Kpandai District is one of the two newly created Administrative Districts, carved out of the East Gonja District in the Northern Region in February 2008 by the legislative instrument (LI) 1845 and was formally inaugurated on the 12^th day of March 2008.The district shares boundaries to the North by the Nanumba South District, Pru District in the Brong-Ahafo Region to the South, Nkwanta North District in the Volta Region to the East, East Gonja to the West and Krachi West District to the South-West.

DEMOGRAPHY

According to the 2000 Population and Housing Census, the population of the district stands at 94,291 with a growth rate of 2.1% per annum. The population is basically rural with a farming population making up to about 90%. The average household size is about 10.5 in about 10,750 farm families. The total number of communities is 245 with a land area of about 1000sq km.

Ethnicity

The district is inhabited by a number of ethnic groups with the present figure at 24. The major ones are the Nawuris, the Konkombas, and the Nchumurus. Other groups with large presence include the Basares, the Kotokolis and the Battoirs(Ewes).

EconomicActivities

The People are predominantly farmers using the fertile lands for the cultivation of Root and Tuber crops like yam and cassava. Legumes like soybeans, cowpea, groundnuts and Cereals like maize, rice and sorghum. Livestock rearing include cattle, sheep, goats and pigs while Poultry production also includes local fowls, ducks, pigeons, guinea fowls and turkeys. Fishing is also an important economic activity which is carried out primarily by the battoirs on rivers Oti, Daka, White Volta and its tributaries respectively.

Climate

The kpandai district lies in the tropical continental climatic zone with the mid-day sun always overhead, as a result; maximum temperatures are high and range between 29oC-40oC. Maximum temperatures are usually in April towards the end of the dry season and also mark the beginning of the wet season. Minimum temperatures are also recorded around December-January; during the harmattan period and also range between 17oc-22oc. The district comes under the influence of the Wet South-West Monsoons and the North-East Trade winds which are associated with the rainy season and the dry harmattan conditions respectively.

The rainfall pattern in the Kpandai District is characterized by irregularity and variability in terms of timing of onset, duration and total amount of rainfall, which has been the key limiting factor affecting crop production in the district. However the district is endowed with one long major rainy season which usually lasts for ten months, this is sufficient to support and sustain plant growth and development. The total annual rainfall ranges between 1150mm-1500mm.

Rainfall figures of the kpandai district for 2006/ 2007/2008 Year

Sources: Kpandai climatology data 2006/2007/2008yr.

Analysis: – For the three years running one can infer that the rainfall pattern was normal for the Kpandai District and an average of 10 months. Land clearing can commerce in March and April while land tillage can start in May and by close of June all long duration varieties should have been seeded; whilst by close of July all 3 months varieties should have also been seeded. Early cowpea can start in March and by close of June or 1^st week in July picking might have completed; while late cowpea can commence by mid September. Millet and Sorghum can be seeded in September to avoid panicle initiation and formation from heavy rains this can help prevent mold or smoldering of the head. Yam land clearing and mounding should start in December the previous year and by March the following year all activities on yam should be completed.

Vegetation

The natural vegetation in the district is the Guinea Savannah Woodland which has evolved from climatic conditions and modified to a greater extent by human activities. There are quiet a number of grooves which have been preserved over the years.

The tree cover is relatively dense, as compared to the rest of the districts in Northern Region. However, intensive harvesting of the trees for fuel wood and charcoal production and also activities of the Fulani herdsmen is fast reducing the tree cover.

The tree cover consists of semi-deciduous trees such as oil palm; raffia palm; acacia; Shea trees; dawadawa trees; citrus; ebony trees among others. In addition, tall grasses that characterized savannah areas; extensively spread throughout the district. A large number of both plant and animal species inhabit the natural environment.

Topography

The lands are gently undulating with few depressions. There are few high hills to the eastern corridor of the district but mountains are completely absent. The soils are generally sandy loamy except in the lowlands and swampy areas where alluvial deposits are found.

Drainage

The district is endowed with three big rivers- Oti, Daka, White Volta and its tributaries respectively that transverse the district at vantage points and floods these areas at the peak of the rainy season. There are also low lying and swampy areas which also become waterlogged during the rainy season.

LandUseAndLandTenure

The major use to which land is put is farming and grazing of livestock. Some parcels of land have been put to tree plantations and woodlots and minimal to infrastructural development. The average farm holding per farm family is 6.0ha. A good number of communities have dams and dug-outs for domestic use and watering of livestock. Lands are family owned and are therefore inherited by family members. Lands are virtually free of charge and a squatter uses his/her discretion to reward the family or the right land owner.

