Land in the district could be acquired through inheritance, lease, and private ownership or hiring. As far as the terms of land acquisition are concerned, about 50% of the farmers acquired their land without any payment, the rest acquire their land through either sharecropping and on a fixed rent basis.

The main types of sharecropping are the “abunnu” (half of the crop produced are given to the tenant farmer and half to the landowner) and “abusa” (two-thirds of the produce is given to the farmer and one-third to the landowner).

Farmers’Groups

There are about 146 farmer groups and other common interest groups in the district. The formation of Farmer Based Organizations is on-going. The FBOs have the potential of developing and strengthening the Value Chain of various commodities for the mutual benefit of all actors.

Over the years, the capacity of these FBOs has been built by MOFA in collaboration with institutions like, ADRA, MIDA, TIPCEE, KROBODAN, Hunger Project etc. Some of them have benefitted from credit facilities provided by some of the above institutions.

SOMEFBOsINTHEYILOKROBODISTRICT

• 1. Korm Land & Water Management Group
  2. Pleyo Cassava Processing Group
  3. Sodjonu Land & Water Management Group
  4. Labolabo Cassava Processing Group
  5. Koyire Land & Water Management Group and
  6. Koyire Cassava Processing Group
  7. Ahinkwa Cassava Processing Group
  8. Opersika Land & Water Management Group
  9. Perpertifi Land & Water Management Group
  10. Akpamu Yiti Decent Mothers Cassava Processing Group
  11. Obawale Cassava Processing Group
  12. Trawa Cassava Processing Group
  13. Akorwu Kakepemi Nyermisomi Cassava Processing Group
  14. Yilo Krobo Grasscutter Farmers Association
  15. Yilo Krobo Mango Growers Association
  16. Yilo Krobo Poultry Farmers Association
  17. Yilo Krobo Beekeepers Association
  18. Yilo Krobo Pig Farmers Association
  19. Yilo Krobo Cattle Farmers Association
  20. Okper Maize, Pepper & Cassava Farmers Association
  21. Okper Love & Unity Society
  22. Huhunya Unity Farmers Association
  23. Apersua Mile 7 Farmers Association
  24. Opersika Emaahi Farmers Association
  25. Aketebour Cassava Growers & Processors Association
  26. Yilo Krobo Mango Seedling Producers Association

Marketing

The three main markets in the District are Somanya, Nkurakan and Agogo markets. Middlemen from Accra, Tema and Koforidua play a major role in the marketing of agricultural produce in the district. Most of the farmers sell their produce to middlemen who, in turn, send it to other marketing centers within and outside the district for sale.

These 3 main markets of the district play a very important role in the marketing of agricultural produce.

Please refer to the table below.

MainMarketsoftheYiloKroboDistrict

AgriculturalInfrastructure

• Fertilizer depots – Nil
• Input retailing shops – 11
• Tractor service centres (AMSEC) – 2
• Storage facilities available (traditional and improved and communal or private)

Construction of Mango Pack House by MiDA is on-going

LANDUSE

LandUse(SpecifictoAgriculture)

LandUse(General)

RainfallDistributionbyAgro-ecologicalzones

DomesticFoodSupplyanddemandPosition(2010)

DATAONPLANTATIONCROPSINTHEYILOKROBODISTRICT-2010

Mango is the major tree crop cultivated in the Lower Yilo. It has both ecological and economic potential. Land area under mango cultivation continues to increase every year. In 2010, a total area of 1,314.9 ha was recorded.  Some of the varieties under cultivation include; Keitt, Kent, Palmer, Tommy Aikinns, Harden, Erwin etc. Mango growers in the District have received enormous training from MOFA and other institutions like ADRA, TIPCEE in the past. Quite recently, MIDA and ADVANCE have trained the Mango Growers Association in Commercial and Technical Development. Some farmers have also benefitted from the MIDA credit assistance. Currently MIDA is building a mango pack house at Akorley for the catchment area.

