porn8.site videocelebs.net

Welcome to Ministry of Food & Agriculture

MoFA's Mission is to promote sustainable agriculture and thriving agribusiness through research and technology development, effective extension and other support services to farmers, processors and traders for improved livelihood. more

National Agricultural Vision

The vision of the Ministry is a modernised agriculture culminating in a structurally transformed economy and evident in food security, employment opportunities and reduced poverty.

Jasikan

 

BACKGROUND
The Jasikan District was one of the old districts in the Volta Region of the Republic of Ghana established in 1989. The District, which have Jasikan as its capital is situated 260 km north-east of Accra and135 km from Ho, the regional capital of Volta Region. Jasikan District begot Kadjebi, Nkwanta and lately Biakoye districts. It is one of the major agricultural production areas in the Volta Region of Ghana. The Jasikan District which covers the whole of Buem traditional area,

The stable local district assembly administers the economic, development and political of the district of a potential labour force (62 % of district population) with a population density of 81.5/km2. Majority of the local population are farmers with some involved in commerce and other works.
Agriculture is the dominant sector in the district and the main source of employment and income. Most of available land in the district belongs to Clans, chiefs and clan heads, with respective conditions for acquiring land for investment.
The district has varied landforms with complex soils which support most traditional and non-traditional cash, food, plantation and industrial crops produced in Ghana. The vast lowlands and valleys (over70% of land area) can support large scale production of rice  for domestic and export markets. .
The relatively high annual rainfall supports both deciduous forest and mixed savannah. The district’s vegetation nourishes popular game and wildlife, but the livestock output is low. The perennial and annual water bodies in the district do support much fishery activities, however big potentials exist for aquaculture in the district.
The district is connected to the national grid, with available infrastructure, financial institutions, health and educational facilities in the district to become an economic hub in Ghana.

LOCATION AND SIZE
Jasikan District is located in the mid-east portion of the Volta Region of Ghana and Jasikan can be located on latitude 7º 24’N and longitudes 0º 28’E. It is bounded on the North-West by Kadjebi and Krachi East Districts, on the west and south-west is the river Volta, Hohoe District to the South, Republic of Togo to the East and Biakoye and Kpando Districts to the West. The district has a total land surface area of 510sq Km.

POPULATION
The 2010 Population and Housing Census have provided a provisional district population (PHC) figure of just over 66,625. The population density of the district stands at about 81.5 persons per square kilometer. This compared to the national average of 89 persons per square kilometer indicates that the district is sparsely populated.

CLIMATIC/PHYSICAL FEATURES
CLIMATE

The district falls within the wet equatorial agro-climatic zone. The mean maximum temperature is 32ºc usually recorded in March whiles the mean minimum temperature is 24 ºc usually recorded in August. The District experiences an alternating wet and dry season each year. It experiences a double maxima rainfall regime in May-July and September with peaks in June and October. The annual rainfall figures averages between 1250mm and 1750mm. The dry season is mostly between December and February.

SOILS
The soils of the district are really complex having being develop from the mixture of parent materials of quartz, sandstones, mudstones, conglomerates and colluvial sources.

There are four (4) major geological formations that produced the soils of the district:

A. Togo Rocks:

•    Crops produced in those areas include: maize, upland rice, vegetables, cocoyam, pineapples, citrus and coffee.

B. Soils developed from quartz-impregnated sandstone and quartz schist:

•    Suitable crops produced in the area include rice, sugarcane and dry season vegetables.

C. Soils developed from Buem sandstones, shales, mudstones and conglomerates

•    Crops that thrive well in these areas are shallow-rooted including food crops such as: Maize, rice, groundnuts, cassava, yam, ginger, plantain, cocoyam, pineapple, sugarcane and vegetables.

D. Soil Developed from Recent and Old Alluvia

•    The area is recommended for hand-cultivated shallow-rooted crops such as: pineapples, sugarcane, vegetables and rice.

