INTRODUCTION
Demographics, Weather, Land Use, Investments Etc
The Ahafo Ano South District is one of the 27 Administrative districts of the Ashanti Region. It was carved out of the old Ahafo Ano District Council in pursuance of the decentralization programme in 1988.
The district is located on Latitude 642”N, and longitude 45’N and 2 20’’ W. It is located on the North-Western part of the region, bounded in the north by Tano District (Brong Ano North Region), in the South by Atwima District, in the west by Ahafo Ano North District and in the east by the Offinso District all in Ashanti Region.
The District covers a total surface area of about 1241 km sq., representing 5.8% of the region’s total surface area. With the above description of location, the district can be said to fall within the forest belt of Ghana.
The District Capital, Mankranso, is located 34km north-west of Kumasi on the Kumasi-Sunyani highway. Other major settlements include Sabronum, Kunsu, Mpasaaso 1&11, Adugyama, Wioso, Ahwerewam, Pokukrom, Domeabra and Abesewa. The district is divided into 10 Area councils and sub divided into 42 Electoral areas.
WEATHER
CLIMATE:
The climate of the district is the wet semi-equatorial type. The mean monthly temperature is about 26°C. Maximum temperature of about 29°C is recorded in March and April just before the onset of the rainy season.
The rainfall pattern consists of two rainy seasons. The major season is usually between March and July with June as the peak period. The minor season is between late September and November. The mean annual rainfall ranges between 150-170cm. Rainfall totals and incidence very widely from year to year. The number of rainy days average about 100-120 days a year’ with 75% of these occurring during the major season. The months of December through March are virtually dry (harmattan period). The relative humidity is high especially in the rainy seasons and early mornings. Mankranso has a relative humidity of about 90 percent. The north-western winds could at times reduce relative humidity to as low as 70 percent between December and January.
LAND USE
Arable land
The district is endowed with arable land. About 80 percent of the land is suitable for crop cultivation with around 60% of the arable land being under cultivation. Maize, rice, cassava, yam, cocoyam and plantain are the main food crops cultivated. The soils and the rainfall regime do support different types of agricultural produce such as citrus, cocoa, oil palm, plantain, cassava, tomatoes, maize and rice. Some settlements like Wioso, Ahwerewam and Sabronum, which lie along the forest reserves experience severe shortage of farmlands.
There is encroachment on forest reserves for faming activities and also for wildlife. According to the farmers, the fertile forest reserves are being wasted.
GEOLOGY AND MINERALS
The district forms part of the Birimian formations-mainly phyllites and schist-intruded with granite rocks.
TOURISM
Tourism is under developed in Ahafo Ano South District. However, good quality kente is produced in places like Nsutem, Barniekrom and Nyinanufu. These villages could be developed into craft villages for the purposes of tourism. There is also an ancient royal mausoleum at Sabronum which has greater potential for tourism development.
ECONOMIC GEOLOGY
The District is endowed with rice mineral deposits such as Gold, Bauxite, Manganese, Clay, Quarry stone and Sand.
MINERALS
Gold, bauxite, manganese, quarry stone, clay deposits and sand and stones form the mineral resource base of the district. Areas like Kunsu, Sabronum and Barniekrom have gold deposits. Evidence exists at Kunsu, Dwinyama and Sabronum as old mining sites. Prospecting activities have been completed at Mpasaso, Mankranso, Kunsu, Bonkwaso and Sabronum. In fact viability has been established at the Bonkwaso site. It is envisaged that actual mining will start in the foreseeable future.
Bauxite deposits are found at Aya Hills and Mpasaso as part of the Nyinahin Bauxite deposits. Considerable deposits of manganese are found at Asirebuso camo, 5 kilometres South of Mpasaso. Clay deposits found at Hwibaa-Wioso-Asuabei Biemso II and Mankranso have been tested by the Building and Road Research Institute of the CSIR and looking for investors in this area.
DEMOGRAPHICS
Demographic information of the District is based on the 2000 population and housing Census results.
POPULATION SIZE AND GROWTH:
The total population of the District in 1984 was 81,828. However, the population of the District in 2000, according to the 2000 population and housing census, is 133,632 representing about 3.7 percent of the Regions total population of 3,612,950. The current projected population of the district is 142,046. Males constitute 55.2 percent and females represent about 44.8 percent. The sex ratio stands at 123.2 males to 100 females. Using 1984 population as the base year, the annual growth rate is estimated at 3.1 percent. This growth rate is considered to be high as compared to the regional rate of 2.5%. This high growth rate is largely due to natural factors (high fertility rate and low mortality rate) and migration.