DataonMangoProduction–2010

Note: About 60% of cultivated area fruiting

EXTIMATEDREVENUEFROMONEHECTAREMANGOPRODUCTION

Agro-ProcessingFirms/Groups

Note:GroupsweresupportedundertheFABsProject–2005to2006

AgriculturalProjects

 LOCATION:

It is located on the southern portion of the Eastern Region, and its about 75kilometers north-west of Accra.

LAND AREA:

has a land area of 1,018square kilometers

BOUNDARIES:

It shares common boundaries with seven (7) other districts namely;

–          Kwaebibirem to the north

–          Birim south to the west

–          Agona Swedru, Ewutu Senya and Ga district to the south,

–          Suhum Kraboa- coalter to the east and

–          Akwapim –South to the east.

TOPOGRAPHY AND CLIMATE

The land is generally undulating with heights ranging between 60-460 meters above sea level. The highest point is the Atiwa Range and is located between Pabi and Wawase. The municipality lies within the wet semi- equatorial climatic zone. Rainfall is bi-modal with figures between 1,238mm and 1,660mm.Temperature ranges between 25.2⁰C – 27⁰C.

SOIL

The soil in the municipality is well drained, rich and capable of supporting a wide range of crops – cocoa, coffee, citrus, oil palm, rubber, cassava, yam, plantain, maize and non-traditional crops like – tiger nuts, black pepper, ginger and sweet berry.

The soils are equally good for rice, sugar-cane and vegetable cultivation.

NATURAL RESOURCE

Gold deposits are located at Awaham, Akanteng and Kobriso. Diamond deposits are found at Akanteng and Anomakwadwo near Osenase, and clay deposits also located around Odumkyere –  Darmang.

DRAINAGE.

The major rivers are Abukyen, Ayensu and Supon. These rivers offer good Opportunities for fishing. The rivers can be harnessed for water supply and irrigation purposes. The Kwaku Sae waterfall is located at Kwaku sae, near Brekumanso. The Akanten and Aworotenteng waterfalls are both located in the Atewa Forest Range Reserves.

WATER SUPPLY

Pipe-borne and mechanized boreholes systems are operating at 6.9% and 24.1% levels respectively in the district. The major sources of potable water in the district are boreholes and wells. About 31% of the population has access to potable water.

ROADS

The district has a total of 273km of access road network. The trunk road network is 73.5km. The condition of the remaining road network is very deplorable.

MARKET

There are four major marketing centers in the municipality. They are at Asamankese, Adeiso, Osenase and Akanteng. The sphere of influence of these markets extends beyond the district to Suhum, Accra, Tema and Lome. The

PRODUCTION AND GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT

A. AGRICULTURE

Agriculture is the major economic activity in the district and it employs 52.1% of the labour force. A baseline survey revealed that, generally large scale farming activities are limited in the municipality..

Production situation in the district is shown in the table below:

Source: MOFA SRID 2010

LAND TENURE SYSTEM

Farm lands in the district are acquired through inheritance, lease, family head, Purchase and chiefs in descending order of magnitude as indicated by the base-Line survey. About 33.0% through lease, 24.2% through family head, 9.1% through purchase and 3.0% through allocation by chiefs.

FARM SIZE

Farmers in the district have farm sizes raging from 0.2 hectare to over 2 hectares. The baseline survey indicates that West Akim is a district of medium size farms, the average farm size being 0.84 hectares. Field survey also shows that a majority of farmers, about 68.2% have 2 or more farms at different location. About 52% of the total land area of 1,018km² is under cultivation. Most farmers are cultivating in 2 or 3 locations of an average of 0.83 ha in a sedentary farming system.

NUMBER OF HOLDERS IN VARIOUS AGE GROUPS

Source: MOFA SRID 2010

FARMING SYSTEM

These include inter alia, mono-crop rotation, agro-forestry, mixed cropping and mixed farming. These systems are modification of shifting cultivation and bush fallow systems

FARM LABOUR

These forms of labour are employed in farming within the municipality, these are 53% rely on family labour, 40% on hired labour ad 7.0% on the ‘Nnoboa’ system for farming labour.

CASH CROPS

Cocoa

Cocoa which is an exportable crop and a major foreign exchange earner for the country is widely produced in the municipality.

