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President orders purchase of tomatoes from smallholder farmers
The farmers have struggled to get ready buyers for their produce, about 1000 boxes of tomatoes and 2000 bags of onions.
The reaction from the government followed an appeal by the Member of Parliament for Asante Akim North, Ohene Kwame Frimpong, on social media, calling for help for the hitherto stranded farmers.
Initiative
The Director of Presidential Initiatives in Agriculture and Agribusiness, Dr Peter Boamah Otukonor, in a tweet on his X account, stated that the Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) have consequently moved to the holding areas to purchase the items.
"The President @JDMahama has directed the purchase of all the 1000 boxes of tomatoes and the 2000 bags of onions produced by smallholders in Asante Akim North for the Senior High Schools in the Ashanti Region.”
"The Ashanti Regional CHASS, the Matrons Association and the Ashanti Regional GES have moved this morning to Asante Akim North to purchase the foodstuffs from the smallholder farmers," he wrote in a post on X yesterday.
Dr Otukonor expressed appreciation to the MP, the MCE for the area and other stakeholders, including the Ghana Education Service and the Minister of Education.
"Our deepest appreciation to the MP for Asante Akim North @_OKFrimpong, the MCE Hon Sarah Amoakoa and all who have made it possible to save the businesses of these vegetable farmers. Big thanks to CHASS National President Rev. Father Steven Owusu Sekyere, the Ashanti Region CHASS Chairman, the GES, the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, and the free SHS secretariat for the swift action," he wrote.
Post-harvest losses
It is estimated that Ghana loses about 20 to 50 per cent of its agricultural output annually due to post-harvest losses.
The situation is often caused by inadequate storage facilities, poor handling practices, limited access to modern processing technologies, and inefficient transportation systems.
The impact of the losses includes heightened food insecurity and reduced farmers' incomes, which ultimately has an impact on the economy.
