Region: West Africa | Ghana | Volta Region

Context:

Ghanaian onion production was geographically constrained. The crop grew in the north, period. The south was too wet, too humid. Farmers in the Volta Region imported onions or went without.

Solution:

Red Coach onion changed this. Its broad adaptability meant it could thrive in southern conditions - both wet and dry seasons. Farmers in the Volta Region who had never grown onions now produce year-round.

The Outcome:

  • New income streams for southern farmers
  • Reduced dependence on northern supply
  • Year-round availability for local markets

Why It Matters:

The right varieties can shift agricultural geography. What was impossible becomes possible. What was imported becomes local. This is how agricultural transformation happens - one variety, one farmer, one region at a time.

The Tomato Story:

Meanwhile, in Ada East, Lojain tomato is motivating farmers to return to production after years of dependence on imported plum tomatoes from Burkina Faso. The variety performs well under local open-field conditions, with high yields and quality that competes with imports.