RELIEF
The topography of the district is hilly and undulating becoming almost flat in certain areas. The district is almost surrounded by mountain ranges, typically is the Buem-Togo Ranges which is an extension of the Akuapem Ranges. The eastern parts are relatively higher with occasional heights ranging between 260m – 680m above sea level. Some communities like Baglo (560m), Teteman (590m) and Kute (438m) are on steep side of the range.

DRAINAGE
The district is well drained by several streams. Some of the important ones are Konsu, Bompa, Kute, Dayi, Ufuo and Odomi. Almost all the streams are seasonal with most of them overflowing their banks during the raining season and drying up during the dry season.

Waters in Konsu, Odomi, Bompa and Dayi can be improved for irrigation. Feasibility studies by GIDA identified potential sites such as Awoma, Twengyina, Kudje and New Ayoma for irrigation.

IRRIGATION POTENTIAL OF THE DISTRICT

Identified Site Area (Ha) Location Access Recommendation and Observation
Awoma 50 5km from Bodada 2nd class road Great potential. Further studies and Design
Twengyina 200 3km from Akaa Agric Station Gravel road Potential exists for dam construction needs further studies and design
Kudje 1000 10km from Jasikan 1st class road Potential for agriculture

VEGETATION
The vegetation is generally depicted by moist deciduous forest. Due to the relatively high rainfall experienced annually in the eastern parts, the vegetation is thicker and more luxuriant. These are forest made up of different species typical of the semi deciduous forest. The western part of the district is also characterized by the mixed savannah dotted with tree vegetation.  Bamboo and other wet species are also found, especially along the banks of the streams and rivers. The vegetation supports wildlife and major animals found are monkeys, antelopes, bushpigs, pangolins grass-cutter, and reptiles. As one of the few areas endowed with forest resources in the region, the district has a total land forest area of 1847sqkm with the Odomi River Forest Reserve (18.45sqkm) covering Jasikan, Bodada, Teteman and Bowiri in Biakoye District. The activities of timber firms and illegal chainsaw operators, industrial wood processing activities etc also contributed in diverse ways to the degradation of the natural environment by reducing the forest from primary to secondary and even, in cases to savannah.

There are programs for the protection of the forests. These include:
•    Collaboration with the local people through the formation of Collaboration Forest Management Committees (CFMC) to protect and manage the permanent forest estates.
•    Promotion of Private/Community tree growing (woodlot establishment and amenity planting) through education and technical assistance.
•    Recruitment and training of Fire Volunteer Squads (FVS) in the communities.
•    Anti-bush fire campaigns through the district.
Recruitment of aforestation team for teak and other tree planting

LAND TENURE SYSTEM

Land generally belongs to Clans, the Chiefs and Clan heads hold it in trust for the people. Lands are acquired on lease or share-cropping bases known as abunu (50%: 50%) or abusa (33% : 66%) between the tenant and landlord respectively.

Outright purchase of land is becoming quite difficult / inapplicable. The land tenure system on the whole is very unfavorable to farmers due to its disincentives and insecurity.

AGRICULTURE
Agricultural is the main source of livelihood for over 80% of the total population. Subsistence farming with shifting cultivation is mainly practiced with an average holding of less than one acre per person.

The District is quite self sufficient in food production as a result of the favorable climate and demographic conditions.

To showcase the technologies for farmers’ adoption, MOFA Jasikan has Demonstrations of the various activities in their compound and which include;
a) Grasscutter
b) Beekeeping
c) Snail farming
d) Plantation crops etc.

CASH CROPS

Cocoa has been the principal cash in the district but its production dwindled over the years due to the severe drought and bushfires of the early eighties (1983) together with the threat of the Swollen Shoot, Capsid and the Blackpod diseases.     With the Government intervention of Hi-tech coupled with Mass Spraying Programmes, the industry is resuscitated tremendously.

Oil palm, coffee and citrus production are other sources of revenue to the farmers and their production centers are in the east forest zone of Ayoma, Kute, Baglo, Awoma, Akaa Kudje and Okadjakrom.

FOOD CROPS
These are produced for domestic consumption and for export outside the district. The major food crops produced are: maize, rice cassava, cocoyam, yam plantain, banana, sweet potato and vegetables.

