By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Floods have destroyed about 1,200 acres of vegetable farms in Anloga in the Volta Region, leaving some 600 farmers devastated and uncertain about their future.
The District Director of Agriculture, Franklin Agbove, told the Daily Graphic that the disaster followed a full-day downpour on Friday, September 12, which submerged large tracts of farmland.
He revealed that tomatoes were worst hit, while shallots, onions, and pepper were also damaged.
“The vegetables were at the fruiting stage when the floods set in,” Mr. Agbove explained.
Although the tomato season has ended, he noted that the remaining shallots and onions could be harvested in December. However, he warned of an expected shortfall in onion harvests, which could force Ghana to resort to imports from Burkina Faso and Niger.
Mr. Agbove added that many of the affected farmers, including a large number of women, are now facing huge income and job losses. Some had accessed loans to finance their cultivation, making the disaster even more devastating.
He appealed to the government and non-governmental organisations in the agriculture sector to support the farmers with seeds and other inputs to help them recover.
Most of the farms already have surface pumps, sprinkler heads, and wells, which could aid replanting once support is secured.
Anloga, a major hub for vegetable production in Ghana, lies below sea level, making it highly susceptible to flooding.
