BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Akatsi South District was established by a legislative instrument (L.I) 2165 in March 15, 2012. The District is located between latitudes 60 570 N and longitudes 00 W I0 E. It shares boundaries with Keta Municipal and Anloga Districts to the South, Ketu North District to the East, South Tongu and Central Tongu Districts to the West and to the North by Akatsi North District. Its total land area is about 536 square Kilometers. The Department of Agric. is a decentralised department established Under Section 161 (1) of the local government act 1993, Act 462.
FUNCTIONS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE UNDER DECENTRALISED SYSTEM
The Agriculture Department in the District shall:
1. Participate in provision of extension services in the areas of waste natural resources management, and rural infrastructural and small scale irrigation in the district;
2. Assisit in the formulation and implementation of agricultural policy for the district Assembly within the framework of national policies;
3. Submit report on the implementation of policies and programmes to the District Assembly;
4. Advise the District Assembly on matters related to agricultural development in the district;
5. Promote extension services to farmers;
6. Assist and participate in on-farm adaptive research;
7. Lead the collection of data for analysis on cost effective farming enterprises;
8. Promote soil and water conservation measures by the appropriate agricultural technology;
9. Disseminate and adopt improved soil and water conservation methods;
10. Promote agro-forestry development to reduce the incidence of bush fires;
11. Promote an effective and integrated water management;
12. Assist and facilitate sustained pasture and forage production and act as out grower to farmers;
13. Assist development of animal health services infrastructure;
14. Facilitate the development, operation and maintenance of livestock water supplies;
15. Assist in developing forage production, ranges and farmlands;
16. Encourage improvement in livestock breeds;
17. Assist in developing early warning systems on animals diseases;
18. Facilitate and encouragement vaccination and immunization of livestock and control of animal diseases;
19. Advise and encourage crop development through nursery propagation;
20. Promote agro-processing and storage
ACHIEVEMENTS
1. Every year with the help of the district assembly farmers who distinguished themselves in their various agricultural enterprises are awarded during the Farmer’s Day Celebration.
2. The Department with the famers have been able to increase rice production in the district.
3. The department facilitated the formation of about 16 FBOs and they are now able to market their own farm produce in the district.
4. The department with the help of the district assembly has put up a slaughter house for hygienic meat production.
LANDMARK PROJECT
There are 3 dams located in the district at Atsiekpui, Ayitikope and Xavi which are used for irrigation purposes. The Atsiekpui and Xavi irrigation projects has however broken down and needs immediate rehabilitation. Operations are yet to start at the Ayitikope project site.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Modernizing Agriculture in Ghana (MAG) Project which will end in 2021 and also Ghana Agriculture Sector Investment Programme (GASIP) which will also end in 2021.
CLIMATE AND VEGETATION
The District falls within the Coastal Savannah equatorial Climatic Region which is characterised by high temperatures (Min: 210 C, MAX 34 .5 0C) high relative humidity of 85% and moderate to low rainfall Regime (1,084mm). The District has two distinct seasons, that is the wet and the dry seasons. The rains during the wet season are bi – modal leading to two cropping seasons namely the major and the minor seasons.
The vegetation of the district is largely made up of coastal savannah grassland. However, there are a sizeable woodlands and shrubs at some places. The land is generally undulating and sandy loam with marshy portions. The black berry tree (Velvet tamarind) locally called ‘Atitoe-ti’ can be found in most parts of the surroundings of Akatsi which is the District capital. In the far north – west, around the Avu Lagoon and its creeks are large tracks of reed locally called ‘Keti’ which is used in weaving mats and bags. The vast savannah grassland is ideal for irrigated mechanized farming and livestock rearing.
RELIEF AND DRAINAGE:
The district is a low lying coastal plain with flatland in the south and rolling plain to the north. The topography of the district is generally gentle and undulating averaging 10-50metres above sea level.
About 60% of the total land area lies below 100 feet contour line and rising to over 200 feet in the northern part.
Rivers and creeks that drain the district include Tordzi, Agblegboloe, Worwoe, Lotor, Kutor, Agortor, Asrama, Tetemale, Dzikoli and Agormor. The first three empty their waters into the Keta and Avu lagoons. Some of the rivers are dammed for irrigation during the dry season.
There are twenty-two (22) dams and dug-outs scattered throughout the district which have the potential for medium and small scale irrigation.
SOIL
Three main soil types characterised in the district. The south-eastern portion is characterised by tertiary sands which are moderate to well drained deep red to brown loamy sand to sandy loam topsoil over coarse sandy loam to clay loam subsoil.
These soils are suitable for the cultivation of all arable crops.
Within these dominants soil can be found in the valley bottoms and depressions, poorly drained and plastic glacial clays, which are suitable for commercial sugar cane production as well as for ceramic and poultry industry
POPULATION SIZE
According to the 2010 Population and Housing Census the population of the District stood at 98,684 representing 4.6% of the total population of the then Volta region. There are 25,758 households with 3.8 persons per household as the average household size. (Ghana Statistical Service; Population & Housing Census, October 2014)
As high as 66.5% of household in the Akatsi South District are engaged in agriculture, the following crops are the major crops produced in the District.
1. Maize
2. Cassava
3. Rice (an emerging crop having a great potential)
4. Sweet potato
5. Garden Eggs
6. Okro
7. Pepper
Some farmers started going into plantation crop production. The ones that now caught farmers interest are mango and coconut. There are about 102 acres of Mango plantations and some few acres coconut.
1. Poultry (both local and exotic)
2. Cattle
3. Sheep
4. Goat
5. Pig
AVAILABLE AGRICULTURE POTENTIAL IN AKATSI SOUTH
There is a large track of low lands and flood plains which can be used for rice cultivation.
LIST OF DAMS / DOGOUT IN AKATSI SOUTH DISTRICT
# |
LOCATION |
TYPE |
SIZE (HA) |
REMARKS |
1 |
AKATSI |
DAM |
3.0 |
In good condition |
2 |
GEFIA |
DAM |
1.3 |
Silted. Can be rehabilitated and used for farming purposes. |
3 |
AYITIKOPE |
DAM |
3.0 |
In good condition and 12 acres around it is being developed for vegetable production |
4 |
YALUVI |
DUGOUT |
0.4 |
Silted. Can be rehabilitated and used for farming purposes. |
5 |
ADEHETA |
DUGOUT |
0.4 |
Silted. Can be rehabilitated and used for farming purposes. |
6 |
WUTE |
DUGOUT |
- |
Can be worked on and used for farming since there is arable land around it. |
7 |
DZOGADZE |
DUGOUT |
0.4 |
Silted |
8 |
ATSIEKPI |
DAM |
- |
Breached. Needs dredging and dam wall reinforcement. |
9 |
TORVE |
DAM |
- |
Can be worked on and used for farming purposes. |
10 |
LUME |
DUGOUT |
- |
Can be expanded and used for farming purposes |
11 |
Klokpui |
DUGOUT |
|
Silted. Can be rehabilitated and used for farming purposes. |