‘We were just working, not doing business,’ KNUST Nkabom Collaborative training opens farmer’s eyes to business basics in Wenchi
In Wenchi, Seidu thought he had mastered poultry farming, until a recent training session challenged everything he knew.
“When the team from the collaborative came, they said they weren’t just here for the unemployed,” he recalled. “They said even those already working could learn to do more.”
He said, this recent Nkabom Collaborative training has reshaped how he views his business, teaching him that farming is not just about rearing fowls but about planning, record-keeping and financial discipline.
Seidu, who has been rearing broilers for four years with his brother, admitted that until now they had no business account and struggled to sell their stock. “We were just working, and we were not doing any business,” he said. “Any profit we got was used to buy maize and concentrate, and the rest was shared amongst ourselves.”
The training, which brought together both employed and unemployed participants, emphasized surveying markets before starting a venture, keeping proper records, and paying oneself as a business owner. “Before, we didn’t know this knowledge. We just started poultry farming,” Seidu said. “Now I have learnt that with any business I venture into, I will make sure to plan and know the important strategies.”
Organizers provided accommodation and food during the sessions, which included excursions to farms where participants saw practical examples of financial management. “One farmer told us he pays himself though he works on the farm daily. This means what the professors are teaching us is true,” Seidu said.
For Seidu, the lessons mark a turning point. “If an investor came and asked for a bank statement, we could not provide it. Now I know we must keep records and run the business properly,” he said. “All that I can say is thanksgiving. Even if they cannot take away our burdens, they can at least minimize them.”
