Koa

Chiefs, farmers and a welcoming community: We’re acquiring land in Ghana. A couple of months ago, we sat together and discussed with the local elders, kings, and chiefs about the acquisition of a certain piece of land in the Achiase District we believe would be perfect for our new factory site. How does the land acquisition take place? When it comes to land acquisition, chiefs and kings are involved. Smallholder farmers and their families that own the land in the area belong to a clan. Because of this belonging, the head of the clan is always involved in decision-making around the farmer’s land, for the good of the community.

During our meeting, we explained our plans. As we scale our cocoa fruit production, we will be able to add 10,000 cocoa farmers to our network which will not only boost the local economy but also creates new job opportunities in rural areas.

So, why did this land in Achiase catch our eye? Things we considered when choosing the land were being close to as many cocoa farms as possible and well located to reach the farms for cocoa fruit processing easily. Why is good proximity important? Being closer to the farms means fresher cocoa pulp. The faster the fresh cocoa beans are brought to the factory for extraction and pasteurization, the better the quality. 

Let’s hope the elders, smallholders, and the community agree that we buy their land.