More than 1,600 farmers in the Bolgatanga Central Constituency are set to benefit from a dry-season tomato and pepper cultivation initiative aimed at increasing year round vegetable production, improving farm productivity and strengthening household incomes.

The initiative is being implemented through a collaboration between the Office of the Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, the Feed Ghana Coordinator, Abdallah Mohammed, and the Bolgatanga Municipal Department of Agriculture.

The programme is now moving into its implementation phase, with improved seeds and other agricultural inputs expected to be distributed to registered farmers within the week.

Following the distribution of the inputs, beneficiaries are expected to begin nursery establishment, seedling management and transplanting, with field activities targeted for the first and second weeks of October.

The intervention forms part of broader efforts to promote dry-season agriculture in the municipality and provide farmers with opportunities to produce vegetables beyond the main farming season.

“Over 1,600 farmers have so far been registered under the dry season tomato and pepper cultivation initiative, the Office of the Member of Parliament said in the notice. The programme is intended to expand year round vegetable production and enhance farm productivity. We are working to ensure that registered farmers receive the necessary inputs and support to begin production.”

MP for Bolgatanga, Hon. Issac Adongo

Dry season farming is important to Ghana’s agricultural economy because it can extend production periods, improve the availability of fresh vegetables and create additional income opportunities for farmers.

Tomatoes and pepper are among the vegetables widely consumed in Ghana and form an important part of the country’s food value chain. Their production supports farmers, traders, transport operators, market women, food processors and other businesses involved in moving agricultural produce from farms to consumers.

The expansion of production in Bolgatanga Central could therefore have implications beyond the participating farmers by increasing economic activity within the local agricultural value chain.

Contributing to Strengthen Domestic Food Production

The initiative is also expected to contribute to efforts to strengthen domestic food production. Increased local production of vegetables can improve food availability while creating opportunities for farmers to participate more actively in commercial agriculture.

The programme’s focus on improved seeds and production inputs is significant because access to quality planting materials can influence crop establishment and productivity.

Farmers who receive the inputs are expected to follow technical guidance provided by agricultural officers, particularly during nursery establishment, seedling management and transplanting.

Proper nursery management is important for producing healthy seedlings before they are moved to the field. Timely transplanting can also help farmers establish crops under suitable production conditions and improve the chances of achieving good yields.

The Municipal Department of Agriculture is expected to play an important role in the implementation process by supporting field mobilisation and providing technical guidance to participating farmers.

“The next stage is the distribution of improved seeds and other production inputs to the registered farmers. Farmers will subsequently undertake nursery establishment, seedling management and transplanting. These activities are targeted for the first to second week of October.”
MP for Bolgatanga, Hon. Issac Adongo

The registration of more than 1,600 farmers provides a substantial base for the programme and could create a sizeable production network if beneficiaries successfully establish their farms and maintain production throughout the dry season.

An Opportunity to Make More Income

For the farmers, the initiative could provide an opportunity to diversify their sources of income and make greater use of available land and water resources during periods when rain-fed agricultural activities are limited.

The commercial potential of dry season vegetable farming, however, depends heavily on access to reliable markets. Farmers producing tomatoes and pepper need buyers who can purchase their output at sustainable prices, while adequate transportation and storage are necessary to move produce efficiently from farms to markets.

Tomatoes in particular are highly perishable, making post-harvest management an important part of the business. Losses can occur when harvested produce remains too long in the field, during transportation or when market demand is insufficient.

A successful dry season vegetable programme would therefore require attention not only to production but also to aggregation, marketing, transportation, storage and potential processing.

The initiative could create opportunities for stronger links between farmers and traders, food processors, restaurants and other institutional buyers.

Such market connections can help farmers plan production based on demand and reduce the risk of producing crops without clearly identified markets.

The programme is also taking place within a broader national conversation about improving Ghana’s agricultural productivity and making farming more commercially attractive.

At the local level, initiatives such as the Bolgatanga Central dry-season farming programme can contribute to this objective by giving farmers access to production inputs while encouraging them to participate in commercial vegetable production.

Hon. Isaac Adongo has reiterated his commitment to providing sustained support to farmers as they expand dry-season tomato and pepper cultivation.

“This is only the beginning of a broader agricultural support programme. Our commitment is to provide sustained support that enables farmers to scale up production and improve their productivity. We want farmers to contribute meaningfully to food security while strengthening the local agricultural value chain.”
MP for Bolgatanga, Hon. Issac Adongo

An Initiative that Supports Farmers Livelihoods

The programme is also expected to support household livelihoods by providing farmers with an additional avenue for generating income.

For many farming households, agriculture serves as both a source of food and income. Expanding production opportunities into the dry season can help farmers generate revenue at different points in the agricultural calendar.

The initiative’s organisers are therefore urging all registered farmers to remain available for validation and further communication concerning the distribution of inputs and field mobilisation.

Farmers are also expected to prepare for the nursery and transplanting stages scheduled for the first to second week of October.

The implementation phase will be critical in determining how effectively the programme translates registration and input distribution into actual production and commercial outcomes.

For the Bolgatanga Central agricultural economy, the immediate focus is on ensuring that registered farmers receive the necessary inputs and technical support and successfully establish their tomato and pepper farms.

If properly implemented, the programme could strengthen local vegetable production while supporting farmers, traders and other actors along the agricultural value chain.

It could also demonstrate the commercial potential of organised dry-season farming as Ghana continues to seek ways to increase domestic food production, create agricultural jobs and improve the incomes of farming households.