INTRODUCTION
This profile is an overview of the district, providing an outline of the main agricultural activities, the investment potential and other vital information about the District
NARRATIVE PROFILE OF THE ASANTE AKIM SOUTH DISTRICT
Asante Akim South District (AASD) is one of the twenty-seven (27) administrative districts of Ashanti. Juaso is the district capital.
The AASD is strategically located as the entry and exit point to the Ashanti Region. The district shares boundary with the Eastern Region on the south and west, Asante Akim North District in the north and Amansie East, Ejisu Juaben and Bosome Freho in the West.(see map below)
OPERATIONAL AREAS
As at the time of the preparation of this document, the district had been divided into 16 operational areas the objective of which is to facilitate the provision of extension services to farmers. Table 1 below provides information about the capitals of the operational areas.
SIZE
The AASD predominantly lies within the cocoa belt of Ghana and occupies an area of about 1,217.7sq km (429sq.miles) according to 2000 census.
POPULATION
The District has a population of about 150,000 people according to the 2000 census.
Economic Activities
About 72% of the population is in agriculture i.e. 86,400 people are in active farming and the remaining 28% in commerce and rural industry. The district is mainly rural and agricultural in nature with over 60% of the farmers being tenant farmers.
CLIMATE
The district enjoys the bi-modal rainfall typical of the forest areas of Ghana, with peaks in May/ June and September/ October. Rainfall is adequate for food production. Table 2 provides information about rainfall from 2005 to 2009
Table: Rainfall (mm) 2005-2009
| MONTH | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 |
| January | – | 72 | 5 | – | 30 |
| February | – | 95 | 46 | 55 | 65 |
| March | 157.5 | 202 | 80 | 45 | 200 |
| April | 30.1 | 215.9 | 266 | 80 | 240 |
| May | 150.9 | 241.2 | 55 | 245 | 195 |
| June | 189.2 | 222 | 295 | 435 | 465 |
| July | 59.3 | 65 | 335 | 100 | 320 |
| August | 35 | 9 | 160 | 85 | 50 |
| September | 155.5 | 111 | 25.3 | 143 | 8 5 |
| October | 163.2 | 135 | 55 | 165 | 231 |
| November | 81 | 35 | 165.5 | 10 | 70 |
| December | 7.2 | 55 | 35 | 137 | 15 |
| Total | 1,028.9 | 1,458.1 | 1,522.8 | 1,500 | 1,966 |
DRAINAGE/RIVERS
Rivers Anum, Pra, Kume and others are long and big rivers which water the district. However, none of the rivers are being used for irrigation. They only serve as sources of drinking water and to a limited extent as a means of transportation.
VEGETATION
The district is mostly characterized by forest as far as vegetation is concerned.
SOILS
The soil is mainly of the forest orchrosol and quite fertile while the landscape is undulating with some few granite rocks dotted over the district.
Implication of Physical Characteristics for Development
The physical characteristics outlined above imply the following:
The rainfall can support all year agricultural production of food and cash crops, especially in the southern part.
The rivers that pass through some of the operational areas can support all year round agriculture.
The soils and vegetation can also support agriculture.
Agricultural Land
Agriculture is the most important economic activity in the district. Consequently, agricultural land is a major resource in the district. The district is endowed with land which supports different types of cash crops such as cocoa, coffee, oil palm, citrus and food crops like cassava, plantain, rice, yam, cocoyam, maize and vegetables. Cocoa, citrus, oil palm, cocoyam, cassava, plantain, maize, rice, tomato, and garden eggs are largely cultivated in the district.
Forest Resource
The district can boast of five (5) major forest reserves. They are
- Dome forest (80.50 sq km)
- Mirasa forest (67.30sq km)
- North Formaso Forest (42.70sq km)
- South Formaso forest (41.40sq km)
- Pra-River forest (9.80sq km)
ROADS AND TRANSPORT
There is a good road network in the district but are in poor condition. About 90% of the roads are feeder and farm tracts but are in poor state during the rainy season.
AGRICULTURE
Crops Sector
Table 3. Major Crop Performance in 2006, 2007 and 2008
| Com’dities | Cultivated area(ha) | Production(mt) | Ave. Yield(mt/ha) | ||||||
| 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | |
| Maize | 7,084 | 10,282 | 10,487 | 13,459 | 19,536 | 19,925 | 1,9 | 1.9 | 1.9 |
| Rice(milled) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cassava | 6,720 | 9,859 | 10,056 | 134,400 | 198,166 | 206,148 | 20.0 | 20,1 | 20.5 |
| Yam | 1,143 | 1,143 | 15,545 | 15,544 | 13.6 | 13.6 | |||
| Cocoyam | 5,719 | 9,191 | 9,374 | 84,984 | 137,865 | 143,422 | 14.9 | 0.37 | 15.3 |
| Plantain | 10,096 | 13,165 | 13,428 | 123,789 | 164,563 | 171,207 | 12.0 | 0.53 | 12.8 |
| Total | 29,619 | 43,640 | 44,488 | 343,186 | 535,675 | 556,246 | |||
Under rain fed conditions
Agro -Processing
The level of processing is low. Agro-processing involves mainly extraction of palm oil and processing of cassava into gari. Other processed products are ‘kokonte’, corn dough and palm kernel oil. The main processing facilities are corn mills and are sited within larger communities. Smaller areas do not have them and people have to walk long distances to enjoy such facilities. Table 4 provides major agro-processing centers in the district.
