Background
The Peasant Farmers Association of Ghana (PFAG), the national apex farmer-based association as part of an ongoing project titled “Strengthening Farmers’ Voices to Promote Accountability and Inclusive Decision-Making in Ghana” with support from the Star Ghana Foundation, organized a one-day capacity building session for members of the multi-stakeholder platform (MSP) in Daffiama Bussie Issa (DBI) district of the Upper West Region.
The Muti-stakeholder Platform comprises representatives from the Daffiama Bussie Issa (DBI) District Assembly, PFAG district executives, Civil Society Organizations, processors, aggregators, traditional authorities, and youth and women’s groups, and was strategically constituted as part of the project approach to engage duty bearers and rights holders, tackle bottlenecks affecting smallholder farmers and deepen inclusive governance and accountability at the local level.
SESSION HIGHLIGHTS
Safeguarding & Inclusive Engagement
Dr. Roger Akanbisik led participants through principles of safe, respectful, and inclusive engagement, covering safeguarding concerns, stakeholder commitments, and reporting mechanisms. He stressed that it is imperative to commit to promoting safe environment and protecting the rights and dignity of all persons involved in programmes and activities at the local level.
This according to him includes protecting children, vulnerable adults, and community members from abuse, exploitation, and discrimination. He urged members to ensure that any safeguarding concerns are addressed promptly, confidentially, and with dignity.
District Composite Budget Analysis
Dr. Benjamin Sarfo, Programmes Officer of PFAG, unwrapped the 2026 Wa Municipal Assembly composite budget. The analysis revealed a stark structural gap, where Agriculture serves as the main driver of the local economy, employing about 78% of the district’s active population, but rather receives only 8.8% of the total budget, making it the third lowest funded sector, behind Infrastructure (44.0%), Social Services (37.6%), and Management & Administration (16.6%). Interestingly, 77% of the agricultural budget allocation goes to capital and operational cost which is mostly donor funded, leaving the remaining 23% for salaries. Key priorities such as post-harvest storage, farm inputs, dedicated women farmer budget, FBO support, Climate-smart agriculture investment, and Good Agricultural Practices had no budget lines at all. Dr. Sarfo used these findings to anchor a strong advocacy agenda for the MSP going forward.
Advocacy for Accountability and Inclusive Decision Making
Dr. Sarfo further equipped MSP members with advocacy tools and frameworks, emphasizing that effective advocacy messages must be clear, fact-based, solution-oriented, concise, and respectful. He emphasized that good advocacy messages are the foundation of meaningful change when crafted well, thereby moving decision-makers to act. He called on the platform to leverage its collective voice to demand improved policy responsiveness, enhanced accountability in service delivery, and sustained constructive engagement with local governance structures fostering shared understanding and coordinated action to address systemic agricultural challenges in the municipality.
The participants expressed satisfaction with the knowledge gained and indicated their commitment to work with each other to ensure that, farmer’s needs and concerns within the municipality are addressed. Mr. Vincent Lawie Bonzo, lead convenor for the MSP in DBI District who doubles as the PFAG National Youth organizer acknowledged the training organizers and termed the session as an eye opener. He stressed that “This is the first time I am learning how the DBI District composite budget was drafted and submitted, leaving Agriculture with only 8.8% of the total share.” Hon. James Wor, the District Chief Executive of DBI expressed satisfaction of the training and urged all participants to monitor ongoing projects and activities using the PFAG developed scorecard. He mentioned that, the doors of the assembly are always opened for constructive criticism and inclusive decision making hence he will make conscious effort to include PFAG executives in the drafting, hearing and submitting of the assembly’s composite budget in coming years.
The presiding member of DBI, Hon. Stephen Katore confirmed his participation in the budget hearing of the assembly but was shock to see no specific budget line for women and youth in the agriculture activities in the district’. PFAG’s presentations have been eye-opening, and women and youth within the district should leverage on this to demand for what they deserve.
Other stakeholders including a District Director of Agriculture who doubles as the co-convenor of the MSP, Mr, Samuel Oteng indicated that “the kind of information shared here can serve as a powerful tool to advocate for what farmers in this district demand and deserve. The district planner, Mrs. Amina Saani indicated that “We will support the MSP in driving the inclusive agricultural growth we all aspire to achieve in this district.”
NEXT STEPS
In the end, all participants pledged to track every cedi in the budget, using the PFAG scorecard and the provisions of the Right to Information Act, to ensure allocations are used for their intended purposes. Dr. Sarfo thanked the participants and tasked MSP members to cascade insights from the training to community members at the grassroots level, deepening awareness and strengthening collective advocacy across the district.