Urban Agriculture Network-Northern Ghana
(UrbANet)
Promoting Urban Agriculture: The Role of
UrbANet in Northern Ghana
September 2008
Table of Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION ...............................................................................................................3
2.0 The Urban Agriculture Network-Northern Ghana (UrbANet) ............................................5
2.1 Key urban agricultural practices in Tamale .....................................................................5
2.3.1 Vision........................................................................................................................6
2.3.2 Mission Statement.....................................................................................................6
2.3.3 Aims and Objectives .................................................................................................6
2.3.4 Key Strategies/Interventions.........................................................................................6
2.3.5 Organizational Structure of UrbANet.......................................................................7
3.0 Formation of UrbANet.........................................................................................................8
4.0 Membership of TUAWG involved in the processes............................................................9
5.0 Collaborators/Affiliates/partners........................................................................................10
5.1 ActionAid Ghana ...........................................................................................................10
5.2 Food Security Policy Advocacy Network (FoodSPAN) ...............................................10
5.3 International Food Security Network.............................................................................11
5.4 International Water Management Institute (IWMI).......................................................11
6.0 Achievements.....................................................................................................................11
7.0 Challenges..........................................................................................................................12
8.0 Lessons...............................................................................................................................12
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PROMOTING URBAN AGRICULTURE: THE ROLE OF URB ANET IN NORTHERN GHANA
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The number of people around the world who live in and around cities is increasing steadily.
In 2000, 2.9 billion people lived in urban areas, comprising 47 per cent of the world
population. By 2030, 4.9 billion are expected to live in urban areas, representing 60 per cent
of the world population (UN report, UNIS/POP/29, 2000). The situation is not different to
what is happening in Ghana and Tamale as a city for that matter. Tamale is one of the fastest
growing urban centers in West Africa. Its population grew by 48.8% between 1984 and 2000
(Population and Housing Census, 2000).
City authorities face enormous challenges in creating sufficient employment, in providing
basic services such as drinking water, sanitation, health services, in managing waste and
wastewater, and in facilitating the creation of environmentally and socially sustainable
communities in their cities. Growth in urban poverty, food insecurity, and malnutrition and a
shift in their concentration from rural to urban areas also accompany the urbanization
processes of cities. Urban agriculture at this stage tends to increase rapidly since it conforms
to an important survival strategy for the urban poor, providing food as well as job
opportunities for unemployed city dwellers. The United Nations Development Programme
estimates that in 1996, 800 million people were engaged in urban agriculture worldwide. It
will therefore be a mistake to see urban agriculture as a temporal phenomenon since
urbanization is a reality. The most distinguishing feature of urban agriculture is the fact that it
is embedded in and interacting with the urban ecological and economic systems: it is an
important component of the urban food system, uses typical urban resources (like organic
waste and wastewater), competes for land and water with other urban functions and is being
influenced by urban policies and plans.
Tamale, the capital of northern region is fast growing into a full fledge metropolitan city and
so the challenges described above is what exactly confronts the city. The key challenges
facing the city of Tamale include:
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The northern region of which Tamale is the capital is described as the food basket of
Ghana with agriculture employing about 75% of the population
7 out of 10 people in the region are poor (Growth and Poverty Reduction Strategy,
2002)
Farmlands in Tamale are rapidly giving way to residential and industrial development
due to rapid urbanization of the city with majority of the citizens still depending on
agriculture for their livelihoods
Experiencing in-migration at an alarming rate from the rural districts.
Livelihood diversification among the poor and vulnerable due to urbanization
Rapid increase in the generation of urban solid and liquid waste
Agricultural production systems/technologies remains traditional in spite of changes
in society and environment brought about by urbanization
Inadequate technology transfer and information flow.
Lack of awareness and knowledge about urban agriculture in general
Lack of policy framework and commitment at national, regional and district levels on
urban agriculture
Unfavorable trade policy regime impacting negatively on small scale farmers, urban
and rural alike.
