Why I Balance Journalism with Cocoa Farming: My Journey Between the Pen and the Plantation

Osmara Digital Media

"The land does not betray the hand that works it." — African proverb

When I am not behind a computer writing stories, interviewing people, or searching for the next headline, you will find me among my cocoa trees, working the soil and nurturing a dream that grows with every season.

I am a journalist, but I am also a farmer. My journey has taught me that the pen and the hoe are not enemies; they are partners in building a better future.

For many people, leisure time means sitting under a veranda, exchanging gossip, or waiting for opportunities to come. I have chosen a different path. My free time is spent in my cocoa plantation, where every tree demands patience, commitment, and care.

The cocoa garden is my second newsroom. It is a place where I reflect, observe, and find inspiration for the stories I write. As I walk through the plantation, I think about the challenges facing our communities, the struggles of farmers, the dreams of young people, and the development stories that deserve attention.

By day, I work with nature. By night, I return to my keyboard.

The quiet hours of the night become my writing space, where I transform ideas gathered from life experiences into stories that inform, educate, and inspire. Some of the stories I publish begin not in a newsroom, but under the shade of cocoa trees.

Cocoa farming has taught me valuable lessons that also apply to journalism. A farmer cannot rush a harvest, just as a journalist cannot rush the truth. Both require patience, research, commitment, and respect for the process.

I believe journalists and professionals should embrace productive activities beyond their main careers. Farming provides independence, strengthens communities, and reminds us of the importance of creating value with our own hands.

My cocoa plantation is not just about income. It is about hope, resilience, and showing that agriculture remains a powerful opportunity for Africa’s future.

As I balance the microphone, the pen, and the farm tools, I continue to believe that every seed planted—whether in the soil or in society—has the potential to create change.

An African proverb says, "A tree is known by the fruit it bears." My hope is that the fruits of my labour will be seen not only in the cocoa harvest but also in the stories I tell and the impact they create.

This is my journey: cultivating cocoa by day, cultivating ideas by night.