PROFILE OF THE ATIWA DISTRICT

    INTRODUCTION:

The profile of any given locality serves as an information bank with regard to the vulnerability of its population to natural as well as human-made risks and shocks, their management arrangements and adaptation challenges.  This section gives a brief sketch of the establishment of the Atiwa District, the physical conditions and social realities.

    PHYSICAL FEATURES:

Location and Size:

The Atiwa District with an area of 2,950 square kilometers is one of the twenty-one Districts in the Eastern Region of Ghana.  Lying between longitudes O^° 3ʻ West and O° 50̕ East and latitudes 6° 10̕ North and 6° 30̕ North.  The District is bounded on the North by Kwahu West and Kwahu South Districts, on the North-East by the Fanteakwa District, East Akim to the South-East, Kwaebibrim to the South and Birim North to the West.

The District has a total population of 102,787 (2000, Population and Housing Census Report).  The district is divided into seven (7) town/area councils namely Kwabeng, Anyinam, Sekyere, Abomosu, Asamang-Tamfoe, Akropong and Kadewaso.

    CLIMATE

The Atiwa District lies in the wet semi equatorial zone characterized by a bi-modal rainy season, which reaches its maximum during the two peak periods of April-July and September-October.  The annual rainfall is between 1,250mm and 1,750mm.  Temperature ranges between a minimum of 26°C and maximum of 30°C.  A relative humidity of 65-75 percent during the dry season and 75-80 percent in the rainy season is a characteristic of the district.

    VEGETATION

The district is located within the mist semi-deciduous forest.  The forest reserve covers the Atiwa Scarp and its surroundings.  Commercial tree species covering the 12% land area include; Odum, Wawa, Ofram, Asamfra, Mahogany, Okyenkyen etc.

    TOPOGRAPHY AND DRAINAGE

The gentle and undulating land rises about 240m to 300m above sea level with the highest point at the Atiwa ranges which rise over 350m above sea level.

Different types of rock formed gave the different relief features, which include flat bottom valleys to steep-sided high lands which are covered with iron pans, bauxite and kaolin.  The steep sided highlands have created some wonderful sightseeing waterfall around Adasawase and Pameng.

The Birimian rock formation covered over (75) percent of the forest zone.  Granite occurs in parallel belts and contains different mineral deposits among which includes: Gold, diamond, bauxite and Kaolin.  Major perennial rivers like, Birim, Densu, Adenchensu, Merepong and Pra have their catchment areas within the Atiwa forest with other several seasonal streams in the District.  The pattern of flow is largely north-south in direction and very good water drainage basic in the district.

   SOILS AND SUITABILITY FOR AGRICULTURE

The predominant soil type is the Atiwa series, these are usually reddish-brown, well-drained, deep gravel-free silty loams and silty clay loams, located on the relatively high lands while the valley bottoms are mainly of the Oda series with poorly drained alluvia silty clays.  Food crops like Cassava, Maize, Plantain, Cocoyam and yam and tree crops like cocoa, oil palm, coffee and citrus thrive well on it.

    NATURAL RESOURCES

The District is endowed with mineral deposits (gold, diamond, bauxite and kaolin), which are found in the Birim river basin around Enyiresi, Abomosu, and Kwabeng  bauxite and manganese are found at Asamama and surrounding area whilst kaolin deposits are found at the Atiwa Ranges. 

Forest reserves cover about 100 square kilometers of the Atiwa ranges and contain various timber species, medicinal plants and are good attractions for eco-tourism timber species. The species include: Wawa (Tripochiton scleroxylon), Odum (milicia exelcsa), sapele (Guthaphragong) and mahogany (Kaya ivoreensis) etc.

Adenchemsu, Sea Abena, Akuku, Kankan, Abresu, Awusu, Kokobeng, Frempong, Kade, Subri, Anikorkor are some rivers and stream in the district.  The Birim, Densu and Pra rivers trace the source from the Atiwa ranges which are potential source of water for irrigation and fishing.  Butterfly sanctuary at the Atiwa forest also serves as a major tourist attraction site.