The University of Cape Coast (UCC), through the College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences (CANS), and the Twifo Oil Palm Plantation (TOPP) Limited have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which the University has agreed to provide one hundred (100) acres of its land acquired at Twifo-Wamaso to TOPP for the sole purpose of oil palm cultivation and production.
Under the agreement, which will remain valid for a period of twenty-eight (28) years subject to a periodic renewal every five (5) years, proceeds from the farm would be shared between the parties on the Abusa basis. That is, TOPP shall take two-thirds of the proceeds while UCC takes one-third.
The terms of the arrangement, however, may be amended by a mutually written agreement prior to the review and any extension to the MoU would be formally agreed in writing by the two (2) parties (UCC and TOPP Limited). A project committee, consisting of eleven (11) members from both parties, shall be responsible for the review function under the agreement.
In order to ensure the smooth implementation of the project, UCC shall only provide farmland needed for the project, and visiting students and lecturers to the project site shall comply with all safety requirements. The University shall also have unrestrained access to the project site, upon notice to TOPP, for purposes of education and inspection.
On the other hand, TOPP shall be responsible for providing farm inputs, technical knowledge and security for the project and all associated cost in respect of cultivation and maintenance.
The agreement further stipulates that either of the parties, in this instance UCC and TOPP, may terminate the MoU by giving written notice to the other party three (3) months in advance provided that such notice will not, in anyway, jeopardize any on-going project.
Witnesses to the agreement were the Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong and for TOPP, the General Manager, Daniel Kojo Nyame. The agreement was reached in the presence of the Dean of the School of Agriculture-UCC, Prof. De-Graft Acquah and the Business Development Manager of TOPP.
About Abusa Land Tenure System
Under the Abusa land tenure system, proceeds from a parcel of land leased out for cultivation shall be shared in the ratio of 1:2 between the landlord and tenant respectively.
Abusa is normally associated with food and not tree crops. An important feature in the two share-cropping agreements is the relative contribution of labour and capital by the tenant farmer and the landowner.
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Source: Akosua Akyeabea Sackey/Documentation and Information Section-UCC
