LOCATION
The Asante Akim North Municipal is one of the 27 Administrative Districts in the Ashanti Region. The Municipal has Konongo-Odumasi as its capital. It has a total land area of 1,160 sq km constituting 4.5% of size of Ashanti Region and lies between latitude 6”30 west.
It shares boundary with Kwahu South District in the Eastern Region to the east. It is borded on the north by the Sekyere East District on the south by Asante Akim South District and on the west by Ejisu-Juaben Municipal.
CLIMATE
The climate is the wet semi equatorial type. Temperature are generally high with average of 26” C. Between March and April, Temperature of about 30”C is recorded.
The monthly average rainfall between 120 and 150 mm. combining temperature and rainfall regimes, four seasons are distinguishable with the district micro climate.
They are:
The harmattan season (Dec- April)
The first rainy season (May- July with the peak in June)
The monsoon drought (July – August)
The second rainy season (Sept. – Nov).
SOILS
The soils which support vegetation cover and crops are the product of parent rocks and climate conditions.
The rich soils and the favourable climatic condition have combined to make possible the cultivation of all kinds of crops
Apart from Bediesi sutana Association and Yaya Pimpimse Association which best support cereals and legumes the rest of the soils can support oil palm, cassava plantain, vegetables, citrus and maize.
Beyond Agogo and indeed some parts of the Afram Plains, the most prevalent type of soil is the savannah ochrosol. This soil is well leeched and richly supplied with organic matter nutrients. It supports yam, maize cassava, plantain, vegetables and groundnuts very well. Cashew as a nontraditional export crop can also grow well in this portion of the Municipal
VEGETATION
The vegetation of the Municipality is the moist semi deciduous forest. The major vegetational types include:
The open forest – which covers the high lands (576 sq km)
The closed forest – covering the range (230 sq km)
The wooded savannah – found in the lowlands 246 sq km
Total area of the Municipal – 1162 sq km
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS
The population of Asante Akim Municipality based on 2000 population and housing census is 126,477
The male population is 64,174 (50.7%) and female population of 62.303(49.3 %)
It has population density of 109 persons per square kilometer.
MICRO / MUNICIPAL ECONOMY
The structure of the micro district economy is typical of the national economic structure.
Agriculture is the dominant sector employing about 70% of the total number of people employed. About 15,186 hectares of land are under cultivation of staple food crops namely maize, cassava, plantain, cocoyam and yam.
INCOME ANALYSIS
Majority of the household earn their incomes from crop farming. Business trading and, salaried workers follow in that order.
The mean monthly income from the task teams survey is ¢298,000. This gives an annual mean of ¢3,571,428.
There is a clear indication that average income of people living in the rural areas is far lower than those in the urban areas.
HOUSEHOLD SIZE
The average household size of the rural areas in the Municipality is 5.4 persons and 4.8 persons for the urban centres.
TYPES OF CROPS
The main crops grown in the Municipality are maize, cocoa, cassava, plantain and cocoyam and to lesser extent, rice, yam and vegetables.
| Crops | % of Farmers Growing Crop |
| Maize
Plantain Cassava Cocoa Yam Cocoyam Rice Vegetables |
29.6
20.1 14.0 24.0 2.9 5.8 1.8 1.8 |
| Total | 100 |
LABOUR SUPPLY
Agircultural practices in the Municipality is mainly labour intensive, About 8.1% of the farmers use labour for land clearing, preparation and crop harvesting. About 70 % of the labour is hired; about 26 % is family labour while 4 % is from co-operatives “Nnoboa”
MARKETING AND STORAGE
Most farmers lack appropriate storage facilities. The introduction of appropriate technology for the construction of storage facilities could significantly reduce post harvest losses. The District has only one silo at Agogo.
ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
Livestock is mainly kept on free range basis. The animals reared include sheep, goats, pigs, poultry and cattle.
LIVESTOCK POPULATION
| Type of Livestock | Population |
| Cattle
Sheep Goats Pigs Poultry |
1,250
12,459 13,100 760 16,765 |
Apart from the cattle and poultry which are kept on a commercial scale, the other livestock are kept for domestic consumption. Recently sheep and pig rearing gaining interest among the farmers.
MARKETING ACTIVITIES
The major marketing centres in the Municipality are Agogo, Dwease and Konongo markets. Traders in this Municipality are mostly retailers who buy the products in bulk and sell in bits at the marketing centres.