Unorganized urban agriculture stakeholders (researchers, producers, processors,
marketers and input dealers etc) particularly the poor and vulnerable farmers
Inadequate access to extension services by small scale urban farmers
Non integration of urban agriculture practices/systems into accordance with city
planning processes
High levels of illiteracy and ignorance
The problems associated with growth in urbanization and in particular urban agriculture
demand creative, multi-dimensional approaches. Interventions into urban systems must
recognized and reflect the complex interaction of social, economic and environmental factors
that drive the daily life of cities. Urban agriculture, when perceived as an intervention into an
existing context, is, in principle, multi-functional. It touches on many different urban sectors
in its practice and outcomes, specifically urban agriculture contributes substantially to food
security and nutrition, urban ecology by improving the micro climate, reducing energy use
(less transport, storage losses and packaging), greening of the city and productive re-use of
urban wastes
4
Urban agriculture is thus a cross-sectoral issue that requires a multi-sectoral and multi-actor
approach and the active participation of the direct stakeholders (famers’ groups, small
enterprises, consumers) and indirect stakeholders (advisory services, city authorities, credit
services, health dept, env’tal agencies etc) in the planning and implementation of policies and
action programmes. As the challenge of facilitating and sustaining development has grown
and become more complex over the years particularly the recent phenomenon of rapid
urbanization that is being experienced, networking has come to represent one of the most
useful approaches, hence, the initiation of the Urban Agriculture Network-Northern Ghana
(UrbANet).
2.0 The Urban Agriculture Network-Northern Ghana
(UrbANet)
The establishment of the Urban Agriculture Network-Northern Ghana was in response to the
challenges described above as well as the conviction of the fact that networking of all
relevant stakeholders involve in urban agriculture as a critical way forward to addressing the
challenges. This paper seeks to discuss the key urban agricultural practices in Tamale;
UrbANet as a network for the promotion of urban agriculture; the formation of UrbANet and
processes involved; achievements, challenges and lessons learnt.
2.1 Key urban agricultural practices in Tamale
Vegetable production & marketing
Livestock rearing
Poultry farming
Crop farming-cereals, legumes
Agro-processing-rice, groundnuts, shea-butter etc
Fruits and Ornamentals
2.3 UrbANet
UrbANet was established in 2003, and registered with the Registrar General Department as a
coalition of farmer associations, NGO, CBOs and government agencies (including research
and training institutions) to improve upon urban agriculture and food security in urban
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centres of the north. It seeks to contribute to the realization of the right to food for all people
especially the urban poor and vulnerable farmers.
2.3.1 Vision
Food security and sustainable livelihoods for every urban and peri-urban family and dweller.
2.3.2 Mission Statement
A network of organizations to facilitate the development of proper urban agriculture as a
means of ensuring food security among agriculture workers and urban dwellers
2.3.3 Aims and Objectives
UrbANet seeks to contribute to the achievement of the right to food for all urban dwellers and
the practice of sustainable urban agriculture. In pursuance of the objectives, UrbANet seeks
to:
1. Establish an effective network for urban agriculture development in northern Ghana;
2. To facilitate information transfer, technology and market access to members
3. To strengthened the organizational capacity of UrbANet to perform its functions
4. To facilitate advocacy and lobbying on national policies, district assembly byelaws
and on issues impacting on urban agricultural development
5. To advocate and lobby for the creation of institutional framework for integration of
urban agriculture into development planning processes
6. Promote gender mainstreaming in urban agriculture
7. Undertake research on urban food security and disseminate findings to induce policy
dialogue
8. Undertake capacity building through information sharing and networking, periodic
workshops and seminars
9. To collaborate with national and international networks to promote urban agriculture
2.3.4 Key Strategies/Interventions
The key strategy adapted by UrbANet to addressing the challenges confronting urban farmers
is the Right Based Approaches. It has been engaged in advocacy, lobbying, farmer group
mobilization, technology dissemination among others. Key activities include:
• Facilitating farmar group mobilization
• Facilitating training of small scale urban farmers on organic vegetable production
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• Facilitating farmers access to productive resources (land, extension services and
credit)
• Research and dissemination
• Organize Participatory Review and Reflection Processes for farmers
• Organize quarterly stakeholder meetings ( famers & MoFA)
• Organize regular radio discussions and community life drama to promote urban agric
2.3.5 Organizational Structure of UrbANet
General Assembly
Executive Committee
URBANET
Secretariat
Fund Raising
Subcommittee
Advocacy
and Publicity
Sub committee
Agriculture
Sub
committee
2.3.5.1 The General Assembly (GA)
The GA is the highest decision making body of the network and meets once a year. It
deliberates on strategic and broad policy issues of the network in general. Membership is
drawn from member organizations.
