Agro-tourism
has the potential to support the sustainable development of Ghanaian local communities.
As
a direct expansion of ecotourism, the concept of agro-tourism encourages
visitors to experience agricultural life at first hand. In spite of Ghana’s rich agricultural history,
this venture has yet to be fully explored.
A
National Best Aquaculture Farmer, Nana Kwaku Siaw however wants to take the
lead in exploiting the potentials therein with his agricultural estate.
Trained
as an auto-mechanic, Nana Siaw realized early in life that he could earn more
income from farming than his job as a Transport Officer in one of Ghana’s
leading universities.
He
diligently invested part of his monthly salary into what he started as a
backyard farm in his parents’ home – producing taro, sugarcane and rearing
rabbits.
Nana
Siaw later resigned his position at the University in 2000 to venture full-time
farming, pursuing his passion in aquaculture, apiculture, small game, livestock
and crops production.
Today,
his integrated Kumah Farms Complex in Kumasi engages 15 full-time farm hands
and several casual laborers.
The
desire of Nana Siaw is to develop the farm into an agro-tourism centre, with the
objective of inspiring students, unemployed and other peasant farmers to run
successful agriculture ventures.
“This
place is very open to everyone and it can be a place for agro-tourism or
eco-tourism, whatever will raise people’s morale to go into agriculture; that
is what I want to do”, he said.
Born
in 1972, Nana Kwaku Siaw was introduced to farming by his grandmother at the
age of eleven, whilst in primary school.
But
he was not interested in subsistent farming – rather to establish what he described
as an ‘agricultural empire’.
Aware
of challenges in accessing credit for farming, Nana was determined to save,
believing that planning to save and invest is critical to build capital
resource for a start-up agriculturist.
“There
is no excuse to complain of lack of access to credit. Start small like raising
seedlings, seek advice and invest your time and energy till harvest”, he says.
Today,
he is fulfilled to be among few people in Ghana pursuing aquaculture as an
alternative source of animal protein to meet the consumption needs of the
population.
Nana
Siaw’s success as an agricultural entrepreneur has earned him the prestigious
National Best Aquaculture Farmer award, in addition to several other honours.
He
describes agriculture as a productive activity which needs no knocking for
vacancy, but a sector with opportunities to reap bountiful through patience and
focus to achieve set goals.
He
however acknowledged challenges with unstable product pricing due to poor
marketing systems and access to storage facilities could be frustrating.
Training
in agriculture, he noted, is key for new agriculturists to learn from mistakes
and proceed to succeed.
This
is what he intends to achieve when his farm becomes a centre of agricultural
learning and leisure.
Story
by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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