Turning Plantain Harvests into Savings

For Esther Nyarko, cocoa farming is the foundation of her livelihood, but the seasonal nature of cocoa means that household income isn’t always steady throughout the year. To create an additional source of income during the off-season, Esther decided to intercrop her cocoa farm with plantain.

The decision has given her a source of income that she can draw on while waiting for her cocoa harvest. Whenever the plantains are ready, Esther harvests and sells them, using the proceeds to meet her family’s immediate needs and put some money aside through her VSLA group.

Recently, Esther harvested a quantity of plantain and took it to Aputuogya to sell. The income from that harvest enabled her to make her VSLA savings contribution that day.

“The money I made from those sales enabled me to make my VSLA savings contribution today.”

For Esther, the VSLA provides more than a place to save. Village Savings and Loan Associations bring members together to save regularly, access loans and build financial resilience collectively. Through PDA’s approach, these groups also become spaces for capacity building. Members strengthen their financial literacy and farmer business skills, while discussions on gender transformation and child protection encourage changes that can improve household relationships, decision-making and the wellbeing of children.

This means that Esther’s plantain income isn’t simply helping her meet immediate household needs. It is also enabling her to participate consistently in a system that helps her build savings and strengthen her financial knowledge and livelihood management skills.

Her experience shows how complementary farming activities can strengthen household resilience. By combining cocoa with plantain production and using the additional income to maintain regular VSLA savings, Esther is better able to manage the seasonal nature of cocoa farming while steadily building her financial resources.