Tano South District is one of the 22 Districts in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana. It lies between latitudes 7º00’N and 7º25’ N and between longitudes 1º45 W and 2º15 W. It is bounded on the North and East by the Offinso and Ahafo-Ano South Districts, both in the Ashanti Region. On the South, it is bounded by the Ahafo-Ano North District, also in the Ashanti Region and on its West and South-West by Tano North District Assembly.
The District has a total land area of 1,500 square kilometres, which is 3.8 percent of the total land area of the Brong Ahafo Region. The District Strategic Location as the entry point into Brong Ahafo Region from southern Ghana puts it in a unique position to attract tourists if that sector could be well developed.
POPULATION
Tano South District has an estimated population of approximately 61,693 with a growth rate of 1.8 per cent.
LABOUR FORCE
With the urban drift, labour is increasingly becoming difficult to come by especially during the major cropping season (April – July). At this point, demand becomes higher for labour thereby pushing the price for weeding, harvesting and carting on the higher side. Casual labour ‘By-day’ in various parts of the District ranges from GH¢2.50 – GH¢3.0 (2010). Young school leavers and immigrants from the Northern regions of the country (tenant farmers) are usually the major source of labour.
TOPOGRAPHY AND DRAINAGE
The topography of the District is mostly made up of undulating land which rises gently from a height of about 270m to a peak of about 760m. According to KNUST Planning Department, the area to the East and South-East is bounded by the Ankaase-Techimantia-Bechem road and is fairly high rising between 360m and 760m in the Kwamisa area. River Subri, a tributary of Tano River, flows through Subriso No. 3 and Techimantia. The other important rivers in the district are Atobiaso in Derma, Moku in Techimantia and Dwomo, Kwasu in Bechem and Dwofo which is a tributary of Kwasu River is also in Bechem. The land is well drained and free from flooding. It is also ideal for vegetable and food crop farming.
GEOLOGY AND SOIL
Being located in the moist semi-deciduous forest zone, the soils in the District basically consist of forest ochrosols and the rubrisol-ochrosols intergrades. They are alkaline and are more richly supplied with nutrients. They are more clayey and therefore have greater capacity to maintain water for plant use. They are therefore very ideal for the cultivation of forest crops like cocoa, coffee, oil palm and food crops like plantain, maize, rice, cassava, beans and among others.
In addition to the vast fertile land which is suitable for the cultivation of a wide variety of cash and food crops, Tano South District has a fairly large expanse of forests with species such as Odum, Mahogany, Ceiba, Cassia and ‘Akasaa’ which can be explored for timber.
CLIMATE
The District lies in the Semi-equatorial climatic zone which experiences double maximum rainfall pattern. The first rainfall season is from April to June, with the heaviest in June and the second period is from September to October. The mean annual rainfall is between 125 cm and 180cm. The dry season is quiet pronounced and occurs between the months of November and March each year. The mean monthly temperatures range between 26ºC (in August) and 30ºC (in March).
Relative humidity is generally high, ranging between 75-80 percent in the Rainy season and 70-72 percent in the dry season.
VEGETATION
The District lies in the moist semi-deciduous forest zone and has gross forest area of 1,322.52sqkm with about 157.45sqkm of this under forest reserve. However, there is a vast emergence of guinea savanna and this is found in areas like Techimantia and Subriso No. 3 where cattle rearing is predominant.
There are two main forest reserves namely; the Bosomkese Forest Reserve which covers a total area of 138.41sq km and Apaape Forest Reserve which also covers an area of about 19.04sqkm. In these reserves, one can find different tree species such as Odum, Mahogany, Ceiba, Cassia and ‘Akasaa’. These trees are of economic importance as they are used for lumbering, carving, chewing sticks, fuel wood and medicine.
ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION
The District covers a total land area of 1,500sqkm with forest area of 1,322.52sqkm. The District can boast of two forest reserves, namely Bosomkese and Apaape reserves.
Encroachment on the reserve is minimal mainly due to the tight surveillance and the environmental awareness created in the rural people for the control of illegal activities in the forest. The rural people also participate in the establishment of tree plantations.
Bushfires have been a problem and continue to be a problem in the District. This is due to the fact that most farmers use practice slash and burn to clear their farm lands. Also there is rampant group hunting that result in bushfire.
In order to address this situation, the Assembly has embarked on District wide Re-Afforestation Project. Also, the Assembly has passed bye-laws to control bushfires.
WATER SUPPLY
The major sources of portable water in the district include pipe borne water, borehole and hand dug wells. Others depend on the water from streams and rivers.
