Introduction

Tuobodom has the largest tomatoes markets in the District. There are two main tomatoes seasons, that is, May-June and November-December. Tuobodom market become very vibrant during these seasons since traders come from all over the country to trade in the Community. There seem to be significant improvement in revenue for the Assembly during these seasons.

The service sector has witnessed expansion for the past three years particularly in the areas of trading, telecommunication and food and beverages retail. The establishment of the Rajkumah Impex Ghana Limited, a cashew processing factory, the only major establishment in Techiman North District has provided regular employment to over 250 people from both Techiman North and Techiman Municipal Assemblies. Also, there are other Companies such as Nana Ameyaw Cashew Company Limited and OLAM Cashew who purchase raw cashew nuts from farmers for export.

The other source of employment is cassava processing into gari. This area employs a handful of the population especially in communities in and around Tuobodom, Aworowa, Krobo, and Akrofrom. The other rural communities, however, do not appear to have experienced much improvement in job opportunities. The lack of electricity in some of these rural communities contributed to the slow pace of job opportunities. However, for those in agriculture the lack of alternative employment during the ‘low season’ has led to a high rate underemployment.

MAJOR ECONOMIC ACTIVITIES

According to the 2010 PHC, about 75 percent of the population aged 15 years and older are economically active while 24.9 per cent are economically not active. Of the economically active population, 95.6 percent are employed while 4.4 percent are unemployed. About 49.1 percent of the working population is engaged as skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers.

The major crops grown are food crops such as yams, maize, cassava, cocoyam, plantain and vegetables like tomatoes, garden eggs, onions and okro as well as cash crops like cocoa, cashew and mango.  The soils in the District favour the cultivation of major cash crops and other agricultural produce. Major production centres include;

1. Maize: Aworowa, Akrofrom, and Offuman.

2. Cassava: Mesidan, Asueyi, Atrensu, Krobo, Akrofrom and Tuobodom

3. Yam: Adutwei, Offuman, Asubingya, Tanoboase and Tuobodom

4. Plantain: Tanoboase, Buoyem

5. Cocoyam: Aworowa, Ayeasu and Atrensu

6. Groundnuts: Bonya and Buoyem

7. Cowpea: Tuobodom, Tanoboase and Tanokrom.

8. Cocoa: Buoyem, Aworowa, Asueyi, Mesidan and Offuman.

9. Citrus: Aworowa, and Akrofrom

10. Garden Eggs: Offuman, Adutwie, and Tuobodom

11. Tomatoes: Tuobodom, Adutwei and Bonya

The predominant farming practice followed is the traditional shifting cultivation, rotational bush fallow or slash and burn. Agriculture in the District is still rain fed and productivity is therefore dependent on the fertility of the soil. Although rivers drain the District, harnessing this potential for irrigation purposes is yet to be fully exploited. The use of agro-chemicals for agricultural production is ever increasing and sometimes also wrongly applied.

The slash and burn system practiced in the District is associated with problems including deforestation, severe soil erosion and declining soil fertility. Low soil fertility and lack of water have been identified as the most fundamental biophysical constraints to raising agricultural productivity in the District.  Farmers are also confronted with other problems like stem and grain borers, rodents and diseases such as viruses like sigatoka, rosette attacks, poor planting materials, as well as lack of access to tractor services and capital.

Occupation

The 2010 PHC revealed that the district had a total of 26,113 employed population age 15 years and older which represents 44.2 percent of the total population of 59,068.

It is reported that the occupation base of the District is not diverse. Three (3) occupations account for 81.8 percent of the working population.  Skilled agricultural, forestry and fishery workers is the predominant category of occupation in the district involving about half (49.1%) of the district’s employed population. Service and sales workers constitute 20.0 percent of the employed population followed by Craft and related trades workers (12.7%). Plant and machinery operators and assemblers comprise 5.0 percent of the occupations while elementary occupations also involve 5.1 percent of the work force. Professional and Managers together make up 6.1 percent of the employed.

There are significant variations between males and females in terms of the proportion involved in the various occupations. Out of the three (3) main occupations, females dominate as Service and sales workers (30.1%) as compared to males (9.4%). Craft and related trade workers are about equal among males (13.3%) and females (12.2%), and are slightly more males (51.6%) and females (46.8%) who are skilled agricultural forestry and fishery workers.

 Employment

According to the 2010 PHC, there are 26,113 employed persons working in the various industries. The Three dominant products produced or services rendered by about three in four employed persons (76.6%) are agriculture forestry and fishing (50.0%), wholesale and retail (9.3%), repair of motor vehicles and moto cycles (17.3%) and manufacturing other relatively visible products or services are transport and storage (4.3%), ‘other service’ activities (4.5%), education (3.7%), and accommodation and food service activities (3.7%)

Unemployment

The 2010 PHC indicated an unemployment rate of   (2.2 %) among the economically active population. The unemployment rate of women (2.7%) was higher than that of men (1.6%). The unemployment rate in the municipality was lower than the regional rate (3.0%) and national (5.5%). The unemployment rate in the Municipality is however higher (20.8%). This may be attributable to the seasonality of the main economic activity of agriculture.

Commerce

Two major periodic markets in the District, namely; Tuobodom and Offuman serve not only as points of exchange of goods and services but also have important influence on the economic life of the surrounding communities.  The markets facilitate the sale of the products of the surrounding areas and encourage the inflow of other goods into these areas thereby minimizing the problem of storage through the disposal of produce the raw form through the market. The Tuobodom Market is the largest in the District.

Financial Institutions

There is no commercial bank established and operating in the district. To enjoy the services of the commercial banks inhabitants have to travel to Techiman the closest Municipality. However, there is one (1) Rural Bank, two (2) credit unions a number of operating micro-finance schemes in the District.

Banking and Finance

There is no commercial bank in the District. Tuobodom, the district capital has access to Rural Banks, Micro Finance institutions and access to other banking services from Techiman.  It is possible for almost all communities along the major trunk roads, within the District, to access banking facilities within 25-30 minutes in Techiman Municipality.

The major problem with banking is that, some communities in the north of Techiman have low physical access, because they rely on feeder roads before getting to the city. Unfortunately, some of these feeder roads become inaccessible during the rainy seasons, and hence they spend more time to access these financial facilities. Tuobodom township where economic activities are at the highest level access to financial institutions. Below are the major financial institutions operating in the District.

Periodic Markets

There are two (2) major periodic market centers that have been identified within the District. They are namely, the Tuobodom Wednesday Market in the south and the Offuman Market in the north.  Large varieties of farm produce are marketed in these areas and in large volumes.  The Offuman market, though not as large as compared to the Tuobodom periodic market, also trades in a large volume of agricultural produce.  Its strategic location in the south is considered as advantageous, since it has helped to contain the excesses that would have been experienced by the periodic market at Techiman.