The most dominant economic sector in the District is agriculture which employs about 70 percent of the labour force. The District is well known in the region for the production of tomatoes and maize. Other major food and tree crops produced in the district are rice, sweet potatoes, yam, cassava, cowpea, groundnut and vegetables (i.e. tomatoes, garden eggs, pepper, okro and water melon). Maize and cassava are the main staple foods and therefore grown by majority of farmers across the district. Maize production is mostly done by the people of Ziope.

The livestock sector plays an important role in the lives of the people as the district is endowed with large livestock populations of cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and others. About 30% of agricultural land available in the district is used by livestock farmers as pasture for animals.

If properly harnessed and developed, job opportunities would be created for the youth in the district. The youth and farmers can be trained by the Agricultural institutions in the Region and the country at large and adequately resourced in the form of loans and encouraged to go into livestock production.

These two crops are grown as mono crops with concentration of maize production at Ziope area. Cassava production is mainly concentrated in the Adaklu communities. Non-traditional crops, like pineapple is important in Kodzobi area. Sugarcane is grown in Ziope areas. Adaklu area is also singularly well known for its honey production; others are snail and grass cutter meat. Cattle rearing are also prominent in the district.

 Export Potentials

The district has enormous potential for the export of agricultural products. Commercial mango will be one of the exportable crops in the district. Opportunities also exist for oil palm and its products. Borassious spps. Pineapple, cassava chips, cashew, pawpaw, and non traditional agricultural commodities such as snail, grass cutter meat and honey and the above commodities can be value added to serve local demands and also for export.

Agricultural Characteristics

Agricultural production in the district is characterised by crop and animal production. In the animals sector some farmers own cattle from 10-30 per herd per farmer on the average whiles some own 50-100 or more per person especially in the Adaklu communities. Small ruminants (sheep and goats) are also abundant and everywhere with concentrations in Adaklu communities like Ablornu, Sofa etc. there are three commercial poultry farms in the district which are in eggs, broiler and cockerel production.

Mixed cropping is common as well as mono cropping in some crops such as cowpea, vegetable and minor season maize. There is commercial production of perennial crops such as mango, cashew and oil palm. Mixed farming is practiced by many farmers including commercial farmers. The people are mainly small scale farmers with few commercial farmers. By way of agricultural diversification some farmers are in non-traditional crops and animal production such as mushroom, beekeeping, snail production and grass cutter rearing.

Farming Methods

Subsistence farming is common in the small communities where cutlasses and hoes are the major tools used on the farm. Some farmers also use zero tillage with spraying. Tractor tillage is practiced for those who can afford the expensive ploughing fee. Most farmers practice land rotation and shifting cultivation but fallowing is decreasing with increasing population.

Two seasons are done in a year - major and minor. Land preparation starts in February and reaches peak in April and again in September. Weeding or under cultivation operations take place throughout the year.Nucleus farming is carried out by Andos who establish permanent settlements in areas where land is abundant.

Acreage Cultivated

Out of the 1200 square kilometres of agricultural land available in the district only 10% is under crop cultivation. 30% of the land area is used by livestock farmers as pasture for animals.

Extension Services

Agricultural Extension service is available for farmers in the distinct. Agricultural Extension Agents are stationed at 9 Operational areas in the district. Besides there are 2 Veterinary Technical Staff at Kpetoe and Ahunda who deliver animal health care services throughout the district. These officers reach the breadth and length of the district with Extension advice to farmers.

They organise farmers into FBOs and train them on animal production, traditional and non-traditional crop production. Other services extended to farmers include field days and trips, production techniques, record keeping, home management, good nutrition, HIV/AIDS awareness creation, gender mainstreaming, and at now, the bird flu awareness creation.

Future Programmes / Project

The District has a great potential for both animal and crop production. There is therefore the need to step up agricultural production to improve the living standard of the rural poor farmers. For the achievement of the above the following Programmes/Projects need to be considered seriously for funding.

Livestock Sector Development

The livestock sector plays an important role in the lives of the people as the district is magnificently endowed with large livestock populations of cattle, sheep, goats, poultry and others. If properly harnessed and developed job opportunities would be created for the youth in the district. The youth and farmers can be trained in the Agricultural institutions in the region, adequately resourced in the form of loans and encouraged to go into livestock production.

Crop Development Programmes

• Financial assistance to crop farmer groups in kind for tractor services and inputs which will be well monitored by Agricultural Extension Agents.

• Exploration of market avenues for commercial production of perennial tree crops and other exportable crops.

• Encourage all year round vegetable production by building dams, dugouts etc. at vantage points and provision of small irrigation machines with accessories to farmer groups.

• Building capacity of farmers, by the establishment Farmers Training Centres at Ziope and Waya to train farmers/farmer groups in all disciplines of agriculture.

Sourcing funds to establish or implement the above programmes will go a long way to increase agricultural production in the district.

Problems and challenges

The following problems and challenges are hindering agricultural production in the District.

• Inadequate logistics. There is only one (1) old pick up and three (3) motor mikes for all the 21 staff members, making movement to farmers difficult.

• Destruction of crops by cattle (i.e. attitude of Fulani herdsmen).

• Indiscriminately cutting of trees for charcoal production and bush burning.

• Inadequate Veterinary Technical Staff to man the livestock endowed district
• Insufficient funds for agricultural activities.
• Inadequate credit facilities to farmers.
• Use of rudimentary tools for farming makes average farm sizes small and tractor services are limited resulting in low productivity.

Technology for production The technology employed in Agricultural Production in the District is largely the traditional cutlass and hoe. Mechanised farming is very limited and the rate of adoption of other Agricultural related technologies is equally low. Farming is entirely rain-fed as there are no resourced irrigation facilities which resulted in low productivity. Access roads to farming centres are also poor thus hampering the marketing of the projects. This together with the absence of storage facilities gives rise to high post harvest losses.