Table 1: Present Water Situation the District- 2010
| Facility | No. of Supply | % of Supply |
| Borehole | 76 | 41.1 |
| Stand Pipes (Small Town Water System) | 71 | 34.8 |
| Hand Dug Wells | 8 | 4.3 |
| Streams and Others | 17 | 9.2 |
| Stand Pipes (Ghana Water Company) | 13 | 7 |
AGRICULTURE
About 64% of people employed in the District are engaged in agriculture. 52% of the farmers are males and 48% females. The major food crops grown are maize, cassava, plantain and cocoyam. Major vegetables grown are tomato, garden egg, okra, and pepper. Industrial crops grown are cocoa, oil palm, coffee, and cashew.
LAND TENURE SYSTEM
According to farmers in the District, within a family set up, land is passed on from generation to generation of which a member is entitled to a portion of the land which he/she has and passes it on to the next of kin.
This type of land tenure system does not augur well for large commercial farming. However, settler farmers may acquire portions of land for farming activities on agreed terms. These include share cropping i.e. ‘Abunu’ or ‘Abusa’ depending on the type of crop. Land could also be obtained through leasehold, renting or outright purchase.
The ‘Abunu’ is a farming system in which a piece of land is given to a farmer and the crops shared equally between the farmer and landowner. The Abusa on the other hand is a farming system in which land is given to a farmer and the crops are devided into three (3). Here the farmer takes two-thirds of the crops while the landowner takes the remaining one-third.
While food crops are cultivated in the Abunu System, cash crops are cultivated in Abusa System. Generally, the family heads are the custodians of the lands. The average farm size of a household is 4acres. However, the number of parcels for individual members varies from farm to farm.
Group Formation
Table 2: Group Formation (2010)
| District | Type Of Group | Total Group In Current Year
(1) |
Previous Year | Current Year | ||||
| Existing Groups
(D) |
New Groups (E) | Functional Groups
(F) |
Existing Groups
(D) |
New Groups (E) | Functional Groups
(F) |
|||
| Tano south | Crop Production | 54 | 28 | 4 | 48 | 51 | 3 | 48 |
| Animal Prod. | 12 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 10 | 2 | 3 | |
| Marketing | 9 | 5 | 4 | 1 | 9 | 1 | ||
| T O T A L | 75 | 40 | 11 | 52 | 70 | 5 | 52 | |
Source: DADU / DAES
(1): total group is the sum of existing groups” (existing before the considered quarter) and new groups “E” created during the year
Technologies Demonstrated
Table 3: Technologies Demonstrated and Beneficiaries 2010
| TECHNOLOGIES | NUMBER OF BENEFICIARIES OF THE TECHNOLOGY DEMONSTRATED | |
| TOTAL BENEFICIARIES | % FEMALE | |
| Crop | ||
| Correct Use of Agro – Chemicals | 150 | 30 |
| Row Planting For Optimum Production | 268 | 29.9 |
| Post Harvest of Food Grains / Legumes and Storage | 210 | 30 |
| Improved Crop Varieties | 188 | 29.8 |
| Minimum Tillage | 20 | 30 |
| Livestock | ||
| Improved housing for animals | 95 | 40 |
| Total number of rural communities covered by extension services in the year | 316 | |
SOURCE: DADU / RADU / DAES
HIV / AIDS
Main Activities Implement in Previous Year and Current Year
Table 4: Number of Farmers Sensitized On HIV / AIDS-2010
| District | Male | Female | Total | |||
| Previous Year | Current Year | Previous Year | Current Year | Previous Year | Current Year | |
| Tano south | 391 | 450 | 587 | 696 | 978 | 1146 |
SOURCE DADU / RADU
ACHIEVEMENTS IN FOOD PRODUCTION (CROPS, POULTRY & LIVESTOCK)
Food Security Situation 2009-2010
Table 5: Crop production Figures
| DISTRICTS | Crop |
( HECTARES IN HA) |
(FIGURES IN MT) | ||||
| 2009 | 2010 | % CHANGE | 2009 | 2010 | % CHANGE | ||
| Tano South
|
Maize | 5,540 | 5,870 | 6.00 | 11,080 | 12,914 | 16.55 |
| Rice | 100 | 150 | 9.00 | 201 | 303 | 49.9 | |
| Cassava | 9,580 | 9,040 | -5.60 | 162,206 | 161,454 | -0.46 | |
| Yam | 640 | 650 | 2.00 | 7,780 | 8,450 | 8.61 | |
| Cocoyam | 2,250 | 2,380 | 5.60 | 14,669 | 15,470 | 5.46 | |
| Plantain | 3,910 | 4,100 | 4.86 | 45,265 | 46,412 | 2.53 | |
