On Modernization of the African Economy

a case stuby on the Akwapim cocoa farmers

Abstract

Concerning the migration of the cocoa farmers from Akwapim areas to Akim-Abuakuwa areas in the Gold Coast, it has been already pointed out by Miss Polly Hill that this phenomena should be realized as one of the most drastic and capitalistic attitude towards the new cash crop, cocoa.
It is, no doubt, very difficult to indicate what is the most important factor affecting to the expansion of the cocoa production.
Nevertheless, I think, it is needed to analyze some production effect of the price.
From the point of view of the traditional economic structure in the Akwapim areas, most of the male farmers were engaged in the palm and rubber production, and at the same time some of them were traders or craftsmen travelling to Nigeria and Congo Free State. Therefore, they had already contacted directly or indirectly with some capitalistic economy as the traders or craftsmen.
According to their techniques of production and natural environments in this areas, they faced with problem whether to expand the traditional cash crops or to introduce the new cash crop at that time.
Meanwhile, the export prices of the palm oil falled down drastically from the beginning of 1850's.
Therefore, the farmers could introduce and expand cocoa production in place of palm or rubber production without any hesitation.
This fact shows us that the Akwapim farmers have already been free from the traditional community lives and have high response to the price-mechanism.
I would like to mention that they were now so-called “new farmers”.
I have to call them “new farmers” because not only they could substitute palm growing for cocoa production promptly, but also they did expand cocoa production progressively under the migration system.