When the Krobo people descended from their mountain settlements, they did not simply seize land from their neighbours. They bought it.

A 1945 British government caption accompanying a photograph of Manya Krobo provides a glimpse into how the people established themselves and built their economic fortunes. According to the caption, the Krobo acquired land from neighbouring communities and turned to farming, including the production of palm oil, which contributed to their prosperity.

But what made their story particularly remarkable was not just their ability to acquire land. It was how they used it.

At a time when many people harvested palm fruits from trees growing naturally in the wild, the Krobo began deliberately cultivating oil palms. They recognised the commercial potential of the crop and produced palm oil not merely for local consumption, but also for trade with European markets.

They were moving beyond subsistence farming and embracing a more organised, commercially driven approach to agriculture.

An old photograph from the Basel Mission archives captures another side of this economic history: Krobo women carrying palm oil to Akuse for sale. The image offers a glimpse into the labour, trade networks and entrepreneurial activities that helped sustain their communities.

Women were not merely spectators in this economic story. They were active participants in the movement of agricultural produce from farms to markets, helping turn the fruits of the land into income.

The Krobo experience illustrates how access to land, agricultural innovation and an understanding of market opportunities could combine to create prosperity.

Long before agribusiness became a familiar term, the Krobo were demonstrating its principles: acquire land, cultivate strategically, produce for the market and turn agriculture into an economic enterprise.

They did not just grow palm trees. They recognised the business opportunity in them.