Most of the agricultural products are sold in their raw state as there are few processing facilities to absorb them.
DEVELOPMENT POTENTIALS
Resources (natural, human and capital) are essential in the realization of societal goals. The following factors are indentified as catalysts for development in the Municipality.
- Availability of large tracts of fertile agricultural lands.
b. Presence of water including a substantial portion of the Volta Lake
c. Presence of agro and forestry
d. Produce for processing (tomatoes, cassava, oil palm, timber)
e. Availability of unskilled labour that could be tapped by investors
STRATEGY FOR AGRIC.DEVELOPMENT IN THE MUNICIPAL
The Asante Akim North Municipal, being a predominantly agarain Municipality, attaches prime importance to the development of Aariculture.
The Department of agriculture in collaboration with the Municipal Assembly will undertake increased extension activities and introduce scientific farming methods as well as facilitate the provision of facilities that will enhance production.
In this respect, investors, NGOs and donor agents are invited to take advantage of the potentials in the district to either invest or assist the department or farmers to develop agriculture in the Asante Akim North Municipality.
SECTORS
EXTENSION
WOMEN IN AGRIC. DEVELOPMENT
STATISTICAL RESEARCH INFORMATION DIRECTORATE
CROPS
VETERINARY
PLANT PROTECTION REGULATORY DEPT.
LIVESTOCK
NGOs IN AGRICLUTURE
World Vision International
Church of Pentecost
Christo Asafo Church
AGRIC INPUT OUTLETS
There are 25 agricultural input dealers scattered in the Municipality.
AGRICULTURAL INTERVENTIONS
JICA/MOFA TECHNICAL COOPERATION
OVERALL GOAL
Productivity and profitability of rice farming in rain-fed lowland in project area is increased.
PROJECT PURPOSE
Dissemination of the model for sustainable rain-fed lowland rice development is accelerated within the project area.
OUTPUT
Technical package of improved rain-fed lowland rice production is developed
Methodology to improve farming support system for sustainable rain-fed lowland rice production is verified
Dissemination procedure of a model for sustainable rain-fed lowland rice development, consisting of the technical package and farming support system, is established.
CONCEPT OF JANPANESE TECHNICAL COOPERATION
Sharing the knowledge and experience among C/P, beneficiaries and experts with high priority on sustainability
Enabling people to become self-reliant, solving their challenges through their own self-help efforts
Development of human capacity through the implementation of project activities
In the municipal, program is ongoing and the project has 6 model sites in Atunsu community and Akutuase community in the municipal.
MOFA/WORLD VISION ENHANCED PROJECT
The overall goal of the project is to improve the nutritional status of farmers’ families in deprived communities
MOFA/GASBY PLANTAIN PROJECT
The objectives of the collaboration included
Production of healthy plantain planting materials using the bud manipulation Technique.
Introducing plantain cultivars resistant to the black sigatoga disease and banana weevil
Facilitation of the processing and utilization of plantain and plantain products
RTIMP
The Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Programmed (RTIMP) has an overall objective to enhance food security and increase he income of poor farmers on the sustainable basis. It facilitates access to new but proven locally-adapted technologies of root and tuber crops such as cassava, yam etc. Promoting of production and marketing of cassava through multiplication of improved varieties to farmers in the municipal. RTIMP have 5 secondary established fields in the municipal, which coppice and supply to tertiary farmers.
FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
There are 5 financial institutions in the Municipality
Ghana Commercial Bank
Merchant Bank
Asante Akyem Rural Bank
First National Saving & Loans
Sinapi Aba Trust
AGRIC. POTENTIAL OF THE MUNICIPALITY
The agricultural potential of the Municipality is in the Afram Plains portion. It covers about 2/3 (66%) of the total land area. It is a low land area located in the Municipality bordering the Akwapim ranges to the south. The ranges of mountains serve as the water head for several streams which make water abundant in the plains.
The plains can support crops as vegetables (both indigenous and exotic) legumes (cowpea, soya bean and groundnuts, maize, plantain, cassava, cocoyam. Tree crops (citrus and oil palm) as well as forest trees.
Since the area is in the transitional zone, the vegetation is mostly grassland with all types of grasses in abundance.
The availability of water, the grassland vegetation and absence of tsetse fly which hinders livestock production in the sahel makes the Afram Plain portion ideal for livestock production especially commercial cattle.