POPULATION DENSITY
Ahafo Ano South District has a total land area of 1241 sq. km. however; the population of the district keeps on increasing at an alarming rate over the years. The population density of the district 1984 was 65.9 per sq. km. This figure increased to 77.1 and 90.0 in 1990 and 1995 respectively. The population density for 2000 is 107.2.
MAJOR CROPS PRODUCED
Total number of holders engaged in the various crops in the district is Tabulated below:
| CROP | MAIZE | RICE | CASSAVA | COCOYAM | YAM | PLANTAIN | TOMATO | PEPPER |
| NUMBER | 19,718 | 1,749 | 20,584 | 17,593 | 1,217 | 20,068 | 5,555 | 3,025 |
Average cropped area per holder for the various crops:
| CROP | MAIZE | RICE | CASSAVA | COCOYAM | YAM | PLANTAIN | TOMATO | PEPPER |
| AREA | 0.42 | 0.58 | 0.51 | 0.52 | 0.3 | 0.56 | 0.4 | 0.2 |
Estimates for yield per hectare for the various crops:
| CROP | MAIZE | RICE | CASSAVA | COCOYAM | YAM | PLANTAIN | TOMATO | PEPPER | OKRO |
| YIELD | 2.0 | 5.7 | 9.8 | 8.5 | 6.5 | 9.6 | 7.8 | 1.5 | 3.5 |
AREA CROPPED FOR THE MAJOR CROPS
| CROP | YEAR – 2010 |
| MAIZE | 12,436 |
| RICE | 687 |
| CASSAVA | 12,096 |
| YAM | 83.2 |
| COCOYAM | 11,853 |
| PLANTAIN | 9,836 |
| TOTAL | 46,991.2 |
PRODUCATION ESTIMATES FOR MAJOR CROPS IN THE DISTRICT (IN METRIC TONNES)
| CROP | YEAR – 2010 |
| MAIZE | 24,872 |
| RICE | 3915.9 |
| CASSAVA | 118,540.8 |
| YAM | 540.8 |
| COCOYAM | 100,750.5 |
| PLANTAIN | 94,425.6 |
| TOTAL | 343045.6 |
GOVERNMENT FERTILIZER SUBSIDY PROGRAMME
The programme started nationwide on the 22nd of June, 2010. This year’s programme abolished the “coupon system” and adopted the “way bill system”. Out of the five (5) retail shops that registered with the directorate (MoFA – Ahafo Ano South), only two of the shops brought in fertilizers to sell to farmers. A total of 963 males and 364 female(s) farmers benefited from the programme.
The table below depicts the sale of the fertilizer in 2010.
| Name of shop | Location | Type of fertilizer
|
||||
| 16:16:16 | 15:15:15 | SOA | Urea | 23:10:05 | ||
| Adom Enterprise
Enebel ventures Cocoa inputs Doberk Agro services Doberk Agro services |
Mankranso
Adugyama Kunsu Kunsu Adugyama |
550
– – – – |
–
300 – – – |
200
50 – – – |
100
100 – – – |
100
550 – – – |
| Total | 550 | 300 | 250 | 200 | 650 | |
SPECIAL PROJECTS
CODAPEC:
The district is a beneficiary of the CODAPEC mass spraying project. The district carries out mass spraying for both black pod and Capsid control.2’
The Black pod control programme has a total of 108 gangs and the capsid has a total of 20 gangs. For the Blackpod and the Capsid programmes, the district has a total of 128 gangs.
Japan International Research Centre for Agric science (JIRCAS) project.
The JIRCAS project is aimed at rice field reclamation to improve rice production in the country under the “SAWAH” system of rice production. Many sites have been selected and beneficiary groups or farmers are beings supported through training as well as material and equipment support.
The beneficiary groups or farmers are assisted to carry out various field activities through on-farm trainings by Extension Officer. The district has a total of 9 Extension Officers for the project.
