Lessons from working with the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation: the case of the Ghana-Question and Answer Service

2021

English

In Ghana from 2000 to 2011, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Institute for Scientific and Technological Information (CSIR-INSTI) with technical and financial support from the ACP-EU Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), implemented the Question and Answer Service (QAS) to contribute towards the country’s developmental goal of achieving national food security and sustainable livelihoods. The overall objective of the QAS was to contribute towards improved agricultural productivity, food security and rural livelihoods through effective management and dissemination of agricultural information. The service impacted positively by way of timely, relevant and current information provision leading to the adoption of improved technologies by farmers and fisherfolks, improved teaching and learning, and better research outcomes by the scientists and the embedding of QAS in the activities of CSIR-INSTI. Formal partnerships with local and international organizations were formed. As a result of the Ghana-QAS, CSIR-INSTI had the opportunity to work with development agencies in the management of agricultural information products and services. The study concludes with CTA’s lasting legacy in terms of value propositions with respect to its unique approach in supporting partnership building and organizational learning/adapting strategies to address new challenges which ensured the success of the project.

Sam, J.