Until 2003, Kwabena Afari was a renowned producer of Smooth Cayene pineapple in Ghana , exporting over a thousand metric tons annually to Europe. Then there came a shift. The market for the Smooth Cayenne dried up. European consumers turned to the prized MD2, also known as the extra sweet pineapple which appealed to their tastes and have a longer shelf life.

Afari's farm, Greenspan, produced only Smooth Cayenne pineapples. Overnight, Afari's business was nearly devastated. Production dropped from 100 to 2 acres, leaving Afari saddled with a $200,000 loan with sky high interest rates. In addition, he could not afford to plant the market-preferred MD2 pineapple.

With few options, Afari participated in a USAID-sponsored workshop on best MD2 farming practices and sound financial management. Thereafter, he worked with USAID to produce a business plan that met standards of financial institutions for support. A local commercial bank refinanced Afari's debt with Ghana 's Export Development and Investment Fund facility and provided him with additional funds for farming inputs, labor and equipment to turn around his failing business.

Afari then acquired over a million MD2 planting materials, bought a tractor and a pickup vehicle, and refurbished an old tractor. He intensively used the best farming practices in cultivating the MD2 pineapple.

Greenspan Farms now cultivates 100 acres with nearly 2 million MD2 plants, producing over 1,500 metric tons of fruits which command good farm-gate prices. Farm hands have increased from 4 to 31, and Greenspan has secured funds through local commercial banks backed by the United States Millennium Challenge Council.

"I owed the bank over $200,000. Through the interventions of USAID's Trade Improvement for a Competitive Export Economy, I was able to pay my debt and secure additional investment capital," Mr. Afari said.