Capacity-Building Needs of Ghana By Harrison Dapaah and Alex Ablordey Presented at the Dissemination Workshop of ECIATA-EDULINK II Project at Meaglant Hotel, Accra March 23-24, 2015

Introduction Specific objective(s) To strengthen the academic capacities of Partner Institutions on international trade agreements which would enable them to enhance the Institutional capacities of government agencies and other relevant bodies on trade-related agriculture agreements

Methodology Desk-research Study (Involved set of questionnaires) Field Missions Study Assessed negotiating capacities and other relevant capacities of the College of Agriculture Education (CAGRIC), Government and other relevant institutions or stakeholders Reviewed curricula of the institution and other institutions for elements of Agriculture/Agricultural Trade Negotiation.

Assessment of negotiating and other relevant capacities of Institutions (1) College of Agriculture Education (CAGRIC) of UEW Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA) - the Directorates of Extension, Crop Services, Plant Protection and Regulatory Services, Women in Agriculture Development, Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation and GIZ-MOAP (under MOFA) WTO secretariat Attorney General’s department (Principal Trade Organisation) Ministry of Trade and Industry Private extension agencies (Africa Connections) NGO’s responsible for trade and agriculture (Ghana Federation Of Agriculture Producers and Daa Women Foundation)

Involvement in Trade agreements Almost all the respondents have had no formal training in agricultural trade negotiations 11% had some involvement at Technical and Ministerial levels 67% indicated awareness that officials of MOFA were involved in trade agreements impacting the agriculture sector, Assessment of negotiating and other relevant capacities of Institutions (2)

Awareness of Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) policy 53% of respondents were Not Aware of an existing national Sanitary and Phytosanitary (SPS) policy in Ghana, Harmony of SPS among ECOWAS countries 69% - Not Aware of any form of harmony in systems of SPS measures among ECOWAS countries Assessment of negotiating and other relevant capacities of Institutions (3)

Capacity Needs of Universities for a Curriculum on Trade Agreements CAGRIC Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Education of CAGRIC, UEW, currently runs only undergraduate programmes. Postgraduate programme is being developed. The Department has no specific course on International Agricultural Trade or International Agricultural Trade Agreements. Two Level 400 courses: - Agriculture and Food Policy - discusses International Agriculture Policy with special reference to the Ghana agricultural food policy (where FASDEP I and II are covered), - Agricultural Marketing and Finance – have some aspects of International trade.

None of the lecturers in the department is a specialist in the area of International Agricultural Trade. Material resources required to run course in Agricultural Trade Agreement: - books, - ICT resources - access to international and national data. - Training of academic staff in International Agriculture Trade Negotiations Capacity Needs of Universities for a Curriculum on Trade Agreements cont’d

University of Ghana, Legon Faculty of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences at University of Ghana The Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness of the University of Ghana, Legon has a Level 400 undergraduate course - Agricultural Marketing and Trade which considers a little of international trade policy in its content for those who choose to offer the Agribusiness option from this department. Postgraduate Master of Philosophy (MPhil) programme - Agricultural Economics - offers “Agricultural Trade II: International” as a Level 600 course in an elective option. Department of Economics and Agribusiness in Legon have their various specialties with the majority not having specialized in agriculture international trade policy. Few knowledgeable of Agricultural Market and Trade..

KNUST The Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension at KNUST has no specific course on International Agricultural Trade Agreement Agricultural Marketing – Level 400 course with aspects on International Trade. Lecturers will require training in International Agricultural Trade. Capacity Needs of Universities for a Curriculum on Trade Agreements cont’d

Findings Gap exists to be filled as none of the Universities had courses in International Agricultural Trade Agreement at the undergraduate level, except at the postgraduate level as an elective course Agricultural Trade II: International at UG, Legon. Few lecturers specializing in the area of International Agricultural Trade. Some aspects of International Agricultural Trade exist in the undergraduate courses: - Marketing and Finance, - Agriculture and Food Policy and - Agricultural Trade (major in Agricultural Economics) Capacity Needs of Universities for a Curriculum on Trade Agreements cont’d

Willingness to adopt the proposed curriculum at either undergraduate or postgraduate level Students and Lecturers willing to attend training on International Agricultural Trade Negotiations Capacity Needs of Universities for a Curriculum on Trade Agreements cont’d

Conclusions Capacity building or curriculum development in International Agricultural Trade Agreements through: - Short-term non-degree training courses - Undergraduate courses - Postgraduate courses Identified Lecturers in Faculties of Agriculture of the Universities in Ghana should be given some training in International Agricultural Trade Agreements Material resources required should be provided to develop the various International Agricultural Trade Agreements training programmes.

Conclusions cont’d The Government should address capacity-weakness in the Ministries by funding the training of new recruits. Ministries should keep these new recruits in positions which make use of their training skills to sustain their capacities. The ECOWAS Commission should also support the sponsorship and training of trade negotiators to help in the implementation of ECOWAS directives in member countries.

Conclusions cont’d Any training programme as a result of this project should be made affordable for small-scale farmers to enable them to participate. Government needs to support officers of the PPRSD to gain knowledge on trade agreements which impact on their operations.

Thank You