Poverty Dimensions of Public Governance and Forest Management ...

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4.2 Output 2: ‘Potential alternative or developing and delivering appropriate
participatory management approaches to benefit the poor identified’
4.2.1 The Way Forward
It is the argument of this report that research on agriculture and natural resource management in
the Brong Ahafo is not responding well to the needs of the farming community. New ways need
to be found of identifying the constraints upon farm practices, and responding to them in line with
farmer interests.
New approaches are required to improve decision-making in natural resource management at all
levels from local-level producers up to national-level administrators.
Hitherto, most agricultural research has ended up expanding the areas of influence of a state or
policy sector through the distribution of new technologies and building up of a clientele of
faithful supporters. The arguments here presented are opposed to this type of approach. Rather,
institutional innovations are required which:
a) Promote feedback on the environment and production systems from various localities;
b) Lead to the creation of information systems which regularly update themselves and which
policy makers can use to learn about the conditions which various categories of people
experience in their daily life.
These information systems should facilitate debate at the various policy levels to foster more
informed and appropriate policy options. The interface between administrative organs and
perceptions of different people within the localities, and the learning processes that emerge from
the interface at both these levels, is what will ultimately determine if a sustainable development
process can be implemented.
Policies need to be informed by the experiences of citizens, and citizens need to understand the
avenues through which they can create demands for appropriate policies.
The proposed project (see Annex 4 & 5) seeks to promote such a perspective on policy
development.
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