2.3.5.2 The Executive Committee (EC)
It is a seven member committee that serves as an advisory board to the secretariat of the
network. It meets every quarter to deliberate on issues emerging from the secretariat and to
offer support and advice to the secretariat. The membership of the committee is elected
representatives of the member organizations at General Assembly Meetings to serve two-year
term. The committee then appoints members to the sub-committees base on expertise.
2.3.5.3 The Network Secretariat
The secretariat is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Network and reports to the EC
through the Network Coordinator on quarterly basis. It coordinates and facilitates all
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programmes and projects of the network. It’s responsible for the organization of general
assembly meetings as well as all dialogue sessions with stakeholders in consultation with the
EC
3.0 Formation of UrbANet
The formation of the Urban Agriculture Network-Northern Ghana as a strategy to dealing
with the multi-dimensional urban agriculture related challenges as described in the preceding
chapters in the Tamale Metropolis was initiated by ActionAid Ghana which has an urban
programme in Tamale. ActionAid led the processes below leading to the establishment of the
Urban Agriculture Network-Northern Ghana:
Initial consultations were conducted among key stakeholders about the possibility of
organizing a stakeholder workshop to discuss the challenges and prospects of urban
agriculture in Tamale.
A stakeholder workshop was organized subsequently in 2000 to deliberate on the
prospects and challenges of urban agriculture in Tamale after the consultations
suggested for a workshop
A pressure group-Tamale Urban Agriculture Working Group (TUAWG) was formed
at the close of the inception workshop to serve as a platform for stakeholders (farmer
groups/associations, government agencies, research institutions, NGOs, agric input
dealers etc) to share information and ideas, and to advocate for proper urban
agriculture development
TUAWG organized series of workshops and annual events subsequently were
member research institutions presented research papers on urban agriculture
(practices, problems, suggested solutions etc), with others sharing valuable pieces of
information with members to improve upon practices.
Beyond sharing of knowledge & information at TUAWG meetings little was done on
issues agreed upon at TUAWG’s meetings until the next meeting.
The 2002 TAUWG workshop therefore constituted a 5 member committee to prepare
a draft constitution and a proposed organizational structure for consideration towards
a formal network that could take direct responsibility for tasks agreed upon.
The committee presented its report in 2003 which was shared with TUAWG members
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A two day workshop was organized by TUAWG in July, 2003 where the committee’s
report was discussed
The first day of the workshop discussed the report in groups and in plenary. The constitution
was therefore adapted after lengthy discussions. The day’s discussion was therefore
summarized by the facilitators of the event in preparation for the following day’s event, an
inaugural ceremony of the network. The second day was a ceremony to inaugurate the Urban
Agriculture Network and was attended by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Metropolitan
Coordinating Director, Metropolitan Director of Agriculture, regional director of
Environmental Protection Agency and the director of Parks and Gardens. The rest of the
participants were the members of TUAWG. The meeting also elected an interim Executive
Committee to take up the day-to-day running of the network until a secretariat was
established.
4.0 Membership of TUAWG involved in the processes
Categories
Farmer Associations/groups
Institutions
1. Northern Poultry Farmers Association
2. Livestock Farmers Association
3. Vegetable Farmers Association
Research/Teaching Institutions
1. University for Development Studies
2. Savanna Agricultural Research Institute
3. Animal Research Institute
4. Water Research Institute
Government Agencies
1. Ministry of Food and Agriculture
2. Town and Country Planning
3. Environmental Protection Agency
4. Dept. of Parks & Gardens
Non-Governmental Organizations
1. ActionAid Ghana
2. CARE International, Ghana
3. Center for Active Learning & Integrated
Dev.
