Location and Size

Geology

Akatsi North District falls under acidic gneiss belt, forming 70% of the land area. Tertiary Sand –25% and basimorphic acidic gneiss about 5% is recent alluvial materials. The acidic belt consists mainly of layered course to fine grained muscovite biotite, schists and containing numerous quartz veins. There are outcrops of negivine, augite and syenite either as inselberg or shallow exposed surface all over this geological formation.  

Soils

The District is characterized by three main soil types. The South-eastern portion is characterized by tertiary sands which are moderate to well-drained, deep red to brown loamy sand to sandy loam topsoil over course sandy loam to clay loam sub-soils. These soils are suitable for the cultivation of all arable crops.Within this dominant soil can be found in the valley bottoms and depressions, poorly drained and plastic glecal clays, suitable for commercial sugarcane production as well as for ceramic and pottery industry.

The north-western to the northern part is characterized by Acidic Gneiss which is moderately drained, deep, sandy soil with either sandy or sandy clay subsoil suitable for root and tuber crops as well as cereals and legumes.  

The middle portion is characterized by Acidic Gneiss parent material found in convex and broad low-lying ridges with outcrops which are moderately drained, shallow to bedrock sandy topsoil under lain with sandy clay subsoil and coarse clay. These areas are suitable rangeland for livestock production.

Relief

The topography of the District generally is gently undulating with a general elevation of the land averaging 10-50 meters above sea level, and a peculiar coastal savanna soil, ground water laterite and tropical black earth. The District is a low-lying coastal plain with flatland in the south and rolling plain to the north.

 Drainage

Akatsi North District is drained by Tordzie River with Agblegborloe, Wowoe, Lotor and Kelo streams. All these drainage features have a north – south trend and all except Tordzie are seasonal.

The About 60% of the total land area lies below 100 feet contour line and rising to cover over 200 feet in the northern parts.  The Agblegborloe, Wowoe, Lotor empty their waters into the Keta and Avu lagoons. Some of these are dammed for irrigation during dry season.

Nearly all the rivers and streams in the District dry up during the dry season from December-March. This inhibits farming activities greatly: especially in the area other clay deposits are known to exist.

Climate

The District falls within the coastal savannah equatorial climatic regime characterized by high temperatures (min: 21^o C max: 34.5^o C), high relative humidity (85%) and moderate to low rainfall regime (1,084 mm) with distinct wet and dry seasons of about equal lengths. 

Temperature

Temperatures are high and constant throughout the year with mean annual figures not varying much from 27^o C. February, April and May, at the onset of rains, have the highest mean monthly maxima of about 34^o C. The lowest average monthly temperatures occur before, during and just after the major wet season in July, August and September with values of mean monthly maximum falling to around 30^o C.

Rainfall

The District experiences two rainfall maxima in a year. This provides opportunity for two seasons cropping. The major dry season begins in November and extends through to March during which only occasional rains are experienced. During the early part of the major dry season, the harmattan winds from the Sahara regions blow across the area, drying up water in streams and ponds.

 Relative Humidity

The length of the day varies little between seasons although there is a decline in mean hours of bright sunshine per day during the cloudy rainy season month. Relative humidity is high throughout the year (around 100%) declining to about 76% during the nights, thus giving rise to high incidence of fungal diseases in crops and high post-harvest losses especially in cereals and vegetables.

Vegetation

The District’s vegetation is a function of topography, rainfall and climate. The District has both the Guinea Savannah Woodland vegetation. The savannah vegetation has been derived from forests and the tree savannah or woodland as a result of shifting cultivation and frequent wildfires. Most of the original forest cover have been degraded and have become savannah woodland, with light closed or partially closed low canopy.