The research was conducted in the Nkoranza South Municipality (NSM). The Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, until 2008 the Nkoranza District Assembly is centrally
located (Longitudes 1°10'W and 1°55'W and Latitudes 7°20'N and 7°55'N) within the Brong-
Ahafo Region. It is approximately 79km from Sunyani the regional capital of Brong-Ahafo.
The district shares boundaries with Nkoranza North District to the North, Techiman
Municipality to the West, all of which are in the Brong-Ahafo Region and Offinso North and
Ejura-Sekyere-Dumase (in Ashanti Region) to the South and South-East (Nkoranza South
Municipal Assembly, 2010).
Nkoranza was chosen for the study after desktop studies and preliminary field surveys portrayed it as the most appropriate case for understanding the complexities between land reforms and the livelihoods of marginal land users. Land reforms resulted in the pilot implementation of Customary Land Secretariats across 37 districts in Ghana, Nkoranza being one of them. Initial desktop studies showed that the NSM, Dormaa Municipality, Ejura-
Sekyedumase Municipality, Savelugu-Nanton Municipality and Builsa District exhibited the
features of interest to the research (the presence of migrant farmers, pastoralism and the active involvement of women in agriculture), albeit, variedly.
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Savelugu-Nanton Municipality and Builsa District were immediately eliminated after
it was established that the researcher cannot communicate in the local dialects of the people of those districts. This was important because the research issues can be adequately addressed in other districts without having to compromise on the need for first-hand information. Reconnaissance field visits (each taking three working days) were made to the Nkoranza,
Dormaa and Ejura-Sekyedumase districts. While Dormaa had robust agricultural practices, in
the areas of peasantry, commercial and non-commercial agriculture and poultry farming involving women, migrants and natives, pastoralism is not accepted in the municipality as a viable animal husbandry practice. Ejura-Sekyedumase also exhibited robustness in the
various issues of interest to the research. However, while the Customary Land Secretariat was enthused about the research and followed-up with several calls in that respect, it was extremely difficult to obtain any form of data from decentralised governmental bodies. For example during the three-day reconnaissance survey, the Municipal Agricultural Directorate denied the researcher access to very basic agricultural data about the district simply on the grounds that the director was attending a workshop in the regional capital. Nkoranza South Municipality was selected after it was realised that about sixty-five (65) percent of the active labour force are farmers; about thirty (30) percent of the population are migrants, working either as hired pastoralists or farmers; and 48.9 percent (Brong-Ahafo Regional figure as
opposed to NSM figure) of women are active land users both as commercial and non- commercial agriculturists.
Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly covers a total land area of 1,100km² and is composed of an estimated number of 126 dispersed settlements. The Municipality is fairly low-lying rising gradually from 153m to 305m above sea level. It lies within the transitional belt of Ghana and as such exhibits the characteristics of both the Southern forest zone and the Northern savannah belt. The Municipality experiences a bi-modal rainfall pattern with a
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mean annual rainfall level ranging between 800-1200mm. The major rainy season occurs between the months of March to July, with the minor season occurring between September and November. The area experiences prolonged drought from December to March (Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, 2010).
The Nkoranza South Municipality is predominantly rural. It is estimated that 53.8 percent of the total population live in rural areas, while 46.2 percent live in urban settlements. The dominant ethnic group (70 percent) is the Bonos, the indigenous people of the Area.
While 80.2 percent of the population are Christians, 12 percent are Muslims and 6.6 percent are Traditional African believers. The extended family system is still a dominant cultural practice in the Nkoranza Municipality, although it is gradually giving way to the nuclear family system. Predominantly, inheritance is matrilineal and children are expected to inherit the properties of their uncles. This practice, however, is fast giving way to patrilineal inheritance. The traditional chieftaincy system remains the most powerful symbol of authority within Nkoranza (Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, 2010).
Economically, the Municipality of Nkoranza is predominantly agrarian. The Agricultural sector employs 64.4 percent of the active labour force in the Municipality. It is followed by commerce with 16.3 percent; service with 11.1 percent and industry with 7.2 percent (Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, 2010). Agrarian activities comprise both cultivation of crops and rearing of animals as well as commercial and subsistence farming. The major food crops cultivated include maize, cassava, yam, groundnuts, cowpea and tomatoes. It is estimated that a total land area of 61,344 hectares is under the cultivation of these major food crops. The animals reared are predominantly cattle, sheep and goats (Municipal Agricultural Development Unit, 2013).
Physically, the Nkoranza Municipality until recently was part of the forest zone of Ghana. Poor agricultural practices, bush burning and excessive timber exploitation have
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combined to turn large sections of the municipality into a savannah ecosystem. As a result the Municipality is currently characterised by two distinct soil categories - one developed under forest vegetation and the other developed under savannah vegetation. Soils of the area are generally suitable for the cultivation of many different kinds of tropical crops (Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, 2010).
Lands in the Nkoranza South Municipality are owned by families but vested in the chiefs symbolised by stools. Access to land is strictly by inheritance along family lines, rentals and/or outright purchase. The major natural resources available to the people are the relatively good agricultural soils, the natural rivers of Pru, Fia and Afuofu which offer
potentials for the development of irrigation agriculture and reported gold deposits in the Dromankese area being prospected for by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited. While land is said
to be readily available, high rents and soaring land values are making land inaccessible to the majority of small scale farmers. Indigenous households have also had to reduce fallow periods and adopt sedentary agricultural practices due to growing land scarcity (Nkoranza South Municipal Assembly, 2010). Figures 1 and 2 below show the NSM within the context of Ghana and as a municipality, on its own.
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Fig. 1: Nkoranza South Municipality in National Context
Source: https://www.google.com.gh/search?q=nkoranza (last accessed 08/09/2015)
Fig. 2: Map of the NSM showing spread of communities
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