Ghana, often celebrated for its fertile lands and rich agricultural heritage, is facing a paradoxical situation that has raised concerns among its citizens and leaders alike.

With a population of around 30.4 million, approximately 3.5 million individuals are engaged in farming, yet the nation continues to rely heavily on imports for staples like tomatoes and various other agricultural products.

Minister of Food and Agriculture, Bryan Acheampong, has expressed concern over this unsettling reality.

He labeled the situation as "shameful," highlighting the contradiction between the nation's agricultural potential and its dependence on imported produce.

“Ghana has about 3.5 million farmers but we cannot even feed ourselves on basic commodities such as tomatoes, rice, onions, etc. That’s very shameful, but we will address it,” he said.

According to GhStat on Twitter, Ghana imports about 84 per cent of its tomato from Burkina Faso.

In October 2022, trade data from the Ghana Vegetable Producers and Exporters Association (Ghana Vegetables) indicated that annual tomato import from neighbouring Burkina Faso has hit a staggering US$400million from an estimated US$99.5million in 2018.

As of then, Ghana imported 90 percent of its fresh tomato from Burkina Faso.

But recent happenings in the West African sub- region threatens the trade deal between Ghana and Burkina Faso. The ongoing coup in Niger could affect how Ghana and Burkina Faso relate.