By Philip Tengzu
Wa, (UW/R), Sept. 20, GNA – An Agriculture Value Chain Governance Mechanisms assessment report has recommended the integration of District Value Chain Committees (DVCCs) into the local government system to strengthen governance within the agricultural value chain at the district levels.
The report also recommended the development of strategic plans for the DVCCs to ensure the effectiveness of those committees to achieve the expected impact including enhancing agricultural policy implementation.
The USAID Feed the Future Ghana Market Systems and Resilience (MSR) Activity sanctioned the study to ascertain the status and viability of the structures formed as part of the initiatives to strengthen agriculture value chain governance systems.
Dr. Michael Pervarah, a research consultant who conducted the study, presented the report at a day’s Validation Workshop and Regional Public-Private Dialogues (PPDs) on Value Chain Governance Mechanisms in Wa.
The study was conducted in 16 out of the 17 districts within the USAID Zone of Influence (ZOI) in the Upper West, Upper East, Northern and North East Regions.
Five districts and municipalities in the Upper West Region – Sissala West, Sissala East, Wa East, Nadowli-Kaleo and Daffiama-Bussie-Issa Districts, participated in the study.
“The DVCCs remain the most viable alternative mechanism to be used as PPD platforms to drive policy implementation, coordination and advocacy.
However, given their current status, capacity building and reorganisation are urgently required to make them effective and functional”, the study indicated.
The report urged the MSR Activity to facilitate the integration and development of the strategic plans for the DVCCs as well as build the capacity of the DVCC members to enable them to function effectively.
Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Samson Konlan, Team Lead for Enabling Environment of the MSR Activity, said the Activity was aimed at increasing agriculture sector-led economic growth in northern Ghana through promoting and strengthening institutions, increasing access to agricultural services, and improving Enabling Environment.
He said the workshop was to advance the objective of improving the Enabling Environment for public and private sector actors in the agricultural sector to interact and coordinate through PPD.
Mr. Konlan said the Value Chain Mechanisms would help to improve policy implementation through effective value chain governance to enhance agriculture productivity.
He explained that government policies were largely public-sector-driven but that involvement of the private-sector actors in the policy implementation would lead to the success of those policies.
Madam Mavis Derigubah, the Wa East District Director of Agriculture, said the DVCC members should take ownership of the initiative and incorporate the DVCC activities in the Assembly development plans to ensure sustainability.
Mr. Iddrisu Issah Bolunbu, a mechanisation service provider from the Sissala East Municipality, said the DVCCs were important because they connected the actors in the value chain to enhance access to services.
District Directors of Agriculture, Coordinating Directors and private-sector actors in the value chain from the five districts and municipalities attended the workshop.
GNA