I finally made it to Worapong. This was the cocoa farming community which we did not visit when we undertook our original contact meetings, because it was regarded as too inaccessible. It was regarded as more appropriate for a delegation from the village to come to Asikasu at the point vehicular access ends and meet us there. To interview community members and to get an impression of the environment we had to visit the village itself.
I left the house at 7:15. The Harmattan is in full effect now and the mountain only slowly emerged from the haze as I approached the meeting point. Although a couple of the interview team had decided that the climb would be too onerous, there were still enough of us to fill two pick ups. I travelled with Adukpo, the Agric. Director and representatives of the Departments of Co-operatives and Community Development. We waved at people from Kofikrom, the previous day’s community as we passed through. We disembarked at Asikasu and met the local Assemblyman who then accompanied us. The narrow path immediately left the village and became submerged in lush, green vegetation. After crossing a couple of streams it began to climb slowly up the escarpment. The path needed care to negotiate, although it was never necessary to resort to taking hand holds. For the people of Worapong this is their main access route. The children descend everyday to school and the women of the village must regularly use it, carrying their smaller children or quantities of farm produce bound for the markets on the valley floor. There were cocoa trees at regular intervals, many stripped of pods, so late in the harvest. Occasional bird song and crickets were the only sounds in the otherwise peaceful forest. After half an hour the path levelled and we entered a clearing. Dotted around it was a handful of fenced off homes and on one edge a covered meeting space. Chairs had been set out in preparation for the meeting. There was the usual selection of chickens, ducks, sheep, goats and pigs. There were few people waiting, but sounding the narrow village hand bell soon produced a bigger turnout.
A prayer was said; the assemblyman and agricultural officers explained the purpose of the morning. Focus groups of men, women and youth were assembled and sent to different parts of the village, while another team interviewed the chiefs, elders and opinion leaders. At the end of the morning we gathered together again. We were presented with coconuts, bananas and citrus fruit. There was a formal ending to the meeting, questions were asked and answered and we made our move towards the Asikasu path. Just as we approached the chief’s house we noticed that the front members of the group were going inside. While the team had worked, a meal of boiled yam plantain, and cocoyam with sauces had been prepared for us. As we ate we prepared ourselves mentally for the descent to our vehicles.
I left the house at 7:15. The Harmattan is in full effect now and the mountain only slowly emerged from the haze as I approached the meeting point. Although a couple of the interview team had decided that the climb would be too onerous, there were still enough of us to fill two pick ups. I travelled with Adukpo, the Agric. Director and representatives of the Departments of Co-operatives and Community Development. We waved at people from Kofikrom, the previous day’s community as we passed through. We disembarked at Asikasu and met the local Assemblyman who then accompanied us. The narrow path immediately left the village and became submerged in lush, green vegetation. After crossing a couple of streams it began to climb slowly up the escarpment. The path needed care to negotiate, although it was never necessary to resort to taking hand holds. For the people of Worapong this is their main access route. The children descend everyday to school and the women of the village must regularly use it, carrying their smaller children or quantities of farm produce bound for the markets on the valley floor. There were cocoa trees at regular intervals, many stripped of pods, so late in the harvest. Occasional bird song and crickets were the only sounds in the otherwise peaceful forest. After half an hour the path levelled and we entered a clearing. Dotted around it was a handful of fenced off homes and on one edge a covered meeting space. Chairs had been set out in preparation for the meeting. There was the usual selection of chickens, ducks, sheep, goats and pigs. There were few people waiting, but sounding the narrow village hand bell soon produced a bigger turnout.
A prayer was said; the assemblyman and agricultural officers explained the purpose of the morning. Focus groups of men, women and youth were assembled and sent to different parts of the village, while another team interviewed the chiefs, elders and opinion leaders. At the end of the morning we gathered together again. We were presented with coconuts, bananas and citrus fruit. There was a formal ending to the meeting, questions were asked and answered and we made our move towards the Asikasu path. Just as we approached the chief’s house we noticed that the front members of the group were going inside. While the team had worked, a meal of boiled yam plantain, and cocoyam with sauces had been prepared for us. As we ate we prepared ourselves mentally for the descent to our vehicles.
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