The cocoa industry in the municipality is  mostly handled by private farmers. The average farm size of the crop is 0.6 hectares. Marketing of the produce is done mainly through the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Company of COCOBOD and on a limited scale through private organization such as OLAM, FEDCO, KUAPA etc.

Oil Palm

Oil palm equally abounds in the municipality . Tenera is mostly  the variety grown and some peasant farmers have actually cultivated the crop in the gently sloping low lying but well drained sites. The crop is marketed by private farmers. Palm oil extraction is done locally and on small scale. There is one medium scale palm oil processing factory at Topease.

Citrus

Citrus is also widely cultivated in the municipality.. The crop is cultivated and marketed by private peasant farmers.. Presently PINORA a private multinational company located at Asamankese is  processing citrus concentrates for export.

EXTENSION SERVICE

The Agricultural Extension Services assists local farmers to increase agricultural production and to introduce farmers to new and improved technologies through training and farm demonstrations.

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

Livestock are kept by farmers who are also engaged in crop farming. The main animals kept by the farmers are sheep, goats, poultry and pigs. About 89% of livestock farmers rear sheep, goats and fowls using the backyards of their living areas. Poultry farming, the pre-occupation of 8.6% of farmers engaged in livestock farming is predominantly found in Asamankese, Adeiso and Mepom. Only about 2.6% of livestock farmers are engaged in piggery.

STORAGE FACILITIES

Perishable produce e.g. Vegetables and fruits cultivated in the municipality are  sold fresh because there are no storage facilities for these staples and fruits. Maize is however stored in traditional barns and on the roofs of kitchen.. There are few small-scale agro-based processing industries processing products like corn dough, cassava dough, palm oil as well as local gin.

VETERINARY SERVICES

The veterinary Service Unit which is mainly concerned with animal health has as their aim, the strengthening of the development and improvement of livestock and poultry industry in the district. Filed and slaughter house activities occupy 85% of the working hours of the staff.

The survey revealed that, only about 20% of those who rear animals receive veterinary services.

COMMERCE

In the West Akyem District, markets are organized on both daily and periodic basis. The main markets in the district where tolls are collected are located at Asamankese, Adeiso, Osenase, Akanteng and Abamkrom. Markets in the district that operate daily are Asamankese, Mepom, Adeiso, Topease, Osenase, Abamkrom, Bunso, Krodua, Brekumanso, Kumikrom, Oworam, Ekoso, Awaham, Asikasu, Akanteng, Esaase, Kwabaah, Quahie.

Bi-weekly markets which operate on Mondays and Thursdays are at Asmankese, Adeiso, Mepom and Abankrom. At Pabi the bi-weekly market operates on Tuesdays and Fridays and at Osenase, the market operates on Sundays, while that of Akanteng operates on Sunday and Wednesday.

Table shows the major markets, their market days and main food items that are common on these markets.

Source: MOFA, West Akim District, October, 2010

Suhum Municipal Assembly was formerly part of Suhum Kraboa Coaltar District until the recent decentralisation process which resulted in the fragmentation of the District into Suhum Municipal and Ayensuano District. The Municipal was established by Legislative Instrument 2012 (L.I. 2048) prior to that, it was created under the Local Government Act, 1993(462). The Municipal is divided into three zonal centres. The Suhum zone is the only urban among the three. The other two are Nankese and Akorabo. Zonal councils and unit committees have been established for these zones. These committees are expected to work at the community levels and serve as agents of change, growth and mobilization in support of the Assembly’s development efforts.
POPULATION CATEGORIES
             Size and Growth Rate of the population
The district as at 30th June 2012 had a projected population of 87,000 made up of 43,152 males and 43,848 females. The growth rate is 0.4%
The low growth rate may be explained by the fact that the municipality is very near Accra and therefore, loses a lot of young people to the national capital under rural – urban migration.
 Major Settlements
Most of the one hundred and forty (140) settlements (localities) of the municipal have population of less than 500. The projected populations of the fifteen largest settlements in 2012 were as follows:
Suhum(36,268),Nankese(5319),Okorase(2628),Akorabo(2222),Obretema(1321),Brong Densuso(1037),Omenako(952) ,  Akorabo (2359),  Jato(944) , Ayisikrom(926), Kofigya(880), Amanhia(800), Kukua(786), Okanta(705), Kwahia(587).

