The Rise of Ghanaian Coffee: Cultivating Excellence in Volta and Leklebi

During a coffee cupping and networking session organized by the UN-ITC and co-hosted by SCASA at Seam Coffee Training Center, Riversand Business Park in Midrand, Johannesburg, I had the privilege of meeting selected members of coffee growers from Eswatini, Ghana, Tanzania, and Ethiopia. The session was resourceful and provided an excellent opportunity for networking with African coffee growers while listening to their success stories as well as discussing challenges and opportunities in the coffee industry.

I was honored to meet the incredibly dynamic Emi-Beth Aku Quantson, a Ghanaian social entrepreneur and the founder and CEO of Kawa Moka Coffee Company—Ghana's leading social enterprise coffee company and roaster. She is renowned for her efforts in job creation and empowering women through the coffee value chain. I was deeply impressed by her passion for coffee farming and improving the entire supply chain, particularly benefiting unemployed women and youth. Emi-Beth gifted me a packet of her farm-produced Kawa Moka Arabica from the Leklebi region. Upon trying it, I found its fruity aroma with hints of spices like nutmeg and cinnamon—as well as undertones of cocoa-chocolate—a very smooth buttery finish that lingers delightfully. At the end of this piece, I've included some profiles on Emi-Beth so readers can learn about her amazing journey from corporate life to coffee farming, roasting, ​​and commercialization.

When you think of African coffee, countries like Ethiopia, Kenya, and Rwanda often dominate the conversation.

However, Ghana—known for its cocoa—has quietly been nurturing a coffee revival, particularly in the lush, fertile hills of the Volta Region. Among the region’s promising coffee hubs, Leklebi, a cluster of mountainous communities near the Togo border, is emerging as a beacon for Ghana’s specialty coffee future.

A Brief History of Coffee in Ghana

Coffee has been grown in Ghana for over a century, but it never reached the scale or fame of West African cocoa. Most of Ghana's coffee production is Robusta, used for instant coffee or blending. However, recent years have seen a shift toward Arabica cultivation, thanks to global specialty coffee demand and the realization of Ghana’s untapped terroir potential.

Volta Region: Fertile Ground for Coffee Growth

The Volta Region, with its combination of high altitude, volcanic soil, reliable rainfall, and forested microclimates, offers an ideal environment for cultivating high-quality Arabica coffee. Coffee farming in this region is still in its infancy compared to traditional coffee giants, but the potential for growth is enormous.

Altitude & Terroir: The Leklebi Advantage

Leklebi, a community situated in the mountainous zone of the Hohoe Municipality, lies at an elevation of around 500 to 800 meters above sea level. This altitude, while lower than some East African highlands, still provides sufficient diurnal temperature variation for slow bean maturation—crucial for developing complex flavor profiles.

The terroir of Leklebi is shaped by:

• Volcanic and loamy soil with rich organic content

• Rain-fed microclimate with annual precipitation between 1,200–1,600 mm

• Dense forest canopies offering partial shade, mimicking traditional agroforestry systems

These conditions promote healthy root development, balanced bean acidity, and a nuanced taste profile in the cup.

Production Volume & Potential

As of now, Ghana’s national coffee production remains modest, estimated at between 6,000 to 8,000 metric tons annually, with most production centered around Robusta in the Brong Ahafo and Ashanti regions. However, the Volta Region, particularly Leklebi and surrounding areas like Liati and Wli, are gaining attention as new frontiers for specialty Arabica cultivation.

In Leklebi alone, smallholder farmers and pilot projects supported by NGOs, cooperatives, and agri-entrepreneurs have planted dozens of hectares of Arabica, with yields projected to reach 500–1,000 kg per hectare under improved agronomic practices. Considering the availability of arable land—much of which remains uncultivated—there is significant potential to scale production sustainably.

Coffee Varietals & Taste Profiles

Most of the Arabica coffee being cultivated in the Volta Region, including Leklebi, comes from SL28 and SL34 varieties, originally from Kenya, and some Typica and Bourbon derivatives, known for their excellent cup qualities.

Taste Profile

Coffee from Leklebi and the Volta highlands typically exhibits:

• Bright citrus acidity, often lime or orange peel

• Floral aromas, reminiscent of hibiscus or jasmine

• Medium body with silky mouthfeel

• Notes of red berries, honey, and mild spice

This complex and clean cup profile has caught the attention of specialty roasters in Europe and North America, opening doors for direct trade partnerships and farmer-led value chains.

The Future: A Specialty Coffee Frontier

The Ghanaian government, through the Cocobod Coffee Division, and NGOs like the Coffee Federation of Ghana, have ramped up support for smallholder coffee farmers with training, seedlings, and post-harvest infrastructure. There is a push to:

• Promote shade-grown, organic farming

• Improve processing techniques (washed and honey-processed coffees are emerging)

• Foster local coffee culture to boost domestic consumption

• Build export pipelines for specialty markets

Leklebi and the wider Volta Region stand at the forefront of this coffee renaissance, offering unique flavor profiles, sustainable farming practices, and a new story for Ghanaian agriculture beyond cocoa.