Majorcrops

Major food crops grown in the district are:

CerealsRootsandTubers

Maize                                               yam

Rice                                                   cassava

Sorghum                                           potato

LegumesVegetables

Soyabeans                                   Okra

Groundnuts                                Onions

Cowpea                                        Tomato

Pepper

Sabdrafa

Fruitscashcrops

Mango                                                   yam

Banana                                                   soyabeans

Oranges                                                  Rice

Water melon                                      pepper

Majortowns&theirpopulation

The district is estimated to have a population of 94,291.

The major towns with the 2000 population and housing census figures as well as 2008 projections are as follows:

PoliticalAuthority

Kpandai District was carved out of the East Gonja District in February 2008 by the legislative instrument (LI) 1845 and was formally inaugurated on the 12^th day of March 2008.it is the highest political and administrative authority in the district. The assembly has thirty (30) members, made up of nineteen (19) elected and eleven (11) appointed. There is one Member of Parliament in the district who serves as ex-officio member to the District Assembly.

The assembly has one (1) Town council and six (6) Area councils and sixty two (62) unit committees in 245 communities.

The Town/Area Councils are as follows:

Kpandai Town Council

Ekumidi Area Council

Katiejeli Area Council

Nkanchina Area Council

Jambuai Area Council

Lonto Area Council

Kabonwule Area Council

Core socio-economic indicators (as per1999 Household baseline survey):

HOUSEHOLD FOOD SECURITY

• Main crops cultivated by households:- Cereals-99.8%, Legumes-89.9%, Roots&Tubers-81.9, Vegetables-33.9%, Fruits-13.7%.
• 66.0% of household do not produce food to cover the whole year. Of this 80% run out of food during the lean season (April-June).
• Access to farm credit by households-9.0%

Waterandsanitation

• Sources of drinking water: during the rainy season- unprotected wells 23.8%, dams 23.1%, during the dry season- dam 63.3%, boreholes 20.6%
• Access to safe drinking water: : during the rainy season 30.2%, during the dry season 25.0%
• Access to sanitation facilities: NO toilet facility 75.6%, traditional pit toilet 12.6%, public KVIP 5.4%, flushed toilet 5.6%, pan latrine 0.4%

Water Facilities

Distribution of water facilities

SOURCE: DWST, 2004.

GuineaWormSituationintheDistrict

In view of the significant increase in the number of hand dug wells and with pumps the number of guinea worm cases in district is in the decline. The 2007 and 2008 years registered no case but this does not propose that the pandemic is completely eradicated; more efforts and education are still needed to completely eradicate the plague.

Sanitation

The sanitation situation in the Kpandai district is nothing to write home about. People still defecate in the open and there are refuse heaps and public toilets unattended to. People continue to dispose garbage or waste materials indiscriminately. More information and education on waste management is urgently needed in the district to avert any outbreaks.

HIV/AIDSSITUATIONINTHEDISTRICT

COORDINATIONANDMANAGEMENTOFTHEDECENTRALISEDRESPONSE.

There exist in the district institutional structures for fighting HIV/AIDS. These are the District Aids Committee and District Response Initiative and Management Team. However, they are not active on the ground due to inadequate funding of their activities. Meetings are rarely held to discuss issues on HIV/AIDS issues and to strategize. In spite of all these numerous challenges some education and campaigns are on going on stigmatization.

AGRICULTURALZONESOFTHEKPANDAIDISTRICT

• KPANDAI
• KATIEJIELI
• JAMBOI
• EKUMID

THEDISTRICTAGRICULTURALDEVELOPMENTUNIT(DADU)

The department is a decentralized department under the Kpandai District Assembly. The department exists to ensure sustainable agricultural growth and development and to provide effective and efficient technical and quality Extension services delivery to farmers, fishermen, agricultural related industries and institutions; whilst ensuring that the environment is not degraded.

The main objective at the District level is to consolidate and sustain agricultural productivity and production so as to achieve food security for the district and also contribute significantly to the nation’s growth and development.

Thespecificworkingobjectivesweredesignedto

• Provide relevant, technical support on production and market information to farmers
• Provide quality extension services delivery to farmers , fishermen and other partners in the food security sector
• Ensure ready access to agricultural inputs by farmers.

• Assist and provide backstopping in constraints analysis
• Ensure and safeguard human health and those of livestock, poultry, fisheries and plants through appropriate guarantee services and observance of regulatory laws
• Improve on pre and post harvest loss management
• Promote and encourage income generation
• Promote research-extension-farmer linkage

Fieldactivities

Thedepartmentofagricultureinthedistrictisinvolvedinthefollowingactivitiesamongothers:-

• Technology transfer
• Home and farm visits
• Pre and post harvest loss management
• Integrated pest and crop management
• Livestock/poultry production
• Fisheries
• Agro forestry
• Marketing information
• Collaboration with PVOs in agricultural prodn.
• Crop production
• Agro processing
• Income generation
• Development of entrepreneurial skills
• Constraints analysis
• Monitoring and evaluation