INTRODUCTION
The Offinso South Municipality is one of the 27 administrative districts in the Ashanti region created in the latter part of 2007. It is located in the north western part of the Ashanti region and shares a common boundary in the west and north with Atwima Nwabiagya and Offinso north districts respectively. The Municipal also shares a common boundary with the Ahafo Ano south district in the west whilst its eastern and southern borders are shared with the Afigya Kwabre district.
Offinso new town is the Municipal capital and it comprises about 22 suburbs. The Municipality lies within latitude 7°15 N and 6°95 S and longitude 1°35E and 1°50W and covers a total land area of about 600km2.
Based on the 2000 population census, the population for the Municipality was estimated at 120,585 with a growth rate of 3.5%. The high population growth rate of the Municipality can be attributed to immigration as a result of favourable climatic conditions and fertile soil which supports the cultivation of diverse food and cash crops.
The 2000 census indicated that males constituted 48.5 of the total population whilst females constituted 52%. Children under 15 years made up 46.6% of the total population whilst the economically active age bracket of 15-64 years also constituted 47% of the total population. The elderly (65 years and above) made up 6.4% of the total population.
The Offinso Municipal enjoys an agrarian economy with about 62% of the labour force engaged in agriculture. Food crops and livestock contribute about 55% and 20% respectively to household income generation in the Municipality.
The Offinso Municipality experiences a wet semi-equatorial type of climate characterized by moderate to heavy rainfall annually with temperatures ranging between 21°C and 32°C. The rainfall regime is double maxima with a mean annual rainfall of 953.4mm.
The major rainy season occurs between May and June, followed by a dry spell between July and August. The minor rains occur between September and November followed by the dry hamattan till February
The natural vegetation of the Municipality is basically semi-deciduous forest interspersed with thick vegetation cover. The Municipality has 2 main forest Reserves namely Afram Headwaters and Opro Forest Reserves.
Land is controlled by the stools and families. However acquisition for farming purposes is easily done through the chiefs or families. The Municipality has about 45,000 hectares under forest reserve. About 8000 hectares of the total land area have been put under permanent cultivation having been planted with tree crops, whilst about 12,000 hectares are put under food crop production each year.
MAJOR CROPS
Major food crops grown in the Municipality are maize, Cassava, yam, plantain, cowpea and rice. Major tree crops grown in the Municipality are cocoa, citrus and oil palm. Crops of comparative advantage grown in the Municipality include cocoa, oil palm, citrus, plantain and cassava.
TABLE OF MAJOR CROPS GROWN AND OUTPUT LEVELS FOR 2009
| CROP | AREA CROPPED (HA) | PRODUCTION (MT) | YIELD
(MT/HA) |
| MAIZE | 14,550 | 20,370 | 1.4 |
| PLANTAIN | 5,974 | 63,983 | 10.71 |
| CASSAVA | 7,645 | 80,578 | 10.54 |
| YAM | 1,018 | 14,094 | 13.85 |
| RICE | 305 | 336 | 1.1 |
| COCOA | – | – | – |
| CITRUS | 332 | – | – |
| OIL PALM | 1,753 | – | – |
Ps; Figures from maize to rice are for both Offinso South and North.
Agricultural productivity in the Municipality is relatively stable and good. Performance of the major crops grown has always been good and quite predictable.
ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Sheep, goats, pigs, cattle and poultry are raised in the Municipality. However only a few people are in big time commercial farming and this is concentrated on poultry. Sensitization programmes have been stepped up and farmers are now becoming more and more interested in animal production especially the production of small ruminants because of the cheap source of feeding materials even during the dry season.
TABLE OF FARM ANIMAL POPULATION IN THE MUNICIPALITY
| ANIMAL | ANIMAL POPULATION |
| SWINE | 1,226 |
| CATTLE | 1416 |
| GOAT | 13,458 |
| SHEEP | 18,459 |
| LOCAL POULTRY (Including local chicken, ducks, turkey, guinea fowls) | 177,295 |
| EXOTIC FOWLS | 3,421 |
ASSISTED PROJECTS IN THE MUNICIPALITY
| TYPE OF PROJECT | NO. OF BENEFICIARIES | SYSTEM OF PRODUCTION | STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT | LOAN RECOVERY | REMARKS |
| NATIONAL COCKERELS PROJECT | 14 | SEMI-INTENSIVE | COCKEREL STAGE | 100% | About 95% Survival rate |
LOCAL SLAUGHTER
An average of 250 cattle, 110 sheep and 75 goats respectively are slaughtered annually in the local Municipal slaughter House. There is a MoFA veterinary office in the Municipality that provides health services and others for an effective and efficient animal production regime in the Municipality.
FISH PRODUCTION
There are 4 fish ponds in the Municipality. One of the 4 is a standard concrete fish hatchery pond located at Offinso Old-Town. Two of the ponds are located at Abofour and the last at Ayaasu.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
COMMUNITY FORESTRY MANAGEMENT PROJECT (CFMP)
This project started in 2004 and has just ended. It was collaboration between the Forestry Commission and MOFA. MOFA was engaged in Food crop production and Alternative livelihood aspects of the project.
Fifty-one (51) livelihood groups were formed and these groups benefitted from activities such as sheep rearing, goat rearing, piggery, grasscutter and honey production.
Six (6) concrete maize storage facilities were also provided for 6 out of the 15 beneficiary communities and each of the 15 beneficiary communities either received a corn mill or a maize shelter.
SPECIAL PROGRAMMES
I. RTIMP
The programme started late last year (2010). The Municipality is establishing a 5 acre Cassava Secondary Multiplication Site.
There are 5 farmers involved and each farmer is responsible for an acre of Secondary Multiplication Site. Three (3) acres and 2 acres of Tek Bankye and Afisiafi respectively are being cultivated
II. BLOCK FARMING
Two hundred (200) acres were put under maize (grain) cultivation in the 2010 major season. In the minor season 20 acres were put under Seed Maize Cultivation and another 20 acre under grain cultivation. The Municipality thus did a total of 240 acres of maize production under the Block Farming programme in 2010.
III. NEW ACTIVITIES
Started radio programmes on two local information centres with the basic aim of educating and informing the general public, especially farmers, on agricultural technologies and interventions and thus promote agriculture in the Municipality.
FERTILIZER SUBSIDY PROGRAMME
TABLE OF TYPE AND QUANTITY OF FERTILIZER USED DURING THE 2010 FERTILIZER SUBSIDY PROGRAMME IN THE OFFINSO MUNICIPALITY
| MONTH | TYPE/ QUANTITY | ||||
| 15-15-15 | 23-10-15 | SOA | UREA | 16-16-16 | |
| June/ July | 979 | 1514 | 638 | 123 | 174 |
| August | 327 | 181 | 193 | 98 | 264 |
| September | 808 | – | 402 | 138 | 269 |
| October | 1456 | 890 | 431 | 209 | 511 |
| November | 32 | – | 108 | 22 | 185 |
| December | – | – | 50 | – | 100 |
| TOTAL | 3,599 | 1,074 | 1,822 | 590 | 1,503 |
PS; 18 INPUT DEALERS WERE INVOLVED IN THE IN THE MUNICIPALITY