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Ghana

Country Profile

Agricultural extension in Ghana has gone through political shift from export commodity development approach prior to independence in 1957 to the promotion of food crop production. The Government shift in focus intended to modernize traditional farming practices, transfer resources and technology, and train personnel to address extension needs of peasant farmers. The Ministry–based general extension approach adopted in 1978 came under heavy criticism. The approach was viewed as a top-down and pro-urban, and was believed to pay more attention to progressive farmers, while totally neglecting poorer small farmers and women. The lack of coordination amongst various departments within the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) and the poor management of the general extension approach coupled with the lack of well-trained extension workers and the poor quality of infrastructures, called for a reform of the system (Okorley, 2007).

In response to criticisms and external pressure from the World Bank, The government of Ghana reformed the general extension system and adopted a new nationwide agricultural extension approach called the Unified Extension System (UES) that came together with the training and visit (T&V) extension management system approach. For a full report on the pluralistiv agricultural extension system in Ghana. click HERE

The Modernizing Extension and Advisory Services (MEAS) project conducted an assessment of the pluralistic extension system in Ghana in October/November 2012. The executive summary of the report is available at http://www.meas-extension.org/meas-offers/country_studies/country-overview/ghana and the full report is available through the USAID Development Experience Clearing House, https://dec.usaid.gov/dec/home/Default.aspx.




Photo courtesy Brent Simpson


Still seeking information on extension and advisory services provided by:

  • Public Research Institutions with Extension Unit

  • Semi-autonomous Governmental Extension Organizations

  • Other Non-Governmental Organizations

  • Other Farmer Based Organizations

  • Private Sector Companies








 

Public Sector

Ministry of Food and Agriculture, MOFA www.mofa.gov.gh

Agricultural Extension is one of eight Technical Directorates. It is "responsible for the overseeing of agricultural technology diffusion through the management of an extension delivery service in the country." www.mofa.gov.gh/agricultural_extension_
services.html
(A completed survey has not yet been received)

Agricultural Extension Approaches Being Implemented in Ghana http://mofa.gov.gh/site/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Extension-approaches-in-Ghana-.pdf

Non-Governmental Organizations

  • Presbyterian Agricultural Services, Tamale, Provides agricultural advisory services in over 20 districts in northern Ghana
    (A completed survey has not yet been received)

Farmer Based Organizations

  • Farmers Organization Network in Ghana
    (11 extension staff in 2009)

In-Service Training for Extension Staff

SAFE, Sasakawa Africa Fund for Extension Education, Programs in Ghana:

  • University of Cape Coast: Total number of agricultural extension staff: 9 (thereof female: none), http://safe-africa.net/UCC.htm, www.ucc.edu.gh
    also see case study as attachment below    ,     posted with permission from the author.

Agricultural Research

ASTI Agricultural Research and Development investments and capacity in Ghana:
www.asti.cgiar.org/ghana
  • Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)




About MoFA:

"With the exception of the cocoa, coffee and forestry sectors the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has the responsibility of developing the agricultural sector. It plays a significant role in formulating appropriate agricultural policies, planning and co-ordinating agricultural programs and monitoring and evaluating policies and programmes within overall national economic development. MOFA is decentralised and operates through:

  • A national secretariat made up of four national directorates
  • Technical directorates for instance Plant Protection and Regulatory Services and Agricultural Engineering Services
  • Regional and District Directorates
  • Sub-vented organisations such as the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority and the Veterinary Council
Through the work of these agencies MOFA seeks to improve agricultural productivity thereby increasing incomes and employment opportunities for Ghanaians. (retrieved 5/7/2011)

From www.mofa.gov.gh:
"The main goal of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture is to create an environment for sustainable growth and development in the Agricultural Sector that would include:
  • Provision of food security
  • Supply of raw materials for industry
  • Creation of employment
  • Reduction in poverty and the creation of wealth
  • Greater contribution of the sector to GDP
  • Generation of foreign exchange earnings.
Beyond these, agriculture is also recognised to have a greater impact on poverty reduction than other sectors. Other roles are social stabilisation, buffer during economic shocks, support to environmental sustainability, and cultural values associated with farming."


