A portion of the tomato farm at Akuse

 Over 500-acres of tomatoes and pepper farms have been estab­lished in Akuse in the Eastern region of Ghana.

The colossal private sector ven­ture, undertaken by Nikgroup Farms, is aimed at reducing Ghana’s high im­port numbers of tomatoes especially, from neighbouring countries.

Mr Nick Owusu, the Chief Execu­tive Officer (CEO) of the Group told The Spectator in an interview that the company aims to produce the two crops in large quantities for the local market.

“Our focus is to meet the demands of the local market but when we are able to produce in abundance, of course we’ll consider the internation­al market,” he said.

But what actually excites officials of the company is the estimated num­ber of employment opportunities the project would create for Ghanaians.

“We are very particular about the project; it means so much to us because it will create jobs for the teeming unemployed youth. They would work on the vast tract of land,” he added.

Additionally, the project, de­scribed as ambitious by Mr Owusu, would also aim to boost the local production of tomatoes and pepper.

“These two are major vegeta­bles needed or used in every home and must come at affordable prices but it’s not so all the time. It is the reason why we want to produce so much so that even when it’s out of season, people would store enough,” he stated.

Mr Owusu said “the decision to set up the large-scale farm comes at a crucial time when Ghana is grappling with the challenges of importing a significant portion of its tomatoes and pepper needs.”

He noted that “by investing in local production, Nikgroup Farm is not only contributing to the country’s food security but also promoting eco­nomic growth and self-sufficiency.”

According to him, the project envi­sions a future where Ghana can meet its tomatoes and pepper demands through domestic production.

“Moreover, the establishment of this farm will bring the much-needed employment opportunities for the youth in the local community. With a focus on engaging the youth, Nik­group Farm is committed to provid­ing training and skills development programmes to empower the next generation of farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs,” he said.

He said the company was opened to organisations and individuals that wished to invest or go into partner­ships by acquiring plots on the land and determine which of the two crops they want to invest in.

He explained that such investors would have the services of trained farmers who would be responsible for the daily operations on the land until crops were harvested and sold.

 By Spectator Reporter