4. Community Action for Development
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5. Community Action Programme for
Sustainable Agricultural Dev.
6. Maata-N-Tudu Association
7. Sustainable Agricultural & Rural Dev.
8. World Vision Ghana
5.0 Collaborators/Affiliates/partners
The Urban Agriculture Network is a regional network interested mainly in the development
of urban agriculture in northern Ghana but work in partnership and in collaboration with
other national and international food security organizations and networks seeking for the
promotion of food security in general.
5.1 ActionAid Ghana
The relationship between ActionAid Ghana (AAG) particularly, its Northern Region West
Development Programme and UrbANet dates back to the origin of UrbANet. As indicated in
the background to the formation of UrbANet, ActionAid has been the brain behind the
establishment of the network. AAG provided financial support for the establishment of
UrbANet’s secretariat with basic office equipments.
It also provided support for the
development of four year strategic plan (2006-2009) that is currently being pursued by
UrbANet.
5.2 Food Security Policy Advocacy Network (FoodSPAN)
UrbANet is a member of the Food Security Policy Advocacy Network (FoodSPAN).
FoodSPAN is a national network aimed at:
•
Advocating for the right to food to be enshrined in the Constitution of Ghana
•
Advocating for the realisation of food security at the national, community, household
and individual levels
•
Contributing to building social forces in support and furtherance of food security for
all
•
Working in partnership with others in furtherance of the above objectives
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UrbANet is the current chair of FoodSPAN’s Agriculture Policy Working Group and a
member of the national steering committee of the network. The advocacy agenda of UrbANet
at the local level is fed into the agenda of FoodSPAN at the national level for policy dialogue.
The membership of UrbANet also enjoys the capacity building programmes of FoodSPAN
5.3 International Food Security Network
UrbANet through its membership with FoodSPAN also works in collaboration with the
International Food Security Network. Policy issues discussed at the international level
especially that is very relevant to urban agriculture UrbANet gets to participate and share in
the information through the participation of FoodSPAN
5.4 International Water Management Institute (IWMI)
UrbANet also works in collaboration with IWMI which has partners working in urban
agriculture in the West Africa sub-region. The discussions and projects resulting from this
relationship also feeds into FoodSPAN events that are national in character and to the
International Food Security Network ultimately at the International level.
6.0 Achievements
•
UrbANet now has a very established secretariat as envisaged at the beginning of the
process
•
Recognized as a major stakeholder organization in urban agriculture development in
Northern Ghana
•
Gradually serving as a resource center in the north on urban agricultural related
issues
•
Established stakeholder process for discussions on urban agriculture
•
Increased awareness on urban agriculture of the general public
•
Students (under graduate & graduate) now take interest in doing their theses work on
urban agriculture and that is improving upon literature on urban agriculture in Ghana
•
Established a strong farmer based groups in Tamale
•
Annual urban agriculture stakeholder platform in Tamale established
•
Established a micro-credit facility for farmer associations
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•
Able to sustain a three year partnership with ActionAid Ghana that has strengthened
the capacity of the network.
7.0 Challenges
Even though the network is steadily gaining grounds and recognition, the achievement has
not come without some challenges. These challenges include:
1. Securing commitments among members towards oneness of purpose was very
challenging
2. The initial processes faced mixed reactions and ignorance by policy makers, planners
and city population culminating in an attitude of indifference & inadequate support
3. High levels of poverty, ignorance and illiteracy
4. Requires high profile personalities to fast track the processes
5. Disparities in skills among members slows down processes and decision making
6. Advocacy and outreach are the backbone to the success of the process but these are
quite expensive
7. Inadequate literature and general awareness on urban agriculture in the region
8. Non-existence of policy framework
8.0 Lessons
1. Effectively managing differential parities of esteem & expertise among members will
avoid passiveness and ensure full participation and sustainability
2. Creating dialogue platform for consultations with the right stakeholders increases
commitment and resource sharing
3. Mobilizing farmer groups around issues of common interest increases cohesion and
commitment
4. Working in close consultations with relevant government agencies adds value to the
process
5. Need for a very committed initiator with a sustain commitment to the course
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