The Volta Youth in Agriculture, an Organisation that prioritises agriculture, has described the recent tomato export ban by neighbouring Burkina Faso, as a major wake-up call that threatens the future of communities within the country, and demanded immediate national action.
The organisation stated that the ban, now a topical national issue, exposed Ghana’s heavy reliance on imported vegetables and must be treated as both a challenge and a rare opportunity to reshape the agricultural landscape in the country.
The organisation, in a press released, dated March 24, signed by Madam Joy Fiamawle, the organisation’s Public Relation Officer, and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said that the ban should ignite passion among young people to promote locally grown produce and push for policy changes that genuinely support farmers rather than depending on foreign supplies.
“As Volta Youth in Agriculture, we have declared our readiness to engage agriculture stakeholders more deeply, we must encourage the public especially the youth play a central role in building a sustainable future for vegetable consumption across the nation,” she said.
She explained that the group was appealing for the immediate establishment of district vegetable farms across every single district in the country to decentralise vegetable cultivation and ensure each area met its own demand, which would be the surest way to counter the effects of the Burkina Faso export ban, among others.
Madam Fiamawle stated that, while tomatoes and the ban had dominated recent discussions, it would be the good moment for all to be reminded that tomatoes were not the only vegetable currently imported and warned that similar shortages could arise in the future without proactive steps.
“Agriculture is deeply intertwined with broader socio-economic challenges, including poverty and food security, and these links must be addressed through deliberate local production strategies,” she said.
The group stressed that setting up district-level farms and deliberately employing young people to work in them would simultaneously enrich household plates and drive genuine economic growth within communities.
They urged the government to begin by engaging Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies, and organise targeted workshops for youth farmers, and partner with local NGOs that were focused on agricultural development to drive a change.
The Volta Youth in Agriculture also called on young people nationwide to embrace the moment and collectively advocate for sustainable policies that prioritised farmers and the national interest.
They also charged the public to support the government to build a thriving agricultural sector that would not only feed communities but also uplift the entire economy of these areas and the country.
By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu, GNA
