Collectively building the Farm of the Future
Context
reNature is a Dutch impact company that designs and implements regenerative agriculture programs in cocoa-farming communities in Ghana. Within the RVO-funded Farm of the Future program in the Kumasi region, smallholder farmers faced declining yields, unstable incomes and limited opportunities beyond selling raw cocoa. At the same time, fruit and other by-products from the agroforestry system were largely left unused.
Approach
TheRockGroup led the feasibility study, business model development and proof-of-concept design for a community-based crop valorisation enterprise. The enterprise focuses on fruit and by-product streams from the model farm agroforestry system. Working with reNature, Beyond Beans and SPAAK, we explored how these streams could create additional income and support more diversified agroforestry systems.
Our work included:
- Conducting desk research and market analysis for eight potential crop valorisation opportunities.
- Assessing potential products, buyers and market conditions for local processing and sales.
- Co-designing a participatory business development process with women from local Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs).
- Developing a practical scaling roadmap aligned with the Farm of the Future Theory of Change and RVO reporting requirements.
Impact
The project delivered a business framework for eight crop valorisation opportunities in the Bekwai - Kumasi region. Together with women from local Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs), the consortium developed a community enterprise model based on financial literacy, collective governance and local capacity building. The scaling roadmap is now part of the Farm of the Future income-diversification strategy and provides a basis for replication across more than 100 farming households.
