Deliberations afore on network function demand a framework for local level enterprise engagements within which reasonable operation can be expected. Considerations on local
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enterprise growth in Ghana have been accompanied by a string of changes in the development of policies, approaches and strategies aimed at building concrete blocks needed in addressing issues of coverage through effective and adequately decentralised structures; as well as achieving sustainability in micro level endeavours through mechanisms prescribed based on more practical ideals.
Recent developments have seen the construction of perspectives318 on community development extensively drawing in the role of the state as working instrument in beefing up micro level activity. Though most emerging economies stood to the realisation of less state intervention in the quest to enlargen their ‘civil space’ in their agenda to open up markets, the very structure of most developing states demands support from the macro level state apparatus in the distribution of power as well as control in economic management at community levels. This implies the positive build in economic indicators at this level being highly dependent on the expansion of the meagre options available. Dwelling on such instances, BEHERA319, postulates state support in market functioning, realising the distribution of resources being fundamental to micro level market functioning, implying a combination of the state’s role with adhered market principles in the development process.
Relating to Behera’s postulations, being typical for farmer groups in rural communities in Ghana, their location have often been impediments in considerations of government interventions. As may be depicted, the effects of government interventions in raising the economic potential over the past decades have hardly measured up to required benchmarks. In comparison to urban areas, rural areas which are often acutely hit with where poverty indices are concerned have faced the challenges of being spatially distanced in terms of the allocation of amenities. Comparably, the country’s northern, as against its southern divide for example witnessed a long history of ‘a few drops’ of the allocation of amenities for communities within the northern sector. Inadequate attention to communities within the divide in terms of the extension of feeder roads, water, sanitation, educational facilities as well as energy amongst others accounted for stifled developments within the region.
Along with the span of rural communities across the nation’s divide, the lack of adequate allocation of resources has compounded the stalemate situation. Development has clearly been focused on the urban divide; with the assumption of the ‘trickle down’ effect to the community level to automatically follow. This has created and remained a bone of contention
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See Aryeetey, E. et al, (2008); Behera, M.C. (2006) 319
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dating as far back as the early post colonial period accounting for the widened gap between the urban and rural divide with regards to infrastructural set ups, amenities and economic opportunities.
Modes of assignment and execution of roles within farmer groups directly influences the long standing top bottom approach in resource distribution. Inadequate projection of leadership in farmer groups towards assembling group interests and representation beyond the communal periphery has resulted in the range of inadequate technology dissemination particularly drawing vivid effects on rural farmers increasing the incidence of crop pests, and low productivity due to the paucity in access to agricultural inputs. In agricultural development, data reveals the lack of access to appropriate technology for storage and transportation of produce resulting in losses up to 20-50% for fruits, vegetables, roots and tubers and between 20-30% for cereals.320
Training and research facilities to rural farmers in increasing food production; as well as support by the Ministry of Trade through its auxiliary body, sufficient service has hardly trickled down to obsolete rural communities to create linkages capable of producing significant effects.
Slack developments in road networks for the efficient transportation of agricultural produce has constantly resulted in the stagnation and destruction of produce in areas such as the Ashanti and Western regions with high productivity potential, as well as in occasional glut seasons within the northern divide. Community locations realising poor access imply unproductivity in producers efforts where excessive time is spent on traditional modes of produce transportation and storage, resulting in poor end quality of fresh produce.
The linkage structure supporting communal enterprise growth is evident in the assumption made by TIPOTEH321 in stating that ‘an integrated rural development strategy is any strategy that combines various sector development programmes at local, regional and national levels in a way that the programmes are internally consistent with respect to the goal of attaining sustained economic and social progress in the rural areas’ Access to resources has markedly implied the proper establishment and function of local service structures being equipped with the capacity from macro level structures to draw in communal engagement in deliberation and decision making processes; more importantly the ability of said meso structures to partner with communal occupational structures in the implementation of activities.
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PRO€ INVEST Country Report, Ghana (04/2011) - Project WAF/6349 321
The purpose of trust in farmer groups supporting their influence on linkages bears direct connection to the confidence laid in group leadership in championing members cause as interacted in group participation.
The crux of the matter, in accessing resources at community levels, lies in adequately combined efforts between communal representation and meso level service structures. Aside other contributory factors, the distribution of, and access to resources supporting local SME’s assume a more competitive nature of realised streaks of success in communities where district assembly structures and communal organisation have linked up efforts towards addressing challenges. The efforts of communal leaders in the honour of trust laid on them by members in forwarding interests implies constant and qualified interaction beyond the communal periphery in penetrating service and formal structures.
Obviously, access to invariably limited resources demands a communal adoption of an’ inclusive’ character supporting abilities of local entrepreneurs establish linkages to beneficial engagements. Core rural structures in Ghana portray a picture of local entrepreneurship consisting mainly of farming and non farming activities. Aside fishing and non farming activities which include trading of agricultural and non agricultural produce, crafts, carpentry as well as minor scale food processing, farming activities in themselves are widely seasonal. This results in drastic shortfalls in seasonal changes, increasing the need for communal organisation combined with local government efforts to step up activities designed to support rural economy diversification.
Participatory process in accessing local economic welfare are a matter of realising the ‘real effect’ on individual entrepreneurs in linkage engagements in reducing cost in uncertain market conditions for small scale producers marketing fast perishable items such as for vegetable and fruit.
Likewise, the function of roles upheld within trader groups proves vital in supporting access from group location. Trading activities in typically rural communities realise homogenous groups such as women groups engaged in processing and trading traditional foodstuffs. Support from leadership which acts as a build up in supporting the growth of such homogenous groups to develop frameworks capable of sourcing assistance existing outside the communal periphery depend on intuition of group executives. Here, it is expected to use channels through like trader groups at meso levels in benefiting in terms of access to support offered for the provision of basic facilities such as market sheds and means of transport for wares. Acquisition of resources through participation beyond communal boundaries thus
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implies communal efforts aside support from local government structures in cutting across social boundaries.
This implies more precisely efforts of entrepreneurial individuals and groups weaving in a cross sectional range of societal categories aside what they generally possess to widen the societal fabric in the bid to draw in strategies for sustainable schemes and variation in options available.
Mc AREAVEY322 correlates the acquisition of resources where access is hindered to the significance of “group progress” where participatory processes entrust specific tasks to committed group representatives, with ample time sacrificed by said individuals to create the necessary linkages towards bridging the said gaps. Service organisations provide the opportunity for further development in deprived areas particularly in instances where group representation are only able to make minimal efforts, in mitigating the static nature of economic activities.
Through sourcing support and accessing linkages, such organisations support in the implementation of community owned projects geared towards the generation of income through the establishment of credit schemes, adult education programmes, and the provision of training programmes in areas of specialisation for petty traders, with the view towards strengthening their capability to access opportunities to assimilate into broader categories. For trader groups, the structure of markets within which rural dwellers are situated portray temporal makeshift sheds where lack of storage facilities and constructed structures for marketing of wares result in unhygienic depositing, distribution and marketing of wares. Transportation, particularly of perishable produce poses the greatest challenge in increasing their capacities. Aside the value a trusted leadership could provide in linkage efforts, trust
developed in peers within trading groups who possess stronger linkages with retailers amongst others could support the larger trading community in the establishment of supportive linkages in the distribution of wares and produce. This could be achieved in the wait for the establishment of more formal linkage structures to district and city market centres in sustaining the function of commodity value chains.
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