Working Lives – The Cocoa Farmers of Ile Ife
This week we stepped out of Lagos as we sometimes do to speak to cocoa farmers in Ife. We got something of a rude shock. We expected to meet wizened old men who, as they say in the South West, cannot write zero even by stamping the bottom of a bottle on the sand. But most of the cocoa farmers encountered have some education, one even has a Higher Diploma from a polytechnic. They are also managers and entrepreneurs in the agriculture sector rather than being farmers doing backbreaking work- they hire labour for the hard work and trade farm produce as far as Lagos. They also shared policy-relevant ideas, for instance how investment in infrastructure and healthcare in rural areas would not only reduce the price of food but stem rural-urban migration.
Yekini Amusa
If the government can fix these roads and send us doctors, we won’t be disturbing city people. Everyone will stay in their villages and the exchange of goods will be going smoothly.”
Can you tell me about yourself and where your farm is located?
I am a native of Ile-Ife and my farm is at Olomu, Ooye-laagbo area, in Ife South Local Government of Ile-Ife, Osun State.
How long have you been into farming and what inspired you?
I will clock 38 this year and I have been into farming for not less than 15 years. I went into cocoa farming after I could not get money to buy tools to practice the trade I learned, welding. Today, I give thanks to God. I have two houses, doing well financially, and sponsoring my kids in schools. I don’t regret nor owe anyone a dime.
How can one start a successful cocoa farm?
Well, the first step is getting land with good soil. Then you clear the land using chemicals. You have to get rid of the trees as cocoa doesn’t like shade. Then plant the seeds in a nursery and transplant them by March/April. Afterward, you manage the farm and wait for the harvest.
Okay. How do you manage the farm?
Farming is much easier now. If you have money, all you need to do is supervise. We have people that work for us on the farm. Just treat them well and see them as part of your family and they will treat your farm well. They misbehave only if you are a bad boss. But if you know that you can’t clear the bush or weed, spray the entire farm, or harvest all your crops yourself, then you will see why you need to treat your farm workers well. I started off doing many things myself. But as you become more established what you do is focus on quality monitoring.
How many hours do you spend on the farm?
I work an average of 5 hours per day with my labourers. They leave the farm hut by 8 am and return by 1 pm when it’s sunny.
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How important is having capital?
Ah. Money is key o. Without money, interest is nothing. You will not get land for cocoa for free, so you need money to buy a large piece of land. Like us, we got land cheaply in a far forest, but we still paid some money. So, you need money to get land, pay labourers, and feed while on the farm. So, it’s an investment of your money to earn more later.
Hmm. So how much does it cost to set up a cocoa farm?
This is hard to tell because most farmers don’t start everything once. When you have money, you use it to acquire cheap forest lands. Then you save for buying agricultural implements like a cutlass, hole diggers, and money for labourers. But with at least N300,000, one can acquire farmlands in villages. You invest in preparing the land and you then start planting cocoa and plantain. You need money to pay labourers.
How many labourers work for you?
There are three of them.
And how much do you spend on them?
Each of them earns N130,000 per annum. But the remuneration varies according to age and strength of the labourers. Some have to be paid more. Then they also get N5,000 each for feeding each week and N500 as pocket money to do things like have a haircut.
What else do you spend on?
I buy inputs and hire cocoa harvesters who are mostly women. They take between N1,000 to N1,500 per day. The inputs are things like chemicals, cutlasses, or sharpening files, etc. that we buy about once every quarter.
What kind of land does one look out for when planning for cocoa farming?
Look for an area that has cocoa farms. If their crops are doing well, that tells you it is a good place. Cocoa often does well in red soil (clay) and loamy soil (thick brown soil). You can also do soil testing using agricultural experts apart from speaking to farmers around the area you are interested in buying land. There are some lands where cocoa trees die after 8 years when the trees are fully grown. This is always very sad as this is the time to really start enjoying the investment. So it’s important to plant in an area where cocoa is being farmed already. A soil test is not sufficient.
What’s the market like for cocoa harvest?
Cocoa is easily sold. You don’t need to look for a market. It’s usually buyers that chase cocoa farmers. Cocoa farmers don’t go to markets, rather people come to farms or your house to purchase your cocoa. Even resellers are everywhere looking for cocoa to buy and resell at the stores of the exporters. I will give you an example. I brought one cocoa home one day and was sun-drying it here in front of my house. As I was sleeping, I had not less than 10 people knocking on my door to ask if I wanted to sell to them. That’s cocoa for you. Very special in many ways.
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Okay. But it can’t be all good. What are the challenges you face as cocoa farmers and how do you think the government can support you?
The problems we are facing are many, from poor roads to lack of basic medical care for farmers to treat themselves when we need urgent care. Most times we have to travel miles home on bad roads which can be very disturbing. If the government can fix these roads and send us doctors or healthcare givers, we will be happy. We won’t be disturbing city people. Everyone will stay in their villages and the exchange of goods will be going smoothly. Even road grading will go a long way. Just level the land for us.
Let’s talk about your income. How much do you earn monthly?
That’s difficult to calculate. You hardly find any farmer that can say this is what he earns monthly. Some months you get more especially during the cocoa season. But the only consistent source of earnings monthly is through plantain which is cut and sold every 15 days. Averagely, I make N100,000 every month on plantain while cocoa selling is in bulk after storing the yields for months.
How much do you spend on yourself in a day?
My personal spending and that of family care are around N2,000 daily. Some days I spend up to N4,000 while other times, just N1,000 depending on if I move about buying fuel for the car, etc.
Okay. How about savings?
I try as much as possible to save but I don’t have a regular savings pattern as I always have projects that I need money for monthly. Once I make sales in the market, I spend on them, keep some for the farm and family care, and some to the bank. I could make N100,000 on the farm this month and decide to deposit N60,000 or N20,000, depending on my needs.
Cocoa farming is really different.
Well, it’s simple. Cocoa is easily sellable and the trees can produce all year round. In a year, you can harvest cocoa for 8 months, every two or four weeks. Prices also go up sometimes like crude oil, and when international prices go up, a farmer is into money for that period. Weather can also be more favourable in some years, so you enjoy the bumper harvest.
