The Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA), in partnership with FarmMate LTD, will officially launch the Ghana Tomato Self-Sufficiency Initiative (GHATSI) on Tuesday, September 15, at the Anlo Senior High School Park (ANSECO) in Anloga, Volta Region.

The event, scheduled for 10:00 a.m., will be led by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Eric Opoku.

In a statement, the ministry explained that GHATSI is a national public-private partnership designed to move Ghana towards reliable tomato self-sufficiency by building an integrated, year-round domestic value chain.

“Despite the country’s favourable land, water and climate, Ghana currently spends over USD 400 million annually importing fresh tomatoes and paste, largely driven by the December-to-July off-season deficit,” the statement said.

The initiative seeks to reverse this trend by linking farmers and land to production enhancement, structured finance, multi-peril crop insurance, aggregation, industrial processing, and guaranteed market access.

According to the Ministry, GHATSI aims to end import dependency, guarantee a stable year-round supply, raise and secure farmer incomes through contract farming.

It will also create sustainable youth employment across the value chain, eliminate avoidable post-harvest losses, and reduce risks from climate and pest shocks.

“The full rollout targets annual national tomato production of 400,000 tonnes. The first phase in the 2026/2027 production cycle aims to supply approximately 100,000 tonnes, covering more than 10,000 acres across 40 districts, 12 regions and over 100 communities,” the statement added.

Under the Farmer Enhancement Package, participating growers will receive financed agro-inputs, irrigation support, extension and technical services, and multi-peril crop insurance, with repayment settled directly at off-take.

The launch marks a significant step in Ghana’s push to strengthen domestic tomato production and reduce the country’s heavy reliance on imports.

It is expected to bring together government officials, regional authorities, traditional leaders, farmers, financial institutions, insurers, technical partners and the media.