ILEIA Newsletter 11 nº 4
ILEIA Newsletter • 11 nº 4 • December 1995
Collaborating for sustainable agriculture
Joe Tabaazuing and Ben Guri
Bringing people together from various backgrounds to work on sustainable
agriculture is a great challenge. Joe Tabaazuing and Ben Guri acted as facilitators
of a workshop in May 1995 to establish a working group for collaborative research
in Northern Ghana. In this article they report on the process that was adopted
to successfully establish this working group and the lessons learnt so far.
It is apparent that the problems of sustainable agriculture are so complex
that no one one organisation or individual can address them alone. The combined
skills and insights of a wide range of disciplines are required. Yet, for various
reasons ranging from fear of loosing control or identity to pure competition,
it is often difficult to get people from various organisations to collaborate
towards sustainable agricultural development.
It is therefore commendable that in Northern Ghana, 25 people from various
disciplines coming from two research institutions, five NGOs, one university
and ILEIA have been able to overcome all barriers to join hands in a collaborative
effort towards the development of LEISA. This group is called the Northern Ghana
LEISA Working Group. What is more remarkable is that group recognises and respects
farmers’ own knowledge and skills as a basis for the collaborative research.
The small scale farmer, is therefore central to this collaborative effort.
As the facilitators for the formation of the LEISA Working Group Northern Ghana
(LEWOG), we recognised the need to allow the collaborating organisations determine
the direction and nature of this whole effort.
Consequently, we first made a reconnaissance visit to the area not just to
study the political and socio-economic environment for the collaborative research,
but also to consult and collect collaborators before planning the next step.
These interpersonal contacts were kept informal and on a friendly note. This
allowed people to open up and express all their fears, anxieties and interests
for the collaboration. We also took advantage to press home the need for collaboration
which stimulated their desire and commitment to the collaborative effort.
First workshop
In order for potential partners to get to know one another properly and also
to create a platform to brainstorm together on the collaborative research, we
organised a three day workshop end of May 1995. Even though ILEIA was not represented
by a person, during a visit of ILEIA staff in March 1995 we had agreed that
this workshop should be organised following a better assessment of potential
partners’ involvement with LEISA. During the workshop, social evenings
were organised to enable participants to develop a bond of friendship among
themselves thus dispelling any suspicions or fears of each other.
The brainstorming and the reports from individual participants generated a
lot of views and divergent interests. But we were able to reconcile these divergent
interests and views and this paved the way for increased commitment and desire
to collaborate.
Focus was given to the NGOs operating at Langbensi and Sandema Agricultural
Station that were to be the pilot sites for all. However, other interests that
were not catered for by these two pilot sites were given attention by a third
group that designed a programme for implementation.
The result of this workshop was a Programme of Action as well as the establishment
of an institutional framework. Arrangements were made to deal with mechanisms
for co-ordination, monitoring and evaluation; documentation and sharing of results;
the necessary motivation to sustain the programme and roles and responsibilities
for each partner were defined. At regional level, a Regional Coordinating Team
was established by seven members, NGOs staff as well as researchers.
Second workshop
In the spirit of partnership, the collaborative research programme as designed
by the group during the first workshop was discussed with ILEIA during a second
workshop in August 1995. Even though the position of ILEIA brought out divergent
views, a critical analysis of all opinions paved the way for compromises and
meeting of minds by the end of this workshop. Partners were interested in the
on-going process and this ensured them to continue and make compromises.
It was the general consensus during the second workshop that more training
was needed for the partners to have a better understanding of the agro-ecological
zone they hope to work in as well as the dynamics and linkages of the indigenous
farming system. It was therefore recommended to have visit the communities again,
particularly the pilot sites at Langbensi and Sandema.
Some Participatory Rural Appraisal tools were recommended for this exercise
and a proposal was made for a third workshop to cater for this need. Before
this training workshop, however, the collaborating partners decided to form
"syndicate groups" to start practicising the PRA tools in different
locations with technical support from other partners who already have more knowledge
in applying them.
Lessons learnt
• Getting people from different disciplines and background to collaborate
towards a common interest is a slow process that requires patience and tact;
• Building a strong interpersonal relationship among collaborating partners
was found to be a useful starting point;
• Successful collaboration requires flexibility and compromised from partners;
• Views and interests of partenrs must be respected and divergent interests
reconciled as much as possible.
Bern Guri and Joe Taabazuing, PO Box 68,
Madina, Accra, Ghana.