About Kawa Moka farm:

What's in a name?

Kawa Moka tells the story of Ghana’s history with cacao intertwined with our rich coffee flavours. Kawa being an Arabic word that translates to coffee; "the wine of the bean”, Moka being a seaport city in Yemen, iconically known for being coffee's gateway to Europe.

Robusta is Ghanaian

Native Robusta coffee originated in Central and West Africa and has been growing in Leklebi since the 1930s. Growing amongst cacao trees, plantain, and food crops, our coffee produces complex notes wrapped up in chocolate, fruit and nuts. We specialize in small-batch, artisan-roasted specialty coffee, grown sustainably in over 250 farms, 40% with Indigenous women representation, across 3 coffee enclaves in the Volta Region.

“Coffee is good ohhh. Coffee is going to send our children to school”

In the mountainous town of Leklebi, within the Volta region of Ghana, a group of women sing as they grow, nurture and harvest our Robusta coffee beans.

Kawa Moka is proud to have the longest standing relationship with the women farmers across the region, and are continuing our efforts to keep growing together.

Social Impact

Kawa Moka is dedicated to making positive changes across all pillars of social responsibility, creating better in the world with every cup Environmental Sustainability, Gender Equality and Community.

Environmental Sustainability

Robusta coffee is a native Indigenous species to Ghana. The coffee is nurtured organically, wild-grown and lives amongst plantain, cacao and food crops on micro-lots in the hills. The farms are fed by the Afloabo falls which run alongside the ecosystem. Creating a rich and nourishing habitat for local wildlife while promoting soil health.

Hand picking on a small scale preserves quality and ensures only the best coffee is picked. We package our beans in recycled paper bags, and use our coffee bean waste to create coffee-based beauty products including an exfoliating coffee scrub, shea body butter, and a coffee infused body oil.

Gender Equality

All of our 20 micro lots are owned and operated by local women farmers. Empowering women to earn equal and fair wages to provide for themselves and their families. Their children having strong female figures to look up to while attending school and learning to work in the community.

Community

Kawa Moka believes in Africa, and has been passionately involved with communities not only in Ghana but across the continent. Along with creating over 200 jobs in farm partnerships, there is a major focus on upskilling the coffee industry as a whole.

From farming, to cafe experiences, to roasting & barista training, we believe we can all go further together.

Conclusion

Ghana’s coffee journey is just beginning, and regions like Leklebi in the Volta highlands are paving the way. With the right investment, support, and storytelling, Ghana could soon be recognized not just for its cocoa, but for world-class specialty coffee grown in its own green hills.

The credit must be given to UN-ITC’s representative for Africa Ronnel Dinsmore to organize African coffee growers and bring them to South Africa for potential business match making and networking and big thanks to the SCASA board and team for getting it a partnership with UN-ITC for promoting African coffee growers into South Africa and Seam coffee team for generously offering to host lovely event at their training center.

Here's a detailed look at Emi-Beth work profile:

Founder and CEO Kawa Moka Coffee Company:

·         Social Enterprise:

Emi-Beth founded Kawa Moka in 2015 with the goal of creating a positive social impact through coffee. 

·         Job Creation:

The company has created over 250 jobs in the coffee sector, partnering with farmers and employing marginalized groups. 

·         Women's Empowerment:

Kawa Moka focuses on sourcing coffee from rural Ghanaian farmers, primarily women, and processing it locally. 

·         Accra's Largest Roastery:

She established the largest coffee roasting facility in Accra, supplying major supermarkets and cafes across Ghana and internationally. 

·         Financial Success:

Emi-Beth has successfully raised over $200,000 in debt and equity investments for Kawa Moka. 

Background and Education:

·         Emi-Beth was raised in Ghana by entrepreneurial parents. 

·         She graduated from Ashesi University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. 

·         Prior to Kawa Moka, she worked as a tax consultant and transfer pricing expert at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) in Ghana and Kenya. 

Other Notable Points:

·         Emi-Beth's entrepreneurial journey started with a coffee shop at her university campus, which grew into a popular spot. 

·         She is recognized by the President of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo. 

·         She is a member of the Specialty Coffee Association. 

·         She is also involved in repurposing coffee production waste into a skincare line Kawa Moka, according to Agrifest 2025

Written by:

Salman Khan is a Barista judge, social entrepreneur, food and drink anthropologist, researcher and culinary educator.

To access 2024 coffee consumer survey report in South Africa please send an email to by a copy of it.

Salman Khan, Paul Harris Fellow, T.I.

salkhan1@yahoo.com  WhatsApp 082 691 6048