Paulina Boah Quit School to Become a Cocoa Farmer and Trader
The 1960s were a golden era in Ghana’s cocoa history. Under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah, the post-independence government prioritized cocoa as the...
When Turkson acquired land for his farm, his plan was to nurse his own cocoa seedlings for planting. But when he sought guidance from experienced farmers on seed selection, he discovered two options:
He learned that the “Tetteh Quarshie” cocoa variant is more resistant to harsh weather. But it takes about 7 years to bear fruit. The hybrid, on the other hand, starts fruiting in about 2 years.
“After considering both options, I realized that even though the Tetteh Quarshie is more durable, it would take longer to yield. As a new cocoa farmer, I decided to go with the ‘Agric’ seedling,” Turkson explained.
Having chosen the hybrid seedlings from COCOBOD, Turkson’s next challenge was obtaining them. “Now that I’d decided on the variety, I had to figure out how to get the seedlings,” he said.
Unfamiliar with the process, he began making phone calls.
One call revealed that COCOBOD’s Seed Production Division distributes free seedlings annually from May to July to farmers. But on one condition they clear their lands for planting.
By mid-May, Turkson’s land was still a thick bush. He faced a dilemma: act quickly or postpone planting until 2025. No, it had to be now.
Turkson reached out to an uncle in Akanteng for help, but labor was scarce. As a professional mathematics teacher, he had to wait for his upcoming vacation to personally oversee the land clearing.
When vacation arrived, Turkson traveled 63 km to Akyem Akanteng in the Eastern Region, where his farm is located. He began organizing laborers to clear the land while navigating the process of obtaining seedlings from COCOBOD.
One evening, the village information center announced COCOBOD’s imminent seedling distribution, inviting aspiring cocoa farmers to register. “It came as good news to me. So I happily went to put down my name.”
Within days, a friendly COCOBOD representative visited Turkson’s farm by motorbike. The official measured the land to determine the required number of seedlings. “He estimated the farm at approximately 4 acres (1.6 ha),” Turkson said.
The man left, promising the teacher-turned-farmer would “hear from us.”
Turkson waited. He invested heavily in clearing his land. He was eager to start his cocoa farm this year. But he was uncertain whether COCOBOD, a government institution, would give him free seedlings in time.
As days passed, his concern grew. “I had prepared the land for planting, but I still didn’t know how to secure the seedlings,” he said.
To clarify his uncertainty, Turkson traveled 25 km to COCOBOD’s office in Asamankese to inquire. He learned the available seedlings for farmers who had registered earlier and whose farms had already been inspected.
Disappointed, he returned to Akanteng. The rainy season had begun, threatening to overgrow his cleared land with weeds. This would mean extra labor for re-clearing—an expense he couldn’t afford. He thought of his wife who was in a hospital 111 km away in Winneba. She was “heavily pregnant” and nearing delivery of their first child.
A few days later, Turkson’s phone rang.
It was the officer who had measured his land. COCOBOD was about to distribute seedlings to new farmers in Turkson’s area. He must collect his share in Osenase, the nearest town to Akanteng.
“That came as good news to me. Very surprising news.” His dream of becoming a cocoa farmer was finally within reach.
But just as he prepared to fetch his seedlings, an urgent phone call interrupted his plans.
It was his mother-in-law.
“I received a call about an emergency at the hospital. My wife was in labor,” Turkson recounted.
Due to complications, on Friday, May 31, 2024, the teacher-turned-farmer-now-expectant-father dropped everything and rushed to Winneba Hospital. 111 km from Akanteng. The cocoa seedlings would have to wait.
To his joy, it was a girl! His wife safely delivered their first child. “I spent about four days at the hospital caring for my wife,” Turkson said. During this time, he learned that seedling distribution was starting the next Monday. He made a few calls, and a tricycle rider promised to go pick his beans, as soon as he arrived from Winneba on Monday.
Monday came, and the doctors assured him that mother and baby were in good health. So, he left them in his mother-in-law’s care and hurried back to Akanteng.
En route, the new father was excited. He couldn’t wait to see his seedlings. But up next for him was another logistics battle – transporting his seedlings to his farm.
Read in the next story.
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Driven to secure a prosperous future for his family, Turkson is naturally inclined to seek additional income.
All attempts at keeping her in school failed.