Obruni in Ghana

Two days from now this newly graduated ir./MSc will fly to Accra Ghana to once again become an outsider, a foreigner, a whitey, an obruni for some months.

I can take comfort from the fact that I will not be the only one: with a group of students from Wageningen we will conduct research within the Ghana Home-grown School Feeding Program (GSFP). A program co-sponsored by the Dutch government which aim is to provide school children with at least one hot nutricious meal a day as it is hard to learn on an empty stomach.
But this is not the only goal. Difference between this program and so many other school feeding programs should be that the food is coming from local farmers: home-grown. This should boost their production, instead of the importing country's or draw on food aid.

A splendid idea on paper, but - as so many times - not yet so easy in practise. In practise where politics matter, where favours to family and friendship matter... And where smallholder farmers do hardly ever react as one plans for.
What do farmers think about the GSFP? Do they see it as an oportunity? Will they take the risk to produce for this new market or have past experiences severly wained their trust in such programs?Do they actually want to become entrepreneurs in the Western sense of the word: 'produce for markets in a planned and intentional manner'? Or is farming a way of life for them, full of coping strategies to deal with a harsh environment in which taking risks can mean digging your own grave if the rains fail to come?
We will try to find answers on these and many more questions.

Besides I hope to learn on smallholder farmers ideas on soil fertility management under the title "Fertile soils as an investment base for smallholder entrepreneurship in Ghana?".
What efforts do they make to improve their soils? And how do they look at the numerous interventions that government agencies and NGO's have made in this field? From chemical fertilizer subsidies to courses on organic farmer - how useful are they to them?

For all of you back home, wherever that is, I will use this website to keep you informed as long as internet connections and electricity services are on my side...