Decentralization And Agricultural Development In The Ho West District Of Ghana

Abstract

Most governments across the globe resorted to decentralisation of public services to the local government authorities as a solution to central government failures, and as a means to ensure popular participation in the development planning of their localities. The government of Ghana operationalized the decentralisation of the agriculture department as part of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies in 2012 as a way of ensuring participation of the local stakeholders including farmers in its development. Against this backdrop, this study was pursued to analyse the extent, and the dynamics of the agricultural sector decentralisation and its contributions to food security in the Ho West District of Ghana. This research was conducted using a mixed research method with an exploratory design. A sample size of 377 consisting of food crop farmers, some core staff of the Ho West District Assembly and some technical staff of the Department of Agriculture in the Ho West District. The study revealed a poor implementation of decentralisation of the agriculture department which resulted in the lack of financial autonomy, delays in the allocation of statutory funding, and failure of the transfer of the needed resources to accompany the policy. In addition, the study showed that, even though decentralisation of the agriculture department in Ho West has contributed to the participation of local stakeholders in the decision-making, it has not translated into ensuring food security in the District. Additionally, the study found an incomplete fiscal decentralisation of the department resulting in lack of the fiscal autonomy necessary for effective operations of the department. The study recommends a complete fiscal decentralisation, adequate and timely allocation of financial resources to the department, and the need for the deployment of qualified and adequate number of agricultural extension agents to the District.