Agriculture

Agriculture is the backbone of the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal economy. It employs about 70% of the economically active labor force. Nearly every household in the Municipality is engaged in farming or agricultural related activity. Farming in the Municipality is largely carried out on small-scale basis. The average acreage cultivated ranges between 4-6 acres for all crops.

Despite its importance in the Municipal economy, much of the agricultural potentials in the Municipal remain unutilized. For instance, out of a total of 22,261 hectares of arable land, 3,167.6 hectares is currently utilized (DoA, 2021). This can be attributed to subsistence agriculture practiced by most of the farmers in the municipality. Currently a Plantation Company called African Plantation Sustainable Development Company has acquired over 5000 hectares of arable land and has started the plantation of various species of trees, this has increased the hectares of land under cultivation to 12345 hectares in the municipality.

The Planting for Export and Rural Development as a government policy to leverage the rural poor has made a lot of farmers enter into cashew plantation. The municipal assembly from 2017 to date nurse seeds and supply the seedlings to farmers free of charge.

The irrigation potentials discovered in the municipality Kokofu, Jato-zongo, Abamba, New Konkrompe, Amafrom, Nwowam, Nyomoase and Kunkumfo are under development especially Nyomoase and Jato-zongo. The construction of these places will substantially boost agricultural yield.

Crop Production

The municipality is noted as one of the food baskets in the country due to the high yields of crops especially Yam and maize. The soils in the area favor the production of a variety of crops. Currently, crops grown in commercial quantities in the Municipal include yam, cassava, maize and rice. The Municipal is particularly famous in the production of yam and cassava.

Statistics available indicate a marginal increase in cultivated area for Yam as can be seen from the table above. However, there is a decrease in cultivated area for Cassava from 10,295 HA to 10,247 in 2012 and 2015. The decrease in cultivated area for cassava can be attributed to limited number of processing factories hence low prices for cassava.

Post-Harvest Losses

Post-harvest losses are a common phenomenon and represent a major challenge to farmers in the district. The incidence of post-harvest losses is particularly very high for certain crops like cassava, yam and the highly perishable ones like tomatoes and garden eggs, as shown in Table 8.

These losses have come about because of the general lack of knowledge about preservation techniques and the inadequacy of appropriate processing and storage facilities.  The high incidence of post-harvest losses affects the incomes of farmers and has been a disincentive to farmers who want to embark on large scale production.

Agro-Processing

Some effort has over the years been made in the Municipal to add value to the agricultural produce through processing. Agro-processing is currently on a small scale but is expected to large scale within the shortest possible due the establishment of the One District One Factory which is complete but left with installation of some equipment.  The Municipal has other agro-processing plants located in various places: gari production at Amantin; production of cassava flour at Watro; production of cassava syrup at Kokofu, and production of ‘Akpeteshie’, a local gin also at Kokofu.

Livestock and Poultry Production

Livestock production is one of the commercial agricultural activities in the municipality. Unlike crop production, livestock production is quite limited to some households. Livestock rearing is quite tedious, requiring so much time, capital and attention. Production is on the increase every year because it is commercialized. Poultry production is mostly about chicken, and can be found in most households in the municipality. Chicken is widely reared than livestock because it is relatively easy raising them.