Burkina Faso Attack Triggers Ghana’s $5.7bn Tomato Import Reform Plan

A recent terrorist attack in Burkina Faso has intensified calls for Ghana to reduce its reliance on imported tomatoes, as new data shows the country is losing an estimated GHS 5.7 billion annually — equivalent to about 1.2% of GDP — due to import dependency, post-harvest losses and limited value addition.

The findings were presented in Accra on February 16 during the unveiling of the National Tomato Production Strategy (2026–2030) by the Chamber of Agribusiness Ghana and its partners.

The strategy comes amid renewed concerns over the safety of Ghanaian tomato traders who cross into Burkina Faso to source supplies, following the recent attack.

Import Bill and Economic Leakages

Research commissioned by the Chamber shows Ghana spends between GHS 650 million and GHS 760 million annually importing fresh tomatoes and tomato paste, making the country one of the world’s largest importers of tomato paste.

Additional losses include:

1. GHS 180–220 million in foregone tax revenue
2. GHS 175–250 million worth of tomatoes lost yearly to spoilage due to inadequate storage
3. Up to GHS 4.5 billion in unrealised wages from an underdeveloped value chain

Speaking at the launch, CEO of the Chamber, Anthony Morrison, described the situation as both an economic and humanitarian crisis.

“Traders continue to risk their lives crossing insecure borders to source tomatoes that could be produced locally,” he said, noting that the Burkina Faso incident highlights the urgency of building a resilient domestic supply chain.

200,000 Jobs and Youth-Focused Strategy

The five-year strategy aims to create 200,000 jobs, largely targeting young people across:

1. Farming
2. Processing
3. Cold-chain management
4. Logistics
5. Agribusiness entrepreneurship

Planned training targets include:

1. 35,000 young farmers
2. 15,000 cold-chain technicians
3. 35,000 processing plant workers
4. 20,000 logistics personnel

The proposal also includes a GHS 200 million Youth Agri-Entrepreneurship Fund to support youth-led tomato enterprises.

According to Akosua Frimpong, Director of Youth Programmes, the initiative is designed to deliver sustainable employment, technical skills development and stable incomes while strengthening national food security.

Cutting Imports, Expanding Processing Capacity

Under the strategy, Ghana aims to:

1. Reduce tomato paste imports from over USD 100 million annually to USD 20 million by 2030
2. Increase the use of locally grown tomatoes by processors from 7% to 85%
3. Build 50 cold storage facilities with a combined capacity of 150,000 metric tonnes
4. Reduce post-harvest losses currently estimated at 30–45% of production

The total investment required is projected at GHS 3.2 billion, with anticipated annual economic gains exceeding GHS 5 billion by 2030 through import substitution, tax revenue growth, export expansion and wage circulation within the domestic economy.

Next Steps

Stakeholders outlined immediate actions, including:

1. Presenting the strategy to the President and Cabinet
2. Establishing a national steering committee
3. Launching a youth registration portal
4. Beginning construction of the first 10 cold storage facilities in Q2 2026
5. Providing emergency financial support to families affected by the Burkina Faso attack

The Chamber has called on government, private investors and development partners to support the initiative, warning that failure to act would perpetuate economic losses, youth unemployment and exposure to cross-border security risks.

The strategy positions tomato production not merely as an agricultural issue, but as a matter of economic sovereignty, job creation and national security resilience.