INLAND VALLEY RICE DEVELOPMENT (IVRDP) PROJECT
The project started in 2004 with the aim of ensuring food security and poverty reduction and also to reduce rice importation by 30%. It also seeks to assist farmers to raise production form 1.5 tons/ha to 4.5 tons/ha by the end of the 5 years project
FARMER GROUPS
Farmer group formed
Target 30
Achieved 24
LAND DEVELOPMENT
Land development activities at Biemso 1, Potrikrom, Adugyama, D/Nkwanta and Odikro Nkwanta — work completed 54%
TRAINING
Farmers training
Target 15
Achieved 9
Seed Rice production
Target – 1000 bags
Achieved – 610 bags
CARE INTERNATIONAL / CARGILL PROJECT:
This project is being implemented by Care International, an NGO, and funded by CARGILL, a cocoa processing company. The project which started in 2007 is aimed at improving cocoa production as well as a reduction in child labour. Thirty-five communities are being supported in the district through the supply of spraying machines (Knapsack and motorized), supply of improved cocoa pods and trainings. The project is in its 3rd phase.
WEST AFRICA FAIR FRUITS (WAFF) UTZ COCOA CERTIFICATION PROJECT:
This project is aimed at improved cocoa production through certification of cocoa beans for belter prices for farmers. This project is a collaboration between CARE INTERNATIONAL AND WAFF both are NGO’s. Five (5) Care International communities have been selected for this project in the District. Farmers have been trained in certification guidelines or rules and have received their letter of certification with Amarjaro Cocoa Buying Company ready to buy their cocoa at a good price.
SPECIAL PROGRAMMES
BLOCK FARM
A sixteen (16) acre grain rice production was undertaken by the district-in 2010. Four groups in four (4) communities were involved. A total of 15 members benefited from the programme. Inputs costing GH¢1,572.00 were distributed to the groups based on the acreage cultivated.
NB: Recovery agreement: Farmers were to sell their produce and make the total payment by 15th January, 2010.
LIVESTOCK
Treated about 65% of livestock cases even through transportation to most of the communities was difficult.
During the period stake holders training on identification of the common disease such as ASF,PPR, Mange and New castle disease in poultry.
Some of the technologies demonstrated is tabulated blow:
Technologies demonstrated:
| Target | Achieved | |
| Construction of improved housing | 62 | 58 |
| Supplementary feeding | 75 | 69 |
| Deworming | 68 | 63 |
TECHNOLOGIES DEMONSTRATED (CROPS)
Technology transferred to farmers by AEAs was carried out through the establishment of demonstrations.
Among the technologies transferred were:
| No of participants involved | Total | ||
| Male | Female | ||
| Correct use of agro-chemicals | 1223 | 922 | 2,145 |
| Row planting for optimum production | 1897 | 910 | 2,807 |
| Seed/planting materials and multiplication techniques | 788 | 411 | 1,199 |
| Pest/Disease recognition, prevention and control | 807 | 463 | 1,270 |
| Post harvest of food grains/legumes and storage | 346 | 210 | 556 |
| Improve crop varieties | 917 | 666 | 1,583 |
| Cocoa Nursery practices and Diseases | 1161 | 535 | 1,696 |
| Vegetable production | 879 | 398 | 1,277 |
| Plantain suckers multiplication | 315 | 190 | 505 |
| Soil fertility improvement techniques/ management | 205 | 113 | 318 |
| GRAND TOTAL | 8,538 | 4,818 | 13,376 |
Total Number of participants involved was 13,376. Out of this total, 8,538 were males whiles 4,818 represented females.
EXTENSION: Home and Farm visit
| DISTRICT | TARGET | ACHIEVED | BENEFICIARIES | REEMARKS
|
|
| MALE | FEMALE | ||||
| Ahafo Ano South | 3,240 | 2,709 | 8,256 | 5,289 | 13,545 |
ACHIEVEMENTS-2008-2010
SRID
The basic agricultural statistics (household and holders listing results also showed the following for the 3 years. Total holders targeted–25,000
Total holders listed:
2008 – 23,269
2009 – 24,317
2010 – 23,739
Area Targeted to be cropped by farmers–50,000 hectares. Actual area cropped in hectares
| Area cropped 2008 | Area cropped 2009 | Area cropped 2010 |
| 44,127 | 46,326.5 | 46,991.2 |
Production estimates for the three-year period also showed
the following figures:
| year | Production figures /Mltons |
| 2008 | 332,294.2 |
| 2009 | 341,758.72 |
| 2010 | 343,045.6 |