AVERAGE PRODUCTION FOR SELECTED CROPS:

CROP TYPE AREA UNDER CULTIVATION (HECTARES) AVERAGE YIELD

(TON/HA)

METRIC TONNES AREA OF MAXIMUM

PRODUCTION

Maize 1,200 2.5 1,800 Bodada, Okadjakrom, Atakrom
Rice 900 5.0 3,600 Kudje, Bodada, Nsuta, Jasikan, Teteman
Cassava 2,500 20.0 47,500 Guaman, Atakrom, Kudje
Plantain 1,500 6.0 9,450 Takrabe, Bodada, Nsuta, Kudje, Guaman, Aboabo, New Ayoma, Old Ayoma
Cocoyam 2,200 4.0 8,800 Ayoma
Vegetable 150 0.5 Not known Throughout the district
Ginger 500 4.0 Not known Throughout the district
Oil Palm I,200 12.0 14,400 Throughout the district

*2009 SRID Estimates

LIVESTOCK
Livestock rearing in the district is on a very small scale. However, cattle, goats, pigs, sheep and poultry production are on the increase.

NON-TRADITIONAL AGRICULTURAL COMMODITIES
Ginger is the most important non-traditional commodity produced in the district mainly around Kute, and New Ayoma. Other non-traditional crops like black pepper and sweeteners are also grown all over the district. In fact, ginger is cultivated on quite a large scale and the Assembly is collaborating with Ghana Export Promotion Council and NBSSI to find good markers and suitable industrial use for the crop.

TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
Good road network of both first and second class. There are also a lot feeder roads that link some key farming communities which are in deplorable state.

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
There are five (3) financial institutions in the District. These are Ghana Commercial Bank, North Volta Rural Bank, Teachers Credit Union.

AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Eighteen galvanized silos and four storage houses are spread all over the district and can be effectively exploited.

There is no dam dug-out in the district to support agricultural development.

A study by the Volta Regional Manger of IDA commissioned by the District Assembly to develop agricultural and create employment for the youth identified a number of potential sites for irrigation schemes development.

MARKETS
The district is an important producer of food crops, livestock and fish in the region and as a result a number of market settlements have developed where vigorous trading takes place. These markets offer producers locations to meet buyers and also give them opportunity to buy agricultural inputs. Traders from Volta south, Accra, Koforidua and Kumasi throng the district foodstuff. Potential markets exist export of perfume rice produced in the district to the west African sub region. Below is a table of some prominent markets:

MAJOR LOCAL MARKETS

No. MARKET CENTER DAYS PRODUCT SOLD
1 New Ayoma 5 days periodical Food Crops
2 Ketsi Nkwanta Tuesdays and Fridays Food Crops
3 Jasikan Fridays Food Crops
4 Kute Tuesdays Food Crops
5 Odumase Thursdays Food Crops

Agricultural produce are cart by vehicles, push trucks, bicycles or by head loads to these markets. Most of the leading produce like yam, groundnut, maize, gari, cassava chips (kokonte), plantain, banana, cocoyam and cowpea attract middlemen from outside the district, mostly Accra, Ho, Hohoe, Aflao and Koforidua. They buy from the markets and the farm gates and the items transported in big (mostly 10 tons) cargo trucks to urban areas outside the district.

SPECIAL PROJECTS
RSSP (Rice Sector Support Project)

This is an ongoing project which seeks to develop lowlands in the some districts in Ghana for intensive large scale rice production. The project’s objective is to enhance food security and increase farm family income. This project targets the development of over 1500 ha of lowland rice in the district.

NERICA RICE PROJECT
This project seeks to develop high yielding upland rice varieties for production by local farmers. The project’s object is to enhance food security and increase farm family income. Demonstrations in varietal trials have produced over 50 ha of upland Nerica in Ghana with its success stories among participating farmer groups.

