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Asante Akim South

 

 

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

  1. Dome forest (80.50 sq km)
  2. Mirasa forest (67.30sq km)
  3. North Formaso Forest (42.70sq km)
  4. South Formaso forest (41.40sq km)
  5. 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.

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