that establishing a storage facility or a tomato processing factory in the district could help preserve their produce and open up new market opportunities both locally and abroad. They say such an intervention will not only reduce waste but also create jobs, especially for the youth.

They are also appealing for irrigation facilities, insisting that with irrigation, they can farm all year round and reduce their dependence on the increasingly unpredictable weather conditions.

When irrigation is provided, we can control production and harvest in line with demand. That way, prices will stabilize, and farmers will not lose everything when the rains fail,” another farmer explained.

Climate Change Bites Hard

This year alone, acres of tomato farms were destroyed by erratic weather patterns—scorching heat, poor rainfall, and long spells of drought. For many farmers, the result has been total crop failure. Beyond economic hardship, this has also led to food insecurity in many households, as families who depend on their farms for daily meals are struggling to feed themselves.

Agricultural experts say the plight of the farmers in Agotime Ziope reflects a bigger national challenge as climate change continues to threaten Ghana’s food production.

Research and Training Interventions

In response to the crisis, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) recently organized training for tomato farmers in Kpetoe. The program, led by Principal Research Scientist, Dr. Michael Kwabena Osei, introduced farmers to improved seed varieties that can last up to two weeks at home without spoilage.

We are encouraging farmers to adopt modern seed varieties, use good agronomic practices, and most importantly, study weather patterns carefully. Aligning farming seasons with climate changes can help minimize risks,” Dr. Osei said.

Farmers’ Last Plea

While welcoming the intervention, farmers insist that research and training alone are not enough. They want the government to back it up with policy and infrastructure support. Without processing plants, cold storage facilities, and irrigation systems, they fear their work will continue to go to waste.

The farmers are also urging the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to prioritize tomato farmers in Agotime Ziope in its Planting for Food and Jobs initiative, saying targeted support will help them recover and sustain production.

For now, though, the farmers say they are on their knees. Unless urgent measures are taken, tomato farming—which sustains thousands of families in Agotime Ziope—may soon collapse, leaving behind hunger, unemployment, and migration.END