Toward Establishing a Ghana Multi-Stakeholder Fertilizer Platform: Insights from Stakeholder and Network Analysis
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Date
2020-09
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Abstract
This publication presents the findings of a research study aimed at understanding the dynamics of stakeholders in Ghana's fertilizer value chain in preparation for establishing a multi-stakeholder platform to address challenges in the value chain. Through stakeholder and network analysis, insights were gained from 36 interviews conducted with various actors. The introduction highlights the importance of agriculture, particularly sustainable intensification, in improving food security and reducing poverty and inequality. Despite efforts to promote fertilizer use, Ghana's average fertilizer application remains low at 21 kilograms per hectare, hindering sustainable agricultural growth. To tackle this issue, a multi-stakeholder platform is proposed to bring together stakeholders in the fertilizer value chain, fostering resource-sharing and collaboration. Before establishing the platform, it is crucial to identify key stakeholders and their roles to ensure comprehensive engagement and representation. The research findings reveal that government agencies hold significant interest and power in the value chain, while private sector actors demonstrate substantial but limited ability. However, governmental bodies and research institutions lack the necessary resources, and private sector actors face financial constraints due to high collateral and interest rates. Additionally, development partners are critical in various aspects of the value chain, such as research and development, financing, and strategic support. The analysis identifies 19 essential stakeholder groups among the initial 24 identified in the fertilizer value chain. The stakeholders interviewed expressed positive attitudes toward establishing a multi-stakeholder fertilizer platform. However, opinions diverged regarding the hosting organization, with suggestions including independent organizations, the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA), co-hosting by the public and private sectors, farmer organizations, and civil society. Concerns about diverse interests, power imbalances, policy changes, partisanship, decision-making authority, trust, and financial limitations may affect the platform's success. Moving forward, the publication emphasizes the importance of involving the 19 essential stakeholder groups as steering members in the initial planning and design of the platform. Additional groups can be included once clear goals and objectives are established. The hosting arrangement should be carefully deliberated to ensure sustainability, favoring a semi-autonomous entity with representatives from the value chain stakeholders to prevent disruption in case of government or donor changes. Sustainable financing mechanisms, such as membership dues, are crucial for the platform's long-term viability.
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Agriculture, Sustainable intensification, Food security, Poverty alleviation