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New Tafo

Stand on the edge of an experimental cocoa plot at New Tafo and the whole story of Ghana's most famous crop unfolds in rows: seedlings in the nursery, pods ripening under shade trees, beans turning in the fermentry, and the fine-flavour laboratory where their quality is judged. This is a working research town, not a staged attraction, and that is precisely its appeal.

New Tafo (also written New Tafo-Akim) sits in the Abuakwa North Municipality of the Eastern Region, on the Koforidua–Bunso highway, just before Kukurantumi, the municipal capital. It is the headquarters of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, known everywhere as CRIG, and it shares a boundary with Old Tafo, the oldest town in the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area and home of the Ohum Festival.

Come for agritourism with real substance: guided tours of experimental farms and arboretums, a nine-hole golf course laid out on institute grounds in the 1940s, and a traditional palace where the Omanhene of Akyem Tafo still holds court. It rewards travellers who book ahead, ask questions and take their time.

A town built around a bean

New Tafo's identity is inseparable from cocoa research. The story begins in 1938, when the West African Cocoa Research Institute was established during the colonial period to coordinate cocoa science across British West Africa. After independence in 1957, responsibility for that research gradually passed to national authorities, and in 1963 Ghana withdrew from the multinational arrangement and reorganised its operations into a national institution: the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana.

CRIG now operates under the Ghana Cocoa Board and is headquartered at Tafo, with laboratories, experimental farms, nurseries, training facilities and demonstration plots on site, plus field stations across Ghana's cocoa-growing regions. Its scientists work on improved varieties, pest and disease control, soil fertility and post-harvest technology — fermentation, drying, storage and processing — the unglamorous work that decides how a bar of chocolate eventually tastes. The municipality's own budget documents describe CRIG as the most patronised tourist attraction in the area, and note that the institute processes cocoa, cashew and shea into finished products such as beverages, cosmetics and poultry feed. Agriculture employs roughly 58 per cent of the working population here, so the research station is not an island: it is the intellectual centre of a farming landscape.

Old Tafo, the Ohum Festival and the palace

A short distance from the research plots, Old Tafo carries a much older history. It is the oldest town in the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area, and it holds the Ohum dua, described as a spiritual tree more than 500 years old that does not wither, and the Ohum shrine where the deity Agyempremu Kofi is said to reside. Old Tafo borders New Tafo, where CRIG stands, and Osiem, home of the Faith Church founded by Opanin Samuel Brako.

The Ohum Festival is celebrated by Akyem and Akuapem people in the Eastern Region, on a Tuesday or Wednesday in September or October and again in June or July, depending on traditional factors. A two-week ban on noise-making precedes it. The festival gives thanks for the yam harvest and seeks favour for the year ahead; the Akyem thank their creator for blessing their land with the Birim River, and use products of land and river as symbols to remember ancestors. Rituals are led by the priest and traditional leaders to the shrine at Old Tafo, and two weeks later the Akyem hoot at hunger, rejecting want and celebrating abundance, with drumming, dancing, yam dishes shared among the people, and a durbar attended by dignitaries.

Traditional authority remains a working institution. The Omanhene of Akyem Tafo, Daasebre Adusei Peasah IV, convened an emergency gathering in front of the Awansa Palace to oppose plans by a mining company to operate within Tafo and its surroundings, telling residents that the collective interest, safety and future of the community were not for sale. The palace is not a museum piece; it is where such decisions are made.

Forest, farms and fairways

The municipality lies in the west semi-equatorial zone, with a double rainfall maximum: a first rainy season from May to June and a second from September to October, and a distinct dry season running from November into late February. That rhythm shapes everything visitors see — the flush of growth on the experimental plots, the market days, the timing of the harvest festivals.

New Tafo's most unexpected landscape is a golf course. The first record of golf at Tafo appears in the 1946–1947 annual report of the West African Cocoa Research Institute, which noted that a small club had been built and that two tennis courts and a nine-hole golf course supplied means of recreation. The land beneath it was once waterlogged and mosquito-ridden; a mosquito control scheme dug trenches to drain it, part became a vegetable garden and the rest grazing ground. In 1945 the garden, belonging to the Department of Agriculture, was taken over by WACRI, which levelled the area and planted Dhoub grass and Tafo grass.

