With modern processing machines and equipment, the processors said they could expand and to create more jobs for young women in the area and contribute to the successful implementation of the 24-hour economy.

In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Akumadan, a predominantly tomato growing community, the processors regretted that quantities of raw tomatoes always went to waste during the bumper harvests because they lacked processing plants and storage facilities.

They spoke to the GNA on the sidelines of a women engagement forum organised to mark the 2025 International Women's Day celebration on the theme "March Forward, Accelerate Action for Young Women.

“The Technoserve Ghana Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Program with support from the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact, engaged the women mostly young female farmers, aggregators and processors in the tomato value chain.

Technoserve is an international a non-profit organisation that works with enterprising people in the developing world to build competitive farms, businesses and industries Mrs. Abigail Boadu, the General Manager of the Freshline

Processing Solutions indicated that her company bought raw tomatoes direct from the farm gate, however, they could not process more because of lack of machines and storage facilities.

Describing the 24-Hour Economy as a laudable initiative, she said with modern machines and equipment, her company could expand and thereby employ young women to engage in the 24-hour economy. She said her company intended to expand its scope of operations to also process other vegetables including pepper, however lack of machines and logistics remained a daunting challenge.

Mrs Boadu said raw materials were not a problem at all; also, the tomato growers had the capacity and with modern machines and storage facilities the problem of recurring post-harvest losses would also be tackled. Another processor, Mrs. Agartha Twumasi, the Chief Executive Officer of the Agarts Processing

Company, said the company had bought land and appealed to come to her aid to build a processing center.

"We also need cutters, sliding machines and storage facilities now", she stated, adding that with those machines the company could work 24 hours and thereby create more jobs, increase productivity and spur economic growth and development.

In a highlight, Madam Caroline Dery, the Senior Gender and Youth Manager on Technoserve HAPPY Program told the GNA the program was a four-year partnership between the Mastercard Foundation and Agri-Impact Limited.

This transformative program is supported by an eight-member consortium Partners including Newage Agric Solutions, National Service Authority (NSA), Ghana Cares (MIDA), Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA), Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), TechnoServe, Catholic Relief Services (CRS) and Doberman.

HAPPY seeks to create over 326,000 dignified and fulfilling jobs for youth (70 percent women) and Persons with Disability, increase food production and productivity in rice, soya, tomato and poultry value chains by 20 percent and reduce import of strategic foods by 10 percent.