Implementing Agency:
Department For International Development (WNAD)

Project Code: 025-500-023	Start Date: 01/07/1997	End Date: 30/06/2000
Commitment: £15,000,000	Status: Current	Type of Funding: Bilateral - TC Multi-Funded

Project Background:
Agriculture plays a major role in Ghana's economy (43% of GDP, 60% of national employment and 60% of export earnings). It is an important source of public revenue, has a significant impact on both public and private savings and on real wages, and accounts for a significant component of household expenditure. It is a key determinant of overall macro-economic performance. Economic growth in the future will be strongly dependent on the sector as a whole, and private sector investment in particular.

The role of renewable natural resources in the lives of the vast majority of rural people is fundamental to addressing their basic needs; most obviously these include their food security and nutritional status, the way they spend their time, and their access to health and eduction services in terms of financial and time costs. Ownership and access to the natural resource base and its products is integral to social organisation within communities, and to the distibution of wealth and potential for increased wealth. Such factors also affect the willingness of people to adopt new practices and the premium they place on avoiding risk.

Poverty in Ghana is mainly a rural phenomenon. Since the majority of rural people depend directly on agriculture and natural resources for their livelihoods, addressing RNR constraints is of critical importance in reducing poverty.

The sector is constrained by a number of factors, in particular weak institutions, excessive government involvement, weak research and extension, inadequate arrangements for credit, poor market infrastructure and limited processing technologies. Many of the issues are well known, widely reported and recognised by government (full issues set out in 1995 DFID report and government's RNR strategy). The problem is how to tackle them at a practical level.

The proposed approach is to support activities which bring immediate benefits to farmers and at the same time inform and influence wider debate, contribute to better co-ordination between government agencies, donors and the private and NGO sector, and highlight key issues where decisions are needed at a political level.

Project Objectives:
More productive and sustainable use of renewable natural resources in Ghana, and efficiency and effectiveness of rural RNR service provision enhanced.

Intended Outputs:
Replicable options for rural service provision piloted at district level, bringing benefits to rural people.

Government implemented reforms in the Minisry of Food and Agriculture and in the Ministry of Lands and Forests.

Relevant and efficient DFID centrally-funded research programme delivered.

Wider issues affecting the productive and sustainable use of renewable natural resources in Ghana addressed.