About the Directorate of Agricultural Extension

(from www.mofa.gov.gh/agricultural_extension_ services.html, retrieved 5/17/2011)

It is "responsible for the overseeing of agricultural technology diffusion through the management of an extension delivery service in the country.

Vision: To establish an efficient and demand-driven extension service in a decentralized system, through partnership between the government and the private sector for the provision of quality service to our clients.

Mission: To work with the regional and district administration to ensure that extension services contribute in an effective and efficient way towards the social and economic development of Ghana.

Functions:  DAES is tasked to perform the following functions:
  1. Extension Policy formulation and Planning
  2. Review various extension approaches, frame work document on Research-Extension-farmer linkage

Committees (RELCs), Farmer Based Organisations (FBOs) and private service providers in extension to improve on extension service delivery.

  1. Facilitate in the human  resource development at all levels in extension delivery.
  2. Coordination of Extension activities;
  3. Collaborate with a range of Organisations/Agencies including Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs), private service providers and public organisations in providing extension service.
  4. Disseminate information on appropriate approaches to all extension service providers.
  5. Collaborate with other agencies in facilitating the formation, sustenance and management of

Farmer Based Organisations.

  • Promoting strong research-extension-farmer linkages.
  • Provision of technical materials on agricultural technologies.
  • Monitoring and Evaluation of all extension activities under the Ministry of Food and Agriculture."

Noteworthy:

Among the Technical Directorates of MoFA there is also one for "Women in Agricultural Development"  http://mofa.gov.gh/site/?page_id=90


References Pertaining to Agricultural and Rural Extension and Advisory Services and Related Resources 


  • Asuming-Brempong, S., D. B. Sarpong, and F. Asante. Institutional Bottlenecks of Agricultural Sector Development: The Case of Research and Extension Provision in Ghana. Final Report. Funding for the research has been provided by the OECD Development Centre, Paris, France. http://www.inter-reseaux.org/IMG/pdf/Ghana_Research_and_Extension_Provision_OCDE.pdf
  • Chapman, R. and R. Trpp. 2003. Changing Incentives for Agricultural Extension – A Review of Privatised Extension in Practice. Agricultural Research & Extension Network (AgREN). Network Paper No. 132.  July 2003. http://www.bdsknowledge.org/dyn/bds/docs/254/agrenpaper_132.pdf
  • Chapman, R., R. Blench, G. Kranjac-berisavljevic, and A.B.T. Zakariah.  2003. Rural Radio in Agricultural Extension: The Example of Vernacular Radio Programmes on Soil and Water Conservation in N. Ghana. Agricultural Research & Extension Network (AgREN). Network Paper No. 127.  January 2003.
  • http://www.odi.org.uk/work/projects/agren/papers/agrenpaper_127.pdf
  • Okorley, E., D. Gray and J. Reid. 2009. Improving Agricultural Extension Human Resource Capacity in a Decentralized Policy Context: A Ghanaian Case Study. Journal of International Agricultural and Extension Education Volume 16 number 2. Summer 2009 http://www.aiaee.org/attachments/article/727/001.pdf
  • Okorley, E. L. 2007. An Operational framework for Improving Decentralized Agricultural Extension: A Ghanaian Case Study.  A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy PhD) in Agricultural Extension. Institute of Natural Resources Agricultural/Horticultural Systems & Management, Massey University. http://mro.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10179/1404/02_whole.pdf?sequence=1






Harnessing the Power of Savings and Lending Communities to Drive Agroenterprise Development in Ghana 

by Robert Asambobillah. Paper presented at the Cracking the Nut Conference: Overcoming Obstacles to Rural and Agricultural Finance. Washington. 6/2011. 

The paper documents an innovative approach to building farmer skills in financial management through savings-led micro-finance interventions that are explicitly linked to extension services provided by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture. The approach contributes to resolving two critical obstacles faced by smallholder farmers in Northern Ghana: access to credit and technical advisory services.Click to download

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IDGhana-APDADP-42.pdf
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Andrea Bohn,
19/07/2011 07:49
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Zinnah,Moses-Case_Study_Sasakawa-2003.doc
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Andrea Bohn,
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