TURNING IDLE LAND INTO IGF: HOW THE KUMASI COCOBOD OFFICE IS INNOVATING AROUND ITS REVENUE SOURCE

Date: 24th September 2026

By David AsareOduro - Public Affairs

​If there is one principle that guides Mr. William Prempeh, the Ashanti Regional Administrator of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), it is his absolute intolerance for idleness, a trait instilled in him by his parents and forged throughout his career.

That driving principle recently motivated him to transform a neglected patch of land behind the Kumasi COCOBOD Regional Office into a thriving asset that promises a reliable stream of Internally Generated Funds (IGF).

​What was once an overgrown habitat for animals and a surrounding refuse dump has now become a vibrant, fresh mini seed garden gaining widespread attention. Over the past six years, what began as a vision to eliminate wasted space has gradually evolved into a shining model of internal innovation and resourcefulness.

​The journey began in 2020 when Mr. Prempeh pitched an ambitious idea to the Regional Managers of the Seed Production Division (SPD) and the Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED). His plan was to convert an uncultivated 0.6-acre (0.24-hectare) plot behind the office into a functional cocoa farm.

The vision was threefold: Like the days of Nehemiah, a sudden voice echoing "let us arise and build" resounded around the premises, with all hands on deck to realise a vision and achieve a mission.  Of course to build a demonstration farm for educational tours, beautify the premises, and open new avenues for internal revenue generation. ​With buy-in from key leadership, including then Regional Manager of SPD, Mr. Emmanuel Agyekum, and Mr. Daniel Azametsi (now Principal Technical Officer, SPD Kumasi), what was initially thought of as a "small project" took off. Casual labourers from SPD (Toase-Amangoase), alongside local COCOBOD Kumasi staff, spearheaded the initial land clearing, lining, pegging, and planting.  Early 2025, two (2) Contract Gardeners were engaged for the Farm and are still at post. 

​The farm’s development unfolded in distinct stages. Phase One launched in September 2020 with approximately 115 high-yielding cocoa clones was planted to kick off the facelift. Two years later, in June 2022, Phase Two began as an additional 170 clones were introduced to expand coverage. Through perseverance, continuous vacancy filling, and active care, the farm now boasts 265 surviving, healthy cocoa trees.

​In an interview, Mr. Prempeh indicated that routine maintenance is carried out by dedicated field personnel from the Jamasi SPD Station. He disclosed that the initial trees are maturing successfully and entering a critical phase where hand-pollination is being explored by trained experts to optimise yields. 

To sustain this growth and maximise its IGF potential, they are considering key agricultural inputs, including poultry manure, fertilizers, crop protection inputs, spraying equipment, and protective gear so that operations align with best practices.

​In an intriguing revelation, Mr. Prempeh shared that the farm has already produced three bags of cocoa, which were sold to OFI (formerly OLAM) with all proceeds fully accounted for through COCOBOD's designated account. 

​Beyond revenue, the farm plays a crucial educational imperative. Mr. Prempeh, together with his team has opened the plot for practical, on-site educational tours for schools within the catchment area. Students visiting the farm receive a 20-minute presentation on the strategic roles that SPD, CHED, CRIG, QCJ, CMC, and CPC play in the cocoa value chain. Following the briefing, students tour the farm for hands-on experience, receive a bar of chocolate or a cocoa drink, and later taken to the Kaase Inland Port to familiarize themselves with warehousing and shipping processes. At the time of this report,  three (3) educational institutions have paid visit to the Demonstration Farm. Little Steps Academy, 

Gentle Steps Academy and Talent Discovery Centre. In addition, the farm hosted some final year Agric Students of KNUST who paid a visit in respect of their project work.

​Summarising his motivation, Mr. Prempeh stated that it is the academic and financial success of the Demonstration Farm that motivated him, by the grace of God, to initiate this project.

Looking ahead, he intends to achieve even greater exploits through a new initiative dubbed the "One Acre Cocoa Farm, One Senior High School Project," designed to consolidate COCOBOD's efforts in inspiring younger generations to take up cocoa farming. Already, (9) Senior High Schools in Ashanti Region have signed on to the project. 

​What was once an overgrown, discarded plot of land is now an active cocoa garden. Thanks to visionary leadership and collaborative effort, the Kumasi COCOBOD office has proven that with zero tolerance for idleness, even the smallest parcel of land can yield lasting value.

With three bags of cocoa sold so far from this novel demonstration farm, expectations are high that this iconic city-based venture will contribute to the national output in the next foreseeable future. But this will require adherence to good agronomic practices such as planting forest trees/ shade trees, pollination, pruning, fertilizer application, disease control, timely weed control among others. 

This tourist site in the offing, is perhaps, another version of the historic Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm situated at Mampong-Akropong. 

Until our next follow-up story, hail to the demonstration farm, hail to the visionaries, and hail to COCOBOD.