Diversification (8)

These pictures are the property of Tom Neuhaus. You may use each as displayed on this site for free; please attribute the source (Tom Neuhaus, Project Hope and Fairness). For higher resolution, you can purchase the original for $5. To do this, visit www.projecthopeandfairness.org and click the Donate button. Donate $5 per picture and then email me (tom@projecthopeandfairness.org) what pictures you want and I will send them back to you. Thank you in advance for donating cocoa farming tools to West African cocoa farmers by purchasing a picture.

Or, a yummy way to help the West African cocoa farmer is to purchase chocolate from my company, Sweet Earth Organic Chocolates. Or, visit Splash Cafe, my sister's restaurant. Splash Cafe and its sister business, Splash Cafe Artisan Bakery donate at least $2500 every summer to Project Hope and Fairness and makes my trips possible.

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About diversification... The average cocoa farmer owns about 10 acres of land. It's hard to support a family with so little property, especially given the prices paid in the current colonial state. In order to survive, the average family grows as many as 10 crops, only some of them for the cash economy, the rest for barter or for consumption by the family.


1) MensahTeak2.jpg
This is a picture of a stand of teak on JR Mensah's land in Edumfe, Ghana. They also used this stand as a church, the large leaves providing shelter from sun and rain and the narrow trunks obstructing the view very minimally. Teak has been mentioned as a good long-term cash crop: plant cocoa and teak at the same time, then when the cocoa trees are too old, cut them down and at the same time harvest the teak. It will provide the cash to pay for new cocoa and teak trees.



2) P1010141.jpg
Snails are raised by cocoa farmers in order to make a little extra cash. These large snails are often served in Green-Green, a dish made with green herbs. This snail farm is located near Mamfe, Cameroon. Picture was taken in 2004.




3) P8140341.jpg
Sewing clothes encourages cottage industry and replaces imported clothes. Jukwa, Ghana, 2007. Photo by Stan Thompson






4) P8140342.jpg
Raising agoutti, aka cane rat or grasscutter. A popular restaurant meat in Ghana and Cote d'Ivoire. Kuapa Kokoo, Ghana. Photo by Stan Thompson.





5) P8150363.jpg
Certain villages, especially those along major roads, specialize in weaving. Weaving is typically done by children, who have the small, quick fingers that can produce the fine detail. Weaving brings more money to the village. This one is located along the road from Accra to Kumasi. 2007. Photo by Stan Thompson.



6) P8150380.jpg
Example of typical Ghanaian weaving. On the road from Kumasi to Accra. 2007. Photo by Stan Thompson.







7) Bafia17.jpg
Growing cotton.
Bafia, Cameroon, 2012.







8) Bafia18.jpg
Garden eggs.
Bafia, Cameroon, 2012.