A Lesson in Agricultrual Land Use Systems (ALRIGHT!)

Friday my agricultural land use systems class (don't ask, I'm still not sure how i ended up in this one) took a field trip to visit some farms in the Eastern Region. We travelled about 2 hours north east of Accra across the Accra plains. Then we cut north and travelled up and over a chain of hill that paralled the main road east. From the top we could look down over the savannah at the Volta River (which is humungous). I've decided one of my favorite things about Ghana are trotro rides. Its the best breeze in the world, and there's always something interesting to look at outside. I often find I'm a bit dissappointed when we actually reach our final destination and have to disembark.
Okay, enough on that... Our professor is all about sustainable agricultural systems and agroforestry as a way of preserving biodiversity. So, our first stop was a venture where honey is processed. I still don't really get it, but they make a number of products from the honey and wax. Nothing is waisted. SWEET, huh?! Pun intended. Hehe, okay, moving on.
Next up were two farms of the Krobo people. The Krobo peple were forced to migrate from the plains into the hills. There they collectively purchased tracts of land from the existing peoples. Then these large tracts of land were divided amongst the investors in accordance to their initial contribution. The land was divided into long, skinny strips. Farmers typically build their homes and the front of the plot, then kitchen gardens, and then other crops. The system of land management is unique in Ghana.
Ah, I mentioned agroforestry. These farms also generally leave naturally occuring commercial crops and then plant other crops around them. For instance, the first farm we viewed had guava, avacado, orange, and plantain trees. Around them were planted several kinds of yams, cocoa, and other crops. Of course, they had the usual chickens and goats running around the place. The best part of it was the cool, shady environment created and the fruit that we got to try: guava, something in red pods that tasted like cocoa + cucumber, and cocoa (which you suck the meat of the seed. the seed is bitter and processed to make chocolate. the flesh is sort a gooey sticky and sweet.)
The second farm is trying increase its sustainable commercial agricultural products. It boasted chicken coops, cages for the growth of domestic grass cutter (bush rat...hehe...about 3 or 4 times the size of normal rats and apparently quite delicious :), and beehives. Here was the same tree/crop deal. However, the land here had been subject to brush fires in the 80s so trees such as plantain were jsut starting to come back. Highlights included BASIL!, cashew fruit (which is real weird. it caused some deydration reaction in my gums that wasnt too cool), and coconuts. Then it was another glorious trotro ride back to campus...