Population and Agricultural Land Use in the Manya Krobo District

The Manya Krobo District is in the Eastern Region of Ghana. The predominant people of the district are the Krobo who are mostly £armers. Indeed a number of researchers have described the Krobo as industrious £armers. Another characteristic :feature of the district is the rapid population growth. The two variables: the rapid population growth of the Krobo and their agricultural activities, make the Manya Krobo District an ideal rural area :for the examination a£ the relationship betweenpopulation growth and agricultural land use. By 1731, the Krobo had become :firmly established on the Krobo Mountain in the north-eastern part 0£ the Accra Plains. As a result of rapid populaton increase, they acquired agricultural land from their Akan neighbours. By 1950, the Krobo had penetrated Akan lands as far as the southern parts o:f the A:fram Plains, about 300kilometre~ north-west o:f the Krobo Mountain. The land acquisition process was greatly in:fluenced by the changing attitude o:f the Akan landowners. Thus while the process was peace:ful at some stages, at other stages, it was characterised by clashes.The rapid population growth 0£ the district has great impact on the land use. Indicators o:f population stress like; land:fragmentation, changes in :frequency o:f cropping, environmental degradation, changing landholding patterns, decreasing crop yields, changing crop patterns and disputes over land ownership are now common :features o:f the agricultural landscape.