| Tomato | 2,600 | – | 31,200 | – | |||
Source:MoFA / (SRID)
Table 6: Livestock, Poultry and Pets Census 2007-2010
| No. | Name of Animal | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 |
| 1. | Cattle | 497 | 520 | 648 | 587 |
| 2. | Donkey | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 3. | Sheep | 7,136 | 8,250 | 9,812 | 9,825 |
| 4. | Goat | 6,917 | 7,268 | 8,015 | 9,157 |
| 5. | Indigenous Swine | 249 | 542 | 608 | 639 |
| 6. | Exotic Swine | 797 | 993 | 1,073 | 1,198 |
| 7. | Dogs | 1,185 | 1,415 | 1,513 | 1,823 |
| 8. | Cats | 298 | 324 | 351 | 382 |
| 9. | Rabbits | 123 | 172 | 178 | 217 |
| 10. | Guinea Fowl | 123 | 511 | 521 | 503 |
| 11. | Turkey | 244 | 260 | 283 | 317 |
| 12. | Ducks | 619 | 1,061 | 1,171 | 1,336 |
| 13. | Local Fowl | 18,116 | 20,475 | 22,013 | 24,189 |
| 14. | Exotic Fowl (Layers) | 35,900 | 38,050 | 37,093 | 39,968 |
| 15. | Exotic Fowl (Broilers) | 1,360 | 1,894 | 2,459 | 3,015 |
| 16. | Exotic Fowl (Cockerels) | 1,094 | 1,610 | 2,013 | 2,933 |
Source: MoFA / (SRID)
Table 7: Local Slaughters-2010
| District | Previous Year | Current Year | ||||||||
| Cattle | Sheep | Goats | Pig | Others | Cattle | Sheep | Goats | Pigs | Others | |
| Tano South | 100 | 101 | 120 | 97 | 124 | 138 | 3 | |||
| T O T A L | 100 | 101 | 120 | 97 | 124 | 138 | 3 | |||
Source: Veterinary Service, MoFA
Table 8: Vaccinations and Prophylactic Treatments of Farm Animals and Pets-2010
| Animal Species | Disease | No. Of Animals Vaccinated (Previous Year) | No. Of Animals Vaccinated (Current Year) | Achievement
(+/-) |
| Cattle | CBPP | – | 100 | +100 |
| Sheep | PPR | 2,083 | 640 | -2,549 |
| Goats | PPR | 3,129 | 580 | +12 |
| Cats | Rabies | 33 | 45 | +12 |
| Dogs | Rabies | 637 | 787 | +150 |
| Poultry | NCD | 142,000 | 13,000 | -129,000 |
| Poultry | Fowl Pox | 163,000 | 182,000 | +29,000 |
Source: Veterinary Services, MoFA
PROJECTS
Inland Valleys Rice Development Project (IVRDP)
The project started in August 2004 and ends in June 2011. The Kwasumu Valley at Mansin in the Tano South District has been used for the cultivation of rice since the inception of the project.
Objectives: the project aims at assisting farmers to cultivate rice in valleys where water is available in order to increase rice production through improved scientific methods of rice cultivation. A total of 64 farmers (54males and 10 females) cultivated a total of 30.5ha in 2010 and had a production of 77.11mt.
Root & Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP)
Rationale:
- The RTIMP aims at providing improved planting materials to farmers for improved yields and increase in income.
In 2010 a total of 21 acres was established at 12 secondary multiplication sites involving 211 farmers.
Technology dissemination is done through exposure to good practice centres and Farmer Field Fora /Schools (FFFs). A total of 6,331 bundles (50 psc each) of planting materials have supplied to individual farmers and groups.
NOTABLE VARIETIES
- Bankyehemaa
- Esambankye
- Afisiafi
- Nkabom
This programme is spread all over the district.
Fertilizer Subsidy Programme
Under the programme, the district has registered sixteen certified agro-input dealers into the programme.
Table 9: Price of the Various Fertilizer Types under the Subsidy Programme-2010
| Fertilizer Type | Sales Price (GH¢) |
| Compound Fertilizer | 27.00 |
| Urea | 25.00 |
| SOA | 18.00 |
BLOCK FARMING PROGRAMME
Under the Block Farm programme, the district went into the production of three crops in 2010. The crops are maize, rice and soybeans.
Table11: Major Seasons Block Farming Prog. 2010
| Crop | Target | Achieved | & Change (+/-) |
| Maize | 787 | 797 | 1.2 |
| Rice | 425 | 247 | -44.9 |
| Soy | – | 45 | – |
CLEAN FARM PROGRAMME
Under the clean farm programme farmers are sensitized on how to sanitize their farms and localities to prevent disease outbreaks and contamination. The programme started with the collection of used agro-input containers, obsolete agro inputs, education of farmers in environmental cleanliness etc.