EFFUTU MUNICIPAL AGRICULTURAL SUITUATION, JUNE, 2011.
LOCATION AND SIZE
Effutu Municipal covers a total land area of 95 square kilometers. It is sandwiched by Gomoa East District Assembly on its western, northern and eastern flanks. The southern flank is the Gulf of Guinea. It is located on latitudes 5°20”N and longitudes 0°32”E of the eastern part of Central Region.
PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS
The Municipality is basically low lying with protruding granite rocks and isolated hills around Winneba. The two major rivers; Ayensu and Gyahadze drain the Municipality and enter the sea at Warabeba and Opram respectively. The Municipality lies within the dry-equatorial climatic zone characterized by low rainfall and long dry season of five months. The annual rainfall ranges from 400 millimeters to 500 millimeters. Mean temperature ranges from 22 degrees Celsius to 28 degrees Celsius. The vegetation is that of the coastal savannah grassland which is suitable for vegetable cultivation or dry season irrigation farming as well as livestock rearing. The soils in the Municipality are largely clay with high salinity.
CROP PRODUCTION
Crop production is a major economic activity in the Municipality especially in the small settlements – New Winneba, Gyangyenaze, Ateitu, Gyahadze, Osubumpenyin and Ateitu.
Effutu Municipal basically lies within the coastal savanna belt. This vegetation is suitable for the cultivation of vegetables such as pepper, tomatoes, okro, garden eggs onion, exotic vegetables (cabbage, carrot tinda ravaya etc) and groundnuts.
Major food and cash crops cultivated include maize, cassava, pepper, okro, tomatoes and groundnuts. Exotic vegetables like cabbage, sweet pepper, onions, carrot tinda and ravaya are also produced for the local and export markets.
MAJOR CROPS PRODUCTION LEVELS – 2010
CROPS AREA (Ha) YEID (MT/HA) PRODUCTION
Cassava 3,170 13.13 41,622
Maize 2,861 1.75 5007
Pepper 500 1.80 900
Okro 250 4.20 1050
Tomatoes 350 4.10 1435
Groundnut 200 1.4 280
Rainfall figures for the Municipality are quite low( 400mm – 50mm). The rainfall seasons are short and unreliable t. However with the application of appropriate farming technologies and good timing, maize and cassava which are the staple food crops for the people could be promoted on a large scale. Some new cassava varieties which were introduced under the Root and Tuber Improvement and Marketing Project (RTIMP) to some selected farmers in the Municipality in 2008 – 2009, performed very well. These varieties are Bankyehema, Nkabom, Esambanke and Afisiafi .
The rivers within the Municipality, Ayensu, Onyina, Bommbir, Ntakorfam and Gyahadze have the potential of being used for extensive vegetable cultivation during the dry season. Also the use of underground water for irrigation could be exploited for the same purpose.
Effutu Municipal is sandwiched by Gomoa West which has large expanse of arable land. Farmers in Effutu have therefore availed themselves of this opportunity to farm on adjacent Gomoa lands. The municipality has a seed maize processing centre with storage capacity of 1,250,000mt of which 500mt capacity is air conditioned. This has afforded our farmers the opportunity to produce large quantities of seed maize annually.
The Municipality therefore has the potential to become a major vegetable producer to feed the surrounding major markets in Swedru, Accra, Mankesim and Kasoa.
LIVESTOCK
ANIMAL PRODUCTION LEVELS-2010
| TYPE | PRODUCTION LEVELS |
| Cattle | 1,740 |
| Sheep & Goat | 12,400 |
| Pigs | 126 |
| Poutry | 25,600 |
FISHING
The major source of fish harvest is marine. In addition to this are the Muni lagoon, Ayensu and Gyahadze rivers and fish ponds at Atekyedo. Marine fishing activity is carried out along the coast of Winneba, Esuakyir, Warabeba and Akosua Village. Fishes mostly caught are, Mackerel, King fish, Tuna, Sea Bream and Herring. About 350 canoes with outboard motors and 220 canoes without outboard motors are operating within our coastline.
The current total number of fish ponds in the Municipality is 6 with total surface area of 6,069m²
There is high potential for the development of Aquaculture at Atekyedo. There are currently 22 abandoned large-size fish ponds constructed by a private entrepreneur more than 10 years ago . The project was abandoned due to the death of the owner. At the moment an investor is trying to acquire the ponds and rehabilitate them.
PROJECTS
MIDA
Effutu Municipal is privileged to be participating in the MiDA Project. So far 8 FBO’s have received Farmer and Enterprise Training in commercial Agriculture. Five FBO’s have received Starter Packs (Free inputs to cultivate one acre of maize) however none of the trained FBO’s have received credit form the selected Participating Financial Institutions (PFI)
EMQAP
Under this project 250 selected farmers have been trained on Vegetable nursery management and production with emphasis on chili pepper. The selected farmers have also been sensitized on Global gab.
The Municipal Assembly through the Sub-committee on Production And Gainful Employment has approved over GH¢8,600.00 for the purchase of inputs to support 75 Trained EMQAP farmers to produce Birds eye chili pepper and other vegetables during 2011 minor season.
RTIMP
Three new high yielding cassava varieties have been distributed to six ( 6 ) selected farmers who cultivated eleven ( 11 ) acres (secondary Farmers). The objective of this project is to multiply the planting materials so that more farmers can benefit by receiving the new varieties. These varieties are Bankyehema, Akabom (Fufu, gari, Agblema, Starch) and Esam Bankye (gari, Agblema, Starch). These varieties yield between 34 – 49 tons/ha as compared to our local varieties that yield 10-15ton/ha.
BLOCK FARM
In 2010 major season the Municipality cultivated 279.4 ha of Obatampa seed maize and 56.6 ha of maize grain. Recovery for seed maize was 95% and that for maize grain was 33%. Percent recovery for maize grain was low due to flooding of about 50% of the farms.
This year, 2011 major season, support has been given to 26 farmers in the form of fertilizers, seed maize and land preparation to cultivate 120 ha of maize.
PIGGERY
Under the Credit In-Kind Pig project Effutu Municipal received 24 pigs (4 months old) which were distributed to 11 farmers on 2nd February, 2011.
Most of the beneficiary farmers are not feeding the pigs well due to high cost of feed concentrate. Some of the pigs are ready for crossing.