Nana Yaw Donkor, CEO of Dunwark Farms, Shares His Farming Journey
Nana Yaw Donkor, the CEO of Dunwark Farms, appeared on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle Worldwide with DJ Nyaami, where he shared his inspiring journey from hospitality into farming. Based in Ahafo Goaso, Nana Yaw cultivates cabbage, green pepper, watermelon, and tomatoes.
According to him, he conducted extensive research into why market women often preferred tomatoes from Burkina Faso over those from Ghana. He discovered that while Ghanaian tomatoes rot within a week, Burkina Faso tomatoes can last a month or more. Motivated by this, he investigated the type of tomato seeds used in Burkina Faso, acquired them, and started his own tomato farming venture.
“Farming is quite expensive. If you’re not serious, it can easily discourage you,” he explained. To maximize his land, Nana Yaw rotates crops instead of leaving the soil bare after harvesting. For example, he plants cabbage, which matures in about 60 days, and follows it with green pepper, ensuring multiple harvests within a short period.
Before venturing into agriculture, he managed his own hotel business. However, farming has proven to be more profitable. “I wish I had started earlier. People give up because buyers are not always available, and that discourages young farmers. But for me, every investment I make into farming yields up to 300 times profit,” he revealed.
Currently, he has cultivated several acres and has managed to make over GHC 400,000 in just one year from farming. He encourages jobless youth to consider agriculture as a serious career path. “Even one acre of cabbage can change your life. Look for an elderly farmer for guidance and start with cabbage seedlings. The opportunities are there,” he advised.
Nana Yaw further appealed to the Minister of Agriculture to support young farmers with the resources they need to succeed. He added that 20,000 heads of cabbage are now ready for sale, calling on interested buyers to reach out.