Table 4 Agro-Processing centres
| Name of Processing Centre | Location | Raw Material | Final Product | Brand of Machines | Capacity | Current Production Level |
| Koikrom
Bankame Sunkwa Gari processing group Komeso Nyakoma Nkyesa Odubi Akroma Saabo Komeaboi Attagine |
Koikrom
Bankame Sunkwa Komeso Nyakoma Nkyesa Odubi Akroma Saabo Komeaboi Komeaboi |
Palm fruits
Cassava Maize Maize Maize Palm Kernel Cassava Palm fruits Palm fruits Palm fruits |
Palm Oil
Gari Corn powder Corn powder Corn powder Palm Kernel Oil Gari Oil palm Oil palm Oil palm |
Improvised
Honda Honda Honda Lister Improvised Improvised Improvised Improvised |
High
High High High High High High High |
Low
low Medium Medium Medium Medium low low low low |
Storage Facilities
The main storage facilities are warehouses for cocoa built by farmer associations, societies and government. With the exception of maize and palm oil which are normally stored by holders in small quantities, the other products are not stored because of perishability, however cassava is processed into Gari and stored. Table 5 provides information about storage facilities in the district.
Table 5 Storage Facilities
| Type | Number | Total Capacity | Location | Commodity | Ownership(Private,Community,Gov.) | Remarks eg H, F&N |
| Silo(s) | – | – | – | – | – | – |
| Cribs | 15
50 5 |
50bags
5bags 500kg |
Banso
Bankame Amoakrom Yaw Asare Koikro m Dwendwenase Nkyesa Odubi Juaso Obogu |
Maize
Maize Maize Maize Maize Maize Maize Maize Maize Maize |
Private
Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private Private |
F
F F F F F F F F F |
| Barns | 500
5 2 |
2000kg
50bags 116kg |
Breku
Juaso Obogu |
Maize
Maize Maize |
Private
Private Private |
|
| Warehouse | 3 | 1,600kg | Obogu | Maize/Rice | Private | |
| Others(Mention type) | – | – | – | – | – | – |
H=hiring F=functioning N=Not functioning
LIVESTOCK SECTOR
Livestock Production
Livestock forms an integral part of the farming system in the district. About 90% of crop farmers keep livestock either commercial or for subsistence of which the later takes the larger percentage. Types of animals reared in the district include pigs, small ruminants, cattle and poultry. Tabe 6 and 7 give information about livestock and poultry.
Table 6 Livestock/Poultry Population (Heads)
| Year | Cattle | Sheep | Goats | Pigs | Poultry |
| 2007 | 37 | 3,474 | 5,792 | 367 | 2,706(exotic)
15,089(local) |
| 2008 | 53 | 4,052 | 6,738 | 405 | 20,386 |
Source: Veterinary Services, MoFA-Juaso
Table 7 Local Slaughters (2006-2008)
| DISTRICT | Year | Cattle | Sheep | Goats | Pigs | Others |
| AASD | 2007 | – | – | – | – | – |
| 2008 | 50 | 51 | 96 | – | – | |
| 2009 | 58 | 39 | 83 | – | – | |
| % increase 2009 over 2008 | 16 | (23.5) | (13.5) |
Source: Veterinary Services, MoFA-Juaso
FARMER BASED ORGANISATIONS (FBOs) DEVELOPMENT
A total of thirteen (13) active FBOs operate in the district. These include farmers, processors and marketing groups.
Table 8 Active FBOs in the District
| No. of FBOs | Production | Processing | Marketing |
| Denkyira Cocoyam Growers Association | Cocoyam | – | – |
| Senior Citizens Association | Cocoa | – | – |
| Cocoyam Growers Association | Cocoyam | – | – |
| Cocoyam Farmers Association | Cocoyam | – | – |
| Nyame Bekyere Association | Palm Oil | – | – |
| Cocoyam and Plantain Farmers Association | Cocoyam and Plantain | – | – |
| Din Pa Ye Co-opration | – | – | – |
| Nyame Na Aye Palm Oil Producers Association | – | Palm Oil | – |
| Nyame Bekyere | Palm Oil | ||
| Koikrom Co-operative Farmers Association | Cocoyam and plantain | – | – |
| Palm Oil/Palm Kernel Association | Palm Oil and Palm Kernel oil | – | – |
| Banso Traders Association | – | – | Farm produce |
| Oil palm processers Association | – | Palm oil | – |
| Komeso Cocoyam Farmers’Association | Cocoyam | – | – |
SPECIAL MOFA PROJECTS
Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programme (RTIMP)
RTIMP is the second phase of the Root and Tuber Improvement Programme (RTIP). The objective of the programme is to improve the production, processing and marketing of Root and Tuber Crops particularly cassava. Cassava secondary multiplication fields have been established in the district for distribution to farmers. In 2009, cocoyam multiplication fields were established in two operational areas in the district to serve as source of planting materials.
Cocoa Diseases and Pests Control Programme (CODAPEC) and Cocoa Hi-Tech Programme
The programme began in the District in 2001 and is still on-going. While the mass spraying (CODAPEC) is done free for all cocoa farmers, the cocoa Hi-Tech fertilizer is being sold to farmers.