Rural : Urban Split
About 52% of the population lives in Suhum and its adjoining settlement of Kofigya and Okorase and Nankese. This gives a rural urban split of about 1:1

Settlement Pattern
The settlement pattern is generally nucleus (cf: dispersed) type. However, there is this pattern of hamlets inhabited by a man and his family and a few other persons strung along the bush road or path which may bear the same name. This makes the location of amenities especially schools building and the extension of electricity very difficult and expensive. More boreholes for example are needed than what the population actually calls for.

 Ethnic Composition
The major ethnic groups and the proportion of the population they command are Akan (37.4%), Ga-Dangme (25.6%), Guan (17.4%), Ewe (17.4%)

Cultural Practices
While the Akan are matrilineal the other ethnic groups are patrilineal with respect to inheritance.
The land tenure system in the district is quite different from the practice in most parts of the country. Land is generally owned by individuals and families as a result of freehold acquisitions from the allodia title owners- the Akyem Abuakwa Stools.

Population Density in Regional and National Context
With a land area of 400sq km and population size of 87,000 the population density of the municipal is 217 per sq km in 2012.

Age Distribution
The population is a relatively young one, as shown by the age distribution: 0 – 14 years (41.62%). 15 – 49 years (45.10%), 50 – 64 year (7.75%) and 65 years and above (5.5%).

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
             Location
Suhum-Municipality is located in the south-central part of the Eastern Region of Ghana and covers a land area of about 400 square kilometres. It is bounded anti-clockwise by the New Juaben Municipality to the north-east, East Akim Municipality in the north, Ayensuano District to the west and south, Nsawam-Adoagyir, Municipality to the south and Akwapim North Municipality in the east. It is located within Latitudes 50  451 N and 60 51 N and Longitudes 00 151W and 00 45W. Its capital, Suhum Town, is only sixty (60) kilometres northwest of Accra on the busy Accra-Kumasi-Tamale-Ouagadougou Highway.

Climate
The climate is of the tropical type and the temperature range from 240C to 290C.  The hottest months are March and April while the coolest months are December and January. Relative humidity especially in the rainy season is between 87% and 91%. It is between 48% and 52% in the dry season.
The annual rainfall figures for the municipal ranges between 1270mm and 1651mm.  The first and major rainy season occurs between April and July and the second and minor season falls between September and November. 

Relief and Drainage
The area has a few highlands with the Asarekrom area overlooking the Densu River and standing at about 450metres above sea level being the highest elevation. The main river basin is the Densu which takes its source from the Atewa range in the East Akyem Municipality. Its major tribute is the Kua whose main tribute is the Suhum. 
There are outcrops of gigantic rocks near Nankese and Bokor near Suhum on the way to Asamankese. A formal sector company operates a quarry at Brong Densuso near Nankese.

Vegetation
The district was originally covered by a semi deciduous forest. However, human activities in the form of cultivation, lumbering and extraction of fuel wood have drastically reduced the original vegetation to an insignificant level and the land is now covered mostly by re-growth thickets and secondary forests. Other types of vegetation like the elephant grass have also grown on farmlands where the fallow periods are not adequate and the fertility of soils has now been reduced due to sheet erosion.

Cocoa Farms

There is no original forest cover anywhere in the municipality communities

 Soils
The types of soil, where they occur in the district and what they are capable of producing are shown in the table below:
Table: Soils and Their Capacity.

Source: CSIR

LAND USE
Land use falls into the following patterns
Agriculture
Agriculture made up of cultivation of the cocoa & cash crop such as cashew, oil palm, citrus farming, cultivation of food crop – maize, cocoyams, plantains, yams, vegetables etc
The non-agriculture land use include

1. Areas for housing in Human Settlements ( hamlets, village & town)
2. Industry – (sawmilling & woodwork, agro-processing, auto mechanics, metal fabrication work.
3. Road and tracks
4. Power supply, communication infrastructure, water pipelines etc.

