Former President John Mahama, then vice-presidential candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in 2008, also proposed the setting up of a Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA)  to accelerate the much-needed development in the savannah ecological areas. These pledges by the two main political parties were repeated on many platforms in the 2012 electioneering  and well captured in the manifestoes of the two parties. The NDC party subsequently won the 2008 and 2012 elections and the story of SADA is well documented.

The NPP, led by then candidate Nana Akufo-Addo promised in the 2016 election campaign to irrigate the three regions of the north through the construction of dams in all villages in the north. This is no doubt a laudable policy initiative that will ease the difficulties horticulture farmers go through to access water, especially during the dry seasons.

This policy intervention is, particularly, timely following the erratic patterns of the rains in recent years which is largely attributable to climate change. It would, therefore, be heart-warming if government is able to roll out the policy. Nonetheless, there are key policy issues that government ought to consider as it plans the implementation of the programme. There are already few dams dotted around various locations in the north constructed by previous governments, faith-based organisations, and non-governmental organisations.

Bane of tomato farmers

A major problem these smallholder farmers encounter is carting the goods to the market and post-harvest losses. In the Upper East region for example, there is no tomato season that passes without some farmers committing suicide. Indeed, it has become an annual ritual in the region. Strangely, tomato traders from Southern Ghana, otherwise called “Market Queens”, refuse to buy from those who produce in the region but rather cross to Burkina Faso to buy the produce.

It is believed that the market queens smuggle products such as roofing sheets and locally manufactured drinks (Akpeteshie) which are in high demand in Burkina Faso after which they buy tomatoes from there to sell in Ghana.

A remedy to this is to regulate the tomato trade by opening new tomato markets in the major cities in Southern Ghana to serve as alternative sources of tomato supply, thereby breaking the monopoly of the market queens. Custom officials can also help by conducting thorough search on goods exported/imported to and from Burkina Faso to discourage the activities of the market queens. The revival of the Pwalugu Tomato Factory to absorb the excess harvest will also be a right step in preventing post-harvest losses of the perishable produce.

Bolga tomatoes

Sadly, at the time tomato farmers in the north complain of market and post-harvest losses, the country is spending heavily on the importation of preserved tomatoes. Indeed, available statistics indicate that Ghana is the second largest importer of tomatoes in the world after Germany. Records show that in 2003 alone, the European Union exported 27,000 tons of preserved tomatoes to Ghana.

It is envisaged that if government succeeds in addressing these issues of tomato farmers in the North, it will not only end the perennial suicides but also create lots of employment for the youth who migrate down south for non-existent jobs. Indeed, it will be one of the best measures to bridge the development gap between the north and south, as well as make the one- village, one-dam programme a meaningful investment.

The writer is a Policy Analyst,
Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC)
georgeakeliwira@gmail.com