Atiwa District was carved out of the East Akim District in the year 2004.
Atiwa District is bounded in the east by East Akim and Fantekwa District, to the west by
Birim North, to the south by Kwaebibirem and to the north by Kwahu West District.
LAND AREA:
The District has a total land area of about 1,025 km2
POPULATION:
The population of the district is about 102,543, according to the 2000 population and housing census figures. The populations of the various sub-districts are as follows:
SUB-DISTRICT POPULATION
Kwabeng 27,465
Anyinam 21,567
Jejeti 29,681
Abomosu 23,830
102,543
MAJOR SOIL TYPE:
The Soil type is mainly forest ochrosol and falls under the Birimian series.
TOPOGRAPHY:
The Topography is generally undulating.
VEGETATION:
The Vegetation is basically moist deciduous forest.
FOREST RESERVE:
The Atiwa Forest Reserve, that covers an area of 128sq.km, is found in the District.
RAINFALL DISTRIBUTION:
Rainfall is bimodal
i. Major rains start from March to early August with a peak in June.
ii. Minor rains come in late August to November with the peak in October
MAJOR RIVERS:
The major rivers in the district include Birim, Asuboni, Mampong, Awosu and Akoku.
ROAD NETWORK:
The Accra-Kumasi road which is tarred passes through the district from Ankaase to New Jejeti
Other tarred roads in the district include Anyinam to Abomosu through Kwabeng and Anyinam
to Bomaa through Kwabeng.
Other towns and villages are linked by feeder roads and footpaths some of which become unmotorable during the rainy season.
TRADITIONAL SET-UP:
Chiefs in the district pay allegiance to the Okyenhene.
LAND TENURE SYSTEM:
Land is owned for agricultural purposes by the following arrangements.
a. Outright purchase
b. Share cropping (Abunu, Abusa)
c. Leasehold
d. Renting
f. Freehold
FARMING SYSTEMS:
Mixed cropping, sole cropping, inter-cropping, mixed farming (crop animal farming) land rotation and crop rotation are the farming systems practiced in the area.
CROP FARMING PATTERN:
Shifting cultivation (with fallow period of about 3-5 years).
ANIMAL FARMING SYSTEMS:
Intensive, semi-intensive and free range systems are practiced.
AVERAGE FARM SIZE OF VARIOUS CROPS:
Farm sizes are mostly 0.1-2ha. The various farm sizes are as follows:
|
|
AVERAGE |
MAJOR PROUDCING AREAS |
|
Maize |
0.8 |
All over the district |
|
Cassava |
0.8 |
All over the district |
|
Plantain |
0.8 |
Akropong, Kwabeng, Sekyere, Anyinam, Abomosu |
|
Cocoyam |
0.25 |
Sekyere, New Jejeti, Akropong |
|
Yam |
0.25 |
Sekyere, Akropong, Kwabeng |
|
Palm Oil |
2 |
Akropong, Abomosu, Anyinam, Kwabeng, Asamama |
|
Cocoa |
2 |
Kwabeng, Akropong, Abomosu, Jejeti |
|
Citrus |
0.5 |
Akropong, Kwabeng, Sekyere, Anyinam |
|
Rice |
1.5 |
Akropong, Abomosu, Tumfa |
|
Tomatoes |
0.25 |
Anyinam, Subriso, Awenare |
|
Garden eggs |
0.25 |
Akropong, Tumfa, Kwabeng, Abomosu, Sekyere, Anyinam |
|
Okro |
0.25 |
Anyinam, Akropong, Tumfa, Accra village |
|
Cabbage |
0.25 |
Jejeti, Anyinam, Sekyere |
AGRICULTURAL PROGRAMMES IN THE DISTRICT
The district is engaged in a number of agric related programmes, key among them are elaborated as follows:
The Ghana Agricultural Production Survey (GAPA). GAPS seeks to carry out a survey on agricultural production levels in the district. This exercise, when completed, will help in planning and implementing agricultural and other developmental programmes.
The district is also actively involved in the Youth in Agriculture Programme as a means of creating jobs for the youth in the district whilst increasing food production at the same time. In the 2010 farming season, more than seventy youth benefitted from the programme whilst the 2010 season has begun has just begun with more youth already involved it.
The District Agricultural Development Unit (DADU) in collaboration with the Regional Agricultural Development Unit is involved in the supply of exotic and improved breeds of cockerels in order to upgrade the local poultry breed. The project is also expected to raise the interest of the various communities in poultry production.
The West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) is assisting the DADU in establishing demonstration plots and also conducting famer field school for farmers in the district. Under this exercise, improved cassava planting materials will be made available to farmers in addition to improved production methods. A total of twenty five (25) female and twenty (20) male farmers are currently benefiting from the programme.
Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement Programme (ADVANCE), in collaboration with DADU, has been at fore front in assisting citrus farmers in the district by way of capacity building, providing marketing avenues and organizing citrus farmers into recognized groups. A database of all citrus farms and farmers has been developed as a result of a district wide mapping of all citrus farms in the district carried out in the year 2010.
The district, being a major cocoa producing area, has been inundated with a number of private cocoa seedlings producing firms coupled with numerous cocoa buying companies.
The Birim, river which is a perennial one, in addition to other river bodies serve as sources of water for small scale dry season vegetable growers for irrigating their crops with simple watering cans. There are a few aqua cultural facilities in the district being operated by private individuals.
|
TYPE OF |
AVERAGE |
MAJOR PRODUCING AREAS |
|
Goats |
4 |
All over the district |
|
Sheep |
3 |
All over the district |
|
Pigs |
3 |
Kwabeng, Akrofufu, Akropong, Tumfa, Abomosu |
|
Poultry i. Layers |
100 |
Anyinam, Jejeti, Abomosu, Asunafo |
|
ii. Broilers |
100 (seasonal) |
Anyinam, Kwabeng, Abomosu |
|
iii. Cockerels |
5 |
All over the district |
|
iv. Local |
10 |
All over the district |
AVERAGE STOCK SIZES AND MAJOR PRODUCING AREAS
|
ACTIVITY |
LOCATION |
|
Palm Oil Extraction |
Jejeti, Sekyere, Abokoase, Kwabeng, Subriso |
|
Gari Processing |
Akrofufu, Tumfa, Subriso, Ahankraso |
MAJOR FOOD PROCESSING CENTRES:
|
ACTIVITY |
LOCATION |
|
Palm Oil Extraction |
Jejeti, Sekyere, Abokoase, Kwabeng, Subriso |
|
Gari Processing |
Akrofufu, Tumfa, Subriso, Ahankraso |
MAJOR MARKETS
| MARKET CENTRE |
MARKET DAYS |
MAIN FOOD ITEMS SOLD |
|
Anyinam |
Tuesdays & Fridays |
Plantain, Cassava, Cocoyam, Vegetables, Colocassia (taro) |
|
Asamama |
Tuesdays |
Plantain, Cassava, Vegetables, |
|
Kwabeng |
Fridays |
Plantain, Cassava, Cocoyam, Maize, Vegetables |
|
Abomosu |
Fridays |
Plantain, Cassava, Cocoyam, Palm Oil |
|
Subriso |
Wednesdays |
Plantain, Cassava, Gari, Vegetables |
|
Jejeti |
Fridays |
Palm Oil |