Recreational facilities mainly football fields.
CROPS
ANNUAL ESTIMATED CROP AREA (HA) AND PRODUCTION
Table:

Number of farmers sensitized on HIV/AIDS
Table:

Farmers sensitized in the year 2012 against HIV/AIDS in the municipal in Table above shows an increase in numbers of males sensitized by 62%. Female participation was only 38%. Men are often considered head of homes and as such are often present at meetings whiles women are made to stay back and take care of the home. Assumption is that the men will brief their family upon return from such meetings.

PRODUCTION
Agriculture is the main economic activity of the municipal employing about 50% of the population in either full-time or part-time. Yields for staple crops are not high given the following figures Maize:  2.6mt  – 4.0mt per hectare, Cassava: 28.0mt – 40.00mt per hectare, Plantains: 8.0mt – 9.5mt per hectare and Cocoyam:  5.0mt  –  12mt. per hectare. The major cash and non-traditional crops produced in the municipality are cocoa, citrus oil palm, pineapples, pawpaw & vegetables. Productivity in agriculture is not high as a result of the low yields and low prices for the produce especially foodstuffs. A lot of environmental problems are as a result of pollution of water bodies and hardening of soils by agro-chemicals and chemical fertilizers. Human beings are also put to danger by the excessive use of chemicals on crops such as tomatoes and garden eggs.
The populations of livestock are as follows: Cattle 185, Sheep 56000, Goat 7166, Pigs 1112, Commercial Poultry 4362 and local poultry 35000.
The proximity to Accra makes the area a potentially high in respect of the production of poultry products and non-traditional crops that are exported such as pineapples, pawpaw and vegetables.

MARKETING
There are two major markets in the municipal which are prominent in food marketing. The major markets are

1. Suhum
2. Akorabo

These markets operate bi-weekly to allow clients to move from one market to the other.

ROADS
This municipality has about 30kms of highway all being sections of the Accra-Kumasi and Koforidua- Asamankese trunk roads.
At the moment a 36km dual-road project is taking place from Kwafokrom in the Nsawam Adoagyiri Municipality to Apedwa in the East Akyem Municipality with 10 kms passing through Suhum municipality. Only about 10 kilometres of the feeder road network is surfaced with most of them having earth surface.

IRRIGATION
The municipal has no major irrigation facility. However, vegetable farmers use pumping machines to draw water from Densu and Kua rivers to irrigate their crops.

AGRO PROCESSING
There are few agro-processing facilities in the municipality. Processing of cassava into gari are found in Kukua, Abenabu and Nankese-Ada while palm oil production is found in Dawa, Brong Densuso and Ayisikrom.

FARM POPULATION
Agricultural Holders
Table 3

SPECIAL PROJECTS
CADBURY COCOA PARTNERSHIP ( CCP)
This partnership is between Cadbury UK and COCOBOD, Ghana. VSO is the implementing agent in Suhum Municipality and MOFA is the lead organization in the partnership. The project basically aims at improving Cocoa production in the Project communities.
The communities have increased from 11-40 (30 new communities). A total of 375 bicycles have been distributed to 15 schools in 15 communities and some teachers. Also an ICT centre is being constructed at Kofi Pare one of the project communities.
The project has provided boreholes in 5 communities ( Abenabo, Kokotesua/ Safrosa, Adidiso, Kromameng and Duodukrom). They have also distributed mosquito nets to all 41 communities. Beneficiaries are pregnant women and children of 1 day-3 years old.
This project has facilitated the drawing of community action plans for all 41 communities integrated into District/Municipal Development Plans. Has trained women extension volunteers in 12 communities to organise and educate women especially on basic Agric practices and other health, gender and Human rights issues.

4-H GHANA
It is part of a network of 4-H programmes in over 70 countries in North, Central and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. The 4-H youth experience includes practical skill building activities, meaningful leadership roles and connection with caring adults. The project covers 12 Districts in Eastern region of which our Municipal is one and targeting 3600 school children and 1000 out of school youth expected to other parts of the country. The project focus is engaging the youth between the ages of 18-25 in agriculture, community work, health and other programmes that targets the livelihood and skills. The project for the Municipal is named Enterprise Garden Project.  Within the Municipal, 5 schools have been chosen for this project namely Adarkwa D/A JHS, Abenabo Presby Primary, Akorabo D/A JHS, Suhum D/A Experimental JHS and Otwebediadua D/A Primary where student practice school gardening in their various schools. Also 4-H has formed youth clubs in some communities like Akorabo and Ayisikrom.