Golf thrived until 1962, when WACRI was dissolved and most expatriate staff left; the course deteriorated, with some areas converted to farmland. It was restored in 1969 when Ghana hosted the 3rd International Cocoa Research Conference, which included a visit to CRIG. A small group of enthusiasts — Rob Lockwood, Harry Evans, Bill Hutcheon, Terry Legg and Ben Tetteh — worked on it on Sundays, breaking rocky outcrops, levelling anthills and replanting fairways. The club was formally established in 1974, nine putting greens replaced the old browns in 2002, and a new sixth hole was created in 2006. A junior programme for golfers aged 11 to 17 now runs monthly competitions.

What to do

Things to do in New Tafo

  1. Attraction

    1.Tour the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)

    The reason most travellers come. CRIG is Ghana's principal cocoa research institute, and guided tours take in experimental cocoa farms, arboretums, the fermentry, the dam site and the Fine Flavour research laboratory, along with a museum devoted to Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease. Staff explain the chain from pod to processed product, and the institute's own divisions cover agronomy, entomology, soil science, plant pathology and plant breeding. It is a working facility, so the visit feels like an education rather than an exhibition.

    Tip: Tours are by prior appointment only — contact the institute's administrative office well ahead, and aim for a weekday morning when field and laboratory staff are active.

  2. Attraction

    2.See the agroforestry trial plots at New Tafo

    Since 2022 CRIG has run a long-term scientific trial at its New Tafo facility comparing Dynamic Agroforestry with conventional cocoa farming, within the SANKOFA 2.0 project. The plots integrate cocoa with banana, papaya, Gliricidia and other species to mimic natural forest succession, and early results showed the agroforestry system outperforming monoculture on key indicators or showing no statistical difference. For visitors interested in sustainable farming, it is a rare chance to see a live experiment rather than a finished result.

    Tip: Ask your CRIG guide specifically about the comparison plots; they are a research trial, not a standard stop on every tour.

  3. Attraction

    3.Play or watch golf at CRIG Golf Club (Tafo Golf Club)

    A nine-hole course on the institute's grounds, with roots in the 1940s and a club formally established in 1974. The layout was redesigned in 1977 by Ben Tetteh and Bill Hutcheon, who painted trees along the fairways to give it structure, and proper greens replaced the old browns in 2002. It is a relaxed, tree-lined course where the club runs junior coaching and a busy competition calendar, including the long-running Tafo Open. Even non-golfers will enjoy the shade and the sense of an older, quieter Ghana.

    Tip: The club welcomes visitors, but confirm playing access and tee-time expectations before you travel, and bring your own equipment if you are particular about clubs.

  4. Attraction

    4.Visit Awansa Palace at Akyem Old Tafo

    Awansa Palace is the traditional palace of the Omanhene of Akyem Tafo and a working seat of traditional authority, not a heritage site behind glass. It has been the setting for community gatherings and public declarations by the Omanhene, Daasebre Adusei Peasah IV, including the recent stand against mining in the area. Visitors with an interest in Akyem governance and custom will find it a meaningful stop, particularly if they come with a local contact who can make proper introductions.

    Tip: This is an active palace: dress modestly, ask permission before photographing, and never walk in front of a chief or elder who is speaking.

  5. Attraction

    5.Walk the old town and shrine area of Old Tafo

    Old Tafo is the oldest town in the Akyem Abuakwa traditional area and the custodian of the Ohum Festival. It holds the Ohum dua, described as a spiritual tree over 500 years old that does not wither, and the Ohum shrine associated with the deity Agyempremu Kofi. A walk here, with a guide who knows the protocol, connects the cocoa science of New Tafo to the older spiritual geography of the Akyem state.

    Tip: Shrine areas carry rules and taboos. Go with someone local, follow their lead on what may be approached, and treat the site as a place of worship rather than a photo opportunity.