RTIMP (ROOT AND TUBER IMPROVEMENT AND MARKETING PROGRAMME)
The RTIMP national coordinating office is in Kumasi. The Jasikan East District is coordinated from Kumasi in Ashanti of Ghana.  The project seeks to multiply and distribute improved high yielding cassava planting materials to farmers. However, the emphasis is to link up all actors in the value chain in other to establish an effective marketing system that would be beneficial to all the players. The RTIMP began in the Jasikan District the year 2008.

CASSAVA
This is also an ongoing national project on cassava. This project seeks to promote development and multiplication of cassava in the district

EXTENSION SERVICES
There are few NGO extension agencies are in the district. Significantly the extension service in the district has expanded considerably with the posting of some number MOFA staff as Agricultural Extension Agents (AEA) to the district. The current AEA number is 9. However, the AEA/Farmer ratio remains very low (about 1:5000).

MANUFACTURING AND PROCESSING:

Manufacturing is limited by the relatively small size of the domestic market. It is centered around carpentry, block making, blacksmithing, welding, masonry, dressmaking, distillation of local drinks, oil extraction, soap making using local materials and cassava processing. The manufacturing industry continues to be under developed and characterized by small-scale Agro-base processing set-up. Soaps, palm-oil, gari and cassava dough are the main products of the small scale agro-based processing. These are carried out by individuals and groups and the activity centers are – Guaman, Atakrom, Kute, New Ayoma and Bodada.

COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY:
Buying and selling accounts for the major commercial activity of the district. The industrial and commercial sectors have also not seen any remarkable improvement over the last five years, due to the unfavorable economic conditions of the district and other external factors. The mineral resources: gold, diamond, jasper and shale deposit identified in the 1980s still remain unexploited, perhaps because prospecting results have not proven that these exist in the quantities worth exploiting. For now, it looks like the mineral resources are only in traces, but not in commercial quantities.

TOURISM
Tourism is relatively less developed though the potential are immense.

The district is endowed with rich cultural diversity and festivals.

POTENTIALS
i. High potential exist for the cultivation of cash crops such as;
Oil palm, citrus and spices including ginger
Rice (over 2500 ha of arable lowlands)
Sugarcane (over 3000 ha of potential lowland for sugarcane)
The establishment of a ginger-processing factory could support the cultivation of the crop

Establishment of Jatropha farms on the over one thousand hectares stretch of land.

ii. The surrounding forests and environment can greatly support   beekeeping, which is fast catching up in the district. Beekeeping could also be supported in the near future by the establishment of honey and wax processing industries.

iii. The establishment of an industrial starch-producing factory to support the extensive cultivation of cassava in most parts of the district.

iv. The abandoned structures and site at the former Akaa cocoa station is an adequate potential site for oil palm nursery and plantation.

v. Forest development for income generating activity in the district, leading to the production of lumber, fuel wood, eco-tourism sites, etc.

vi. The availability of fruit trees (especially mango plantation)
at various locations in the district could support micro-fruit processing industries.

AQUACULTURE
Fish culture in the district is virtually non-existent. The fishery sector in the district is non-existing since most natural water bodies do not hold that much for harvesting. Investment in cultured fisheries, especially, the dugout production systems hold the potentials for very profitable business.

AGRO-PROCESSING INDUSTRIES
Jasikan District has enormous potential for agro-processing industries, both in the animal and crops sectors, but currently this activity is limited to the subsistence level with very little improved technology utilization.
There are few rice mills in the district and there is the need for investment in the establishment of a Cassava Processing Factory or facility to process raw cassava into the following products should be a very profitable business:

i.   Starch for industrial use
ii. Gari
iii. Tapioca and biscuits
iv. Animal feed – for livestock and poultry.

frsp application

Agronomic Videos

minister

Hon. Bryan Acheampong

Minister

HON. YAW FRIMPONG ADDO

Hon. Yaw Frimpong Addo

Deputy Minister for Crops

Hon. Alhaji Hardi Tufeiru

Hon. Alhaji Hardi Tufeiru

Deputy Minister for Livestock

chief director

Mr. Paul Siameh

Ag. Chief Director

Our partners: Best Essay Writing Service