POTENTIAL OF DISTRICT
The Municipal has the potential of growing a wide range of crops namely citrus, cereals, vegetables, oil palm, tubers and cocoa as a result of the good rich soils in the Municipal. The Municipal has a bimodal rainfall pattern which support plant growth throughout the year. Most of arable crops do well and with some form of capital investment, production can be boosted massively. Animal rearing is also another potential area that can be looked at. Animals have forage to graze throughout the year, hence it is lucrative venturing into animal production. The Municipal is also at close proximity with Accra about 60 kilometres distance and producers can easily convey their produce to bigger market centres in Accra for sales. The Municipal is surrounded by some research facilities that makes it easy for farmers to access knowledge, Kusi Oil Palm Research Institute, Tafo Cocoa Research Institute and Plant Genetic Resource Centre at Bonsu. The Densu and Kua River routed through the Municipal can support aquaculture and irrigation of vegetables and other crops.

Location : latitudes 6º 05’N and 6º 30’N and longitudes 0º 08’E and 0º W

Land Area : covers an area of 1,476 sq. km.

Boundaries:It shares boundary with Upper Manya Krobo in the North east,
Yilo Krobo in the West, Dangbe-West in the Southwest and Asuogyaman in East.

Climate:
The district falls within the semi-equatorial climate belt. It has two major seasons, namely the wet and dry seasons. The wet season is from April to early August and from September to October. August is normally dry and cold with November to March being dry and warm. The total amount of rainfall is between 900 mm and 1,150 mm. Relative humidity is high during the wet season between 70% and 80%, low in the dry season about 55% – 60%
Two major winds affect the climate of the district. These are the wet Southwest Trade winds which blow across the district from the Atlantic Ocean between  March and July and the Northeast trade winds (harmattan) from the Sahara Desert between November and early March.

Temperature:
The temperatures are generally high with average ranging
between about 26º C and 32º C

Vegetation: The district falls within the semi-deciduous forest and derived
Savannah zone. The former is divided into the “Fire” and “Inner” zones. The dry semi-deciduous (Fire zone) stretches from the Yilo-Krobo district to the lower part of the Manya district area covering 855 sq. km
Tree types such as the palm; mango, ceiba, neem and cassia are the most widespread

The semi-deciduous (Inner zone) is extensive and stretches through the Upper part of the district. Ceiba (Onyina), neem and cassia are also abundant in this area.

SOIL CLASSIFICATION, CHARACTERISTICS & CROP SUITABILITY

Topography:
Generally, the relief is undulating with elevations lying between 50 and 600 meters above sea level.

MAJOR TOWNS:

COMMODITY PROFILE:

(I)    ESTIMATED AREA, YIELD & PRODUCTION OF MAJOR STAPLES – 2010

LIVESTOCK DISTRIBUTION

LAND TENURE SYSTEMS:
Land is acquired in the following ways in the district, Individual ownership or inheritance from family. Rent or hiring from land owners.
Mortgage,
share Cropping (Abunu and  Abusa)

AVAILABILITY OF MECHANIZED AREAS
Farm holdings are small and scattered over the area, in some cases at
considerable distance from one another. There is one Mechanization center equipped with five John Deere tractors with accessories in the district.

PLOTS AND FARM SIZES:
Many of the farmers have more than one plot, all small in size and scattered over the area often at considerable distance from one another.

FARM PLOT FOR FARMER

FARM SIZE DISTRIBUTION

FARMING SYSTEMS:
The people of the district, mainly Krobos, are “Huza” farmers most of who settle on their farms. The “Huza” system is practiced mainly at the mid section of the district. Most farmers also practice mix-cropping and land rotation with short fallow periods.

