The 2008 electioneering campaign saw for the first time concrete and bold policy initiatives espoused by the two main political parties to bridge the development gap in the northern part of the country. President Kufuor in the last year of his tenure proposed the setting up of a Northern Development Authority. Then New Patriotic Party candidate, now President Nana Akufo Addo promised to ensure the authority became the vehicle that would catapult development in the three regions of the north.
Former President John Mahama, then Vice-Presidential Candidate of the National Democratic Congress in 2008 also proposed the setting of a Savanah Accelerated Development Authority to accelerate the much-needed development in the Savannah ecological areas. These pledges by the two main political parties were repeated on many platforms in the 2012 electioneering campaigns and well captured in the manifestoes of the two parties. The NDC party subsequently won the 2008 and 2012 elections and the story of SADA is well documented.
The New Patriotic Party led by then candidate Nana Akufo Addo promised in the 2016 election campaigns to irrigate the three regions of the north through the construction of dams in all villages. This is no doubt a laudable policy initiative that would ease the difficulties horticulture farmers go through to access water especially during the dry-seasons.
This policy intervention is particularly timely following the erratic patterns of the rains in recent years which is largely attributable to climate change. It would therefore be heart-warming if government is able to roll-out the policy. Nonetheless, there are key policy issues that government ought to consider as it plans the implementation of the program. There are already few dams dotted around various locations in the north constructed by previous governments, faith-based organizations, or non-governmental organizations.
A major problem these smallholder farmers encounter is about market and post-harvest losses. In the Upper Region for example, there is no tomato season that passes without some farmers committing suicide. Indeed, it has become an annual ritual in the region. Strangely, tomato traders from Southern Ghana, otherwise called “Market Queens” refuse to buy from those produce in the region but rather cross to Burkina Faso to buy the produce.
It is believed that the Market Queens smuggle products such as roofing sheets and local manufactured drinks (Akpatashie) which are in high demand in Burkina Faso after which they buy tomato from there to sell in Ghana.
A remedy to this is to regulate the tomato trade by opening new tomato markets in the major cities in Southern Ghana to serve as alternative sources of tomato supply thereby breaking the monopoly of the Market Queens. Custom Officials can also help by conducting thorough search on goods exported/imported to and from Burkina Faso to discourage the activities of the Market Queens. The revival of the Pwalugu Tomato Factory to absorb the excess harvest would also be a good step in preventing post-harvest losses of the perishable produce.
A farmer accessing water from a small dug-out in the UE/R
This policy intervention is particularly timely following the erratic patterns of the rain in recent years which is largely attributable to climate change. It would therefore be welcoming news if government is able to roll-out the policy. Nonetheless, there are key policy issues that government ought to consider as it plans the implementation of the program. There are already few dams dotted around various locations in the north constructed by previous governments, faith-based organizations, or non-governmental organizations.
Tomato from the UE/R are often perished on the farms due to poor market
Sadly, at the time tomato farmers in the north complain of market and post-harvest losses, the country is spending heavily on the importation of preserved tomatoes. Indeed, available statistics indicate that Ghana is second largest importer of tomato after Germany in the world. Records show that in 2003 alone the European Union exported 27,000 tons of preserved tomatoes to Ghana.
It is envisaged that if government succeeds in addressing these issues of tomato farmers in the North, it would not only end the perennial suicides but also create lots of employment for the youth who migrate down South for non-existent jobs. Indeed, it would be one of the best measures to bridge the development gap between the North and South, as well as making the One Village One Dam program a meaningful investment.
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(Via: CitiFM Online Ghana)