  6. Attraction

    6.Time your visit to the Ohum Festival

    Ohum is celebrated by Akyem and Akuapem people on a Tuesday or Wednesday in September or October, and again in June or July, depending on traditional factors. A two-week ban on noise-making precedes it, after which a procession led by the priest and traditional leaders goes to the shrine at Old Tafo for rituals and offerings. Two weeks later the Akyem hoot at hunger, and a durbar of drumming, dancing and singing celebrates the harvest, with yam dishes shared among the people.

    Tip: Dates shift with tradition, so confirm the current year's timing locally before booking travel, and respect the noise-making ban if you are in town during it.

  7. Attraction

    7.Browse the Tafo market

    Tafo's market is the main market centre in the municipality, with Osiem contributing occasional market days. It is a straightforward working market rather than a craft bazaar: produce from the surrounding farms, household goods and the everyday commerce of a district town. For travellers, it is the easiest place to see the agricultural economy that CRIG exists to serve, and to buy fruit and provisions for the day.

    Tip: Market days are busiest and most interesting; ask at your accommodation which morning the market fills up, and carry small notes.

  8. 8.Spend an afternoon at L-One Nature Park

    L-One Nature Park is a privately owned entertainment centre at New Tafo, listed by the Abuakwa North Municipal Assembly among the municipality's tourism potential. It is a leisure stop rather than a nature reserve, useful for families and for filling the hours after a morning at CRIG. Because it is privately run, facilities and opening arrangements can change, so treat it as a flexible addition to your day rather than a fixed anchor.

    Tip: Check locally that it is open before making a special trip, and confirm what is currently on offer for children.

Plan your time

Suggested itinerary

Half a day: cocoa, from pod to product

Arrive in New Tafo for a weekday morning, when CRIG's field and laboratory staff are most active. Spend two to three hours on a pre-booked guided tour: the experimental cocoa farms and arboretums first, while it is cool, then the fermentry, the dam site and the Fine Flavour laboratory, finishing at the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease museum. Ask your guide about the Dynamic Agroforestry trial plots before you leave. Round the morning off with a look at the Tafo market, then lunch in town. If you have energy left, L-One Nature Park is a short, easy way to wind down.

Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)

One day: science, fairways and the old town

Start with the CRIG tour in the morning, giving it a full two to three hours. After lunch, drive the short distance to Old Tafo to see the old town and, with a local guide, the shrine area associated with the Ohum Festival — remembering that this is a place of worship with its own rules. Finish the afternoon at CRIG Golf Club, either playing nine holes or simply walking part of the course and watching play from the clubhouse. If you are visiting in September, October, June or July, check whether Ohum falls during your stay and build the day around the durbar instead.

Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)→Awansa Palace, Akyem Old Tafo→CRIG Golf Club (Tafo Golf Club)

Two days: New Tafo and the wider Akyem Abuakwa

Day one follows the one-day plan: CRIG in the morning, Old Tafo and the palace in the afternoon, golf or the market to close. Day two widens the frame. New Tafo sits on the Koforidua–Bunso highway, so use it as a base for the surrounding municipality — Kukurantumi, the municipal capital, and Osiem, where the Faith Church founded by Opanin Samuel Brako stands. Travellers with more time can continue into the Eastern Region towards Boti Falls and the Aburi Botanical Gardens, both suggested as natural extensions to a Tafo visit. Keep the second day loose and let local advice shape it.

Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)→Awansa Palace, Akyem Old Tafo→CRIG Golf Club (Tafo Golf Club)

Seasons and festivals

When to go

The municipality lies in the west semi-equatorial zone, with a double rainfall maximum: the first rainy season runs from May to June and the second from September to October, with mean annual rainfall between 125mm and 175mm. The dry seasons are distinct, the main one beginning in November and ending in late February — generally the most comfortable window for walking around experimental farms and a golf course. Weekday mornings are the best time for a CRIG tour, when research and farm staff are most active in the fields and laboratories, and organised tours are generally not run at weekends. Because CRIG is a working institute, availability depends on staff schedules, so plan your dates around a confirmed appointment rather than the other way round.