AGRICULTURAL POTENTIALS:
The district stretches across some five different types of soil classes which promote the growth of a range of crops. Crops grown include maize which is cultivated throughout the district while Cassava is cultivated at the mid portions. Plantain is cultivated at Ayemersu, Asitey, Bueyonye and Yonyuase.Rice is cultivated at Kpong and Akuse. Pepper is cultivated alongside the local vegetables at Obelemanya, Ayemersu, Oborpah and Odumase. Mango is also cultivated on large scale in Kpong, Odumase

About 15% of the working population practice livestock farming. Animals reared include cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and grass cutters. Main livestock rearing areas are Akuse, Kpong, Okwenya, and Oborpah.

Fishing is carried out along the Volta Lake and rivers in the following areas: – Kpong, Akuse, Obelemanya and its environs.

Aquaculture/Cage farming is also gaining popularity in Akuse.

ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES:

The major economic activity in the district is Agriculture. It employs about 69% of the population. Total farm size under cultivation is over 20,250 hectares. A variety of other economic activities are undertaken which generates additional income and serves as a source of employment. There are small scale industrial activities as agro-processing satchet water making, forest products processing, handicrafts making ,beads making etc. Food processing activities include gari-processing, palm oil extraction, distilling of alcoholic beverages and fish smoking. Clay-ware and ceramics, textile and dressmaking and leather works are also undertaken.
Most of these are under sole proprietorship, which employs few people.

POST HARVEST ACTIVITIES:
Modern storage facility systems such as silos warehousing with dry facilities are not in existence in the district. Main types of storage facilities in the use are maize barns, narrow crib and roof top storage. Maize is the only grain that has elaborate storage system. Facilities for the storage of other produce are not available leading to high post harvest losses.

TYPES OF STORAGE FACILITIES

POTENTIAL IRRIGATION AREAS:
Areas along the Volta Lake especially Obelemanya, Akuse and Kpong can be irrigated.

RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS:
The University of Ghana has a research station at Kpong. Its areas of research include soils, crops and livestock.

FARM LABOUR
A high degree of manpower is employed in farming activities in the district and majority of farmers are old people.

AGE   DISTRIBUTION

TYPE OF LABOUR USED

AGRIC INPUT SITUATION:
Fertilizers. The use of organic manure, chemical fertilizers and other agro chemicals are on a limited scale. The types of fertilizers applied by farmers in the district are compound fertilizers namely ( 20  – 20 – 0 ) , ( 23 – 15 – 5 ) ,  ( 15 – 15 – 15 )  Nitrogen fertilizers like Urea and Sulphate of Ammonia.  About 50 kg of the compound is applied on 0.4 hectares (1 acre) of land and about 25 kg of Urea or 50 kg of Sulphate of Ammonia is applied on 0.4 hectare (1 acre) of land. The distribution of fertilizer has been privatized
farmers use less fertilizer as the prices are too high.

TYPE OF FERTILIZERS APPLIED

AGRO CHEMICALS
The use of agro-chemicals in the district is very high due to their high cost of labour. Middlemen take advantage of the supply situation to exploit the farmers. Farmers who buy from traders and middlemen pay between 50% – 100% of the retail prices.

TYPE OF AGO-CHEMICAL

FARM TOOLS:
The farming implements used are cutlasses, hoes, mattock and equipment like tractors and spraying machines. Even though these small scale farmers produce the bulk of the food for the district, they cannot afford labour-saving inputs like tractors due to inadequate funds.

The use of modern agricultural technologies is therefore not extensive. The use of tractor is practiced by a few.

USE OF FARM TOOLS

(I)MARKETING SYSTEM:
Urban based middlemen and women within and outside the district play a significant role in the marketing of farm produce. Many of the farmers sell their produce at the nearest local and major markets to these middlemen and women who in turn take them to other marketing centers within and outside the district. Pricing of agricultural produce which is determined by supply and demand, but negotiated by the middlemen is unfavorable to the farmers. Prices of farm produce are very low and a disincentive to the agricultural sector.

(II) MAJOR MARKETING CENTERS:

(III) COMMODITIES SOLD:
All local staples, vegetables, farm inputs, textiles, hardware, pottery, livestock, poultry   products, fish products, edible oil and drugs are sold in the markets.