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As Achimota School approaches its 100th anniversary in 2027, an exciting new project is underway to restore the school’s once-thriving farm.
This project, which was officially launched on Saturday, April 12, 2025, at the forecourt of the school’s administration block, was attended by old students and over 300 current students. The event started with a health walk on campus and capped with a food bazaar at the OAA Secretariat.
The school, known for its proud history and contributions to Ghana’s education system, has announced the launch of a Centenary Raffle to raise funds for this important initiative.
The Achimota School Farm, once a central part of the school’s practical education, has long been abandoned due to land encroachment and other challenges.
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Now, the Old Achimotan Association (OAA) is determined to bring it back to life. The aim is to create a 25-acre farm that will serve as a living classroom, teaching students modern farming techniques while also boosting food security and community involvement.
OAA President Joel Nettey explained the decision to revive the school farm as part of the upcoming centenary celebrations.
As Achimotans, one of the critical things that differentiates us from everybody else is the fact that we believe in a holistic education. So, in Achimota School we don’t only educate the head, as in intellect, but believe in offering a holistic education. We also educate what we call the three Hs – the head, the heart, and the hand.
Beyond the academic curriculum, there’s a lot of extracurricular stuff that we do at Achimota school. From sports, home economics, cadet, and then to farming. For those of us who have had the privilege of being to Achimota School many years ago, one of the key things that we had was a school farm. That school farm helped a lot of people go into agric.
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The planned farm will be split into several sections. There will be 5 acres dedicated to maize, mainly for the school’s feeding programme. Another 15 acres will be used for open-field vegetable farming, including popular crops like tomatoes, onions, okra, cowpeas, garden eggs, ginger, and lettuce.
These vegetables will not only help feed students but also generate income through sales in local markets. A further 4.5 acres will grow habanero and chili peppers, chosen for their strong demand both locally and internationally.
Additionally, a 0.5-acre greenhouse will grow high-value crops like tomatoes, bell peppers, and cucumbers under controlled conditions to maximise yield and quality. The farm will use modern irrigation systems, allowing year-round farming and giving students hands-on experience with advanced agricultural methods.
Speaking on how the school intends to ensure the sustainability of the farm, the Centenary Fundraising Committee Chair, Leslie Awere-Kyere, highlighted some key measures that have already been put in place.
First of all, it must be a commercial venture. We are getting a very strong team to oversee the whole project; they were trained in Israel and like I said before some of the things will be high-valued vegetables. So, number one, we shall have pack houses for cooling the crops so that we don’t have post-harvest losses.
We are going to have an irrigation system for boreholes so that there’s water 365 days a year to address the risks. Then, of course, we shall be selling some commercially which will be used to maintain and therefore we are assured of sustainability.
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Funding for Achimota School farm
To fund this ambitious project, the OAA has partnered with the National Lottery Authority (NLA) to run the Achimota School Centenary Raffle through the Caritas Lottery Platform. The goal is to raise GH₵25 million, which will cover land acquisition, infrastructure, and operational costs.
Raffle tickets are priced at GH₵100 each. Lucky winners stand a chance to win fantastic prizes, including a house worth GH₵800,000, a car valued at GH₵320,000, a vacation worth GH₵160,000, and various consolation prizes totalling GH₵ 200,000.
The raffle will feature quarterly draws, with major draws at the end of each year leading up to the centenary celebrations in 2027. Tickets can be purchased via a dedicated short code.
The OAA and Achimota School are calling on all Old Achimotans, corporate sponsors, and the general public to support this cause. By buying a raffle ticket, supporters are not just hoping for a prize, they are investing in the future of education, sustainable farming, and the legacy of Achimota School.
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This project honours the school’s founding principles of character-building and practical learning. With the revival of the school farm, Achimota aims to inspire future generations to embrace agriculture and self-sufficiency, just as the founders had originally envisioned.