A retired lawyer and former Deputy Customs Commissioner, Paul Kwesi Ahiakpor may be out of active public service but finds himself active in his backyard farming.
After retiring, Paul Kwesi Ahiakpor took a decision to be a backyard gardener, a decision which has transformed his life and earned him several awards over the years.
On the 41st National Farmers’ Day, Friday, December 5, 2025, Mr. Ahiakpor shared insights into his decision to become a backyard farmer in an interview with TV3’s Beatrice Sowah.
Ahiakpor explained that while many retirees spend their mornings idle, he finds joy and purpose in tending to what he calls his “second life”, his garden.
“As a retiree, my daily routine is clear. I wake up, brush my teeth, wash my face, and head straight to the garden. I knew nothing about farming when I started. I simply bought seeds, put them in the soil, did try and error. Some attempts succeeded, others I wasn’t.”
Paul Ahiakpor in his backyard garden
For the past six years, Ahiakpor has cultivated a wide variety of vegetables, spices, and herbs. The benefits, he says, are immense.
“I don’t buy vegetables anymore, garden eggs, pepper, tomatoes, you name it. We preserve them in different ways. It’s not about selling; it’s about passive income. I’m not selling.”
Beyond food, gardening has become his way of staying fit, healthy, and mentally active.
“Instead of jogging or walking outside, I exercise in the garden. Using the hand fork, bending, digging, it works every part of my body. I turned 66 on November 22, and you can judge for yourself whether I look it. Gardening keeps me strong. After all, what we put into our bodies determines our health.”
Ahiakpor urged Ghanaians to embrace farming as a lifestyle and support the Feed Ghana initiative, which aims to strengthen the country’s food systems.
“Every household deserves food security. When the government launched Feed Ghana, I was excited. This is the way forward. In Acheampong’s time, we had ‘Operation Feed Yourself,’ and by 1974 Ghana was exporting food and even donating to Ethiopia. Why can’t we return to the soil? As a retiree, I know what it means to wake up with nothing to do, you age faster, you may die earlier, and depression sets in. Gardening is the answer.”
He cautioned that poor retirement planning can feel like a death sentence for many retirees.
“Retirement, if you don’t plan well, I tell you, it’s a slow death sentence,” he said.
In a world where food security is increasingly uncertain, Ahiakpor’s backyard farm is a reminder that big change can begin in small spaces. Growing what we eat is not just tradition, it is a step toward a stronger, healthier nation.
By Beatrice Sowah