Ohum Festival · A Tuesday or Wednesday in September or October, and again in June or July, depending on traditional factors
Celebrated by Akyem and Akuapem people in the Eastern Region, Ohum gives thanks for the yam harvest and seeks favour for the coming year. A two-week ban on noise-making precedes it, after which the priest and traditional leaders lead a journey to the shrine at Old Tafo for rituals and offerings. Two weeks later the Akyem hoot at hunger, and a durbar of drumming, dancing and singing celebrates abundance, with yam dishes shared among the people and dignitaries paying courtesy calls. Old Tafo is the home of the festival and the custodian of its shrine.

Access

Getting there and around

New Tafo sits on the Koforidua–Bunso highway in the Abuakwa North Municipality, just before Kukurantumi, the municipal capital, and shares a boundary with Old Tafo, Maase, Anyinasi and Osiem. Road transport is by far the most important mode of travel in the municipality, and the main routes link to the Accra–Kumasi and Bunso–Koforidua trunk roads. From Accra, the journey is typically made by private car or taxi, or by public transport: take a bus or tro-tro from Accra towards Koforidua, then connect with a local taxi for the final stretch to Tafo. Allow two to three hours from the capital depending on traffic and road conditions, and leave early if you are aiming for a morning tour. Once in New Tafo, taxis are the practical way to move between CRIG, Old Tafo, the golf club and the market. Note that feeder roads in the municipality are generally in poor condition and some are unmotorable, so build slack into any plan that involves turning off the main highway.

Good to know

Before you go

Book your CRIG visit before you travel. It is an active research institute, not a walk-in attraction, and tours are arranged by prior appointment with the administrative office; weekday mornings are best. Dress for field conditions: lightweight clothing, long sleeves and trousers against insects and foliage, sturdy closed shoes for unpaved paths, a hat and sunblock. Carry water and small denominations of Ghanaian currency for any local purchases, and pack your own snacks, as on-site refreshments are limited. Some paths are unpaved and may be difficult for visitors with limited mobility, so raise any access needs when you book. At Awansa Palace and the Old Tafo shrine, dress modestly, ask before taking photographs, and follow your local guide's lead on protocol. English is widely spoken, but a greeting in Twi goes a long way.

FAQ

Questions travellers ask about New Tafo

Where exactly is New Tafo in Ghana?

New Tafo, also written New Tafo-Akim, is a town in the Abuakwa North Municipality of the Eastern Region, on the Koforidua–Bunso highway just before Kukurantumi, the municipal capital. It borders Old Tafo, Maase, Anyinasi and Osiem, and is the headquarters of the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana.

Can I just turn up at CRIG for a tour?

No. CRIG is a working research institute and does not operate on a walk-in basis; you need to arrange your visit in advance by contacting the institute's administrative office. Weekday mornings are the best time, and organised tours are generally not run at weekends.

What will I actually see on a CRIG tour?

Guided visits have taken in experimental cocoa farms, arboretums, the fermentry, the dam site, the Fine Flavour research laboratory and the Cocoa Swollen Shoot Virus Disease museum, with staff explaining research into varieties, pests, soils and post-harvest processing. The institute also processes cocoa, cashew and shea into products such as beverages and cosmetics.

When is the Ohum Festival held?

Ohum is celebrated on a Tuesday or Wednesday in September or October, and again in June or July, depending on traditional factors. A two-week ban on noise-making precedes the rituals at the shrine in Old Tafo, with the durbar and hooting at hunger following two weeks later.

Is there anything to do in New Tafo besides cocoa research?

Yes. CRIG Golf Club is a nine-hole course on the institute's grounds with roots in the 1940s, Awansa Palace at Akyem Old Tafo is a working seat of traditional authority, the Tafo market is the municipality's main market centre, and L-One Nature Park is a privately owned entertainment centre at New Tafo.

What is the best time of year to visit?

The main dry season, from November to late February, is generally the most comfortable for walking and golf. Rain falls in two seasons, May to June and September to October. Whatever the month, plan around a confirmed CRIG appointment, since tours depend on staff availability.

How do I get to New Tafo from Accra?

Most visitors travel by road, either by private car or taxi, or by public transport: a bus or tro-tro from Accra towards Koforidua, then a local taxi to Tafo. The drive typically takes two to three hours depending on traffic and road conditions, so leave early if you have a morning appointment.

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Written September 29, 2026 from these sources and reviewed by the VisitGhana.app team. Confirm practical details locally before travelling.

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