Chat in Aburi

Aburi is both the name of an ethnic group and of at least two cities in Ghana. The ethnic group was once a part of the original population Akwamus and Aburi chiefs were also present when founded in 1731 with the League of Abotakyi the Kingdom of Akwapim. Aburi town is located at 5 °3 'N, 1 °47' W near Takoradi, another Aburi town is at 5 °51 'N, 0 °11' W at the foothills of the same, 400-460 m high Aburi hill chain in the Greater Accra region. The Aburi hills are part of the formation of the Akwapim-Togo chain.

The last mentioned village is located about 28 km north of Accra on the exit road to Koforidua and just south of Mampong in the Akwapim mountains. About 20,000 people live in the place at an altitude of 457 meters. Because of its location in the mountains and its proximity to the coast, an agricultural research farm was established near Aburi in 1891 by the British colonial rulers. The area of ​​the garden originally consisted of 20 hectares, in the year 1901 it was 17.8 hectares and in 1902 another 40 hectares were added as a new acquisition, whereby one encountered considerable resistance in the last mentioned extension. Ultimately, enlargement could only be achieved through the use of state sovereignty over expropriations. The purpose of the Botanical Garden was originally to test out and develop field-building opportunities that would contribute to greater financial independence of the Gold Coast colony.

The focus of the garden was primarily on trials with native crops such as cocoa, rubber plants and kola. In addition, ornamental and fruit plants of various kinds were cultivated as well as smaller attempts at cultivation with cotton and spice plants were undertaken, in the latter one sat next to vanilla and pepper mainly on cardamom and nutmeg. A directory dated 21st July 1900 lists 350 different plant species grown in Aburi. In addition, there was a sanatorium in 1903 in the center of the garden. In 1901, the expenses for this garden amounted to 44,312 marks. At that time, a cotton planter from the USA named Edmund Fisher was hired as the expert for the cotton tests. However, in the rainforest area, which is unfavorable to cotton, in which Aburi is located, only a few smaller trial fields were planted.

A larger cotton pilot station was built on his recommendation in the grasslands of Kroboland on the Volta, where cotton has always been grown as a native culture and made into clothing. Here, however, not only a trial farm was created, but also tried to cheer the locals to expand their cotton farming. The latter was mainly due to the distribution of seed to the chiefs in connection with a purchase guarantee for all harvested cotton at a central buying market in Akuse 6 °9 'N, 0 °6' E at the Volta, where the cotton is also easily transported by water could. On the Volta then the removal of the cotton could be done. The region's cotton-growing region furthest from Akuse is the Awudome landscape, which is about 13-15 km from the Volta. Also, a gin station was built for the treatment of raw cotton in Akuse.

Also, the botanical garden in Aburi was responsible for the maintenance and preservation of the garden on Christiansborg. Today, the only botanical garden in Ghana is located on the site in Aburi. Above all, it is the site of numerous plants that were not originally from Ghana, but were added to the collection of tropical plants. In Aburi's neighbor Kitase was also the cottage of the first president of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, which is now used as accommodation for state guests. Aburi is due to the botanical garden a well-known tourist destination.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aburi