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Towards cross-border natural resource management and economic development : linking communities and institutions in the onchocerciasis-freed zone of Burkina Faso and Ghana


Document type: report
Download file(s): 135372 (931 KB)
Abstract: The eradication of river blindness, or Onchocerciasis, has opened up substantial areas of land along rivers for more intensive use, facilitating economic development. Many of these so-called Onchocerciasis Freed Zones (OFZ) lie across international borders and interventions in one country could thus affect neighbouring countries. For that reason a coordinated international development approach has been called for. The Socio Economic Development Programme for the Transborder Onchocerciasis Freed Zone of Burkina Faso and Ghana was initiated by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to explore the modalities to institutionalise such a cross-border planning and development approach. The first phase of this programme (the ‘OFZ Project’) was implemented from 2003 to 2007 by FAO in the Upper East Region in Ghana and the adjacent Nahouri and Boulgou provinces in Burkina Faso. One of the activities was to test the suitability of the Participatory and Negotiated Territorial Development (PNTD) approach for cross-border natural resource based planning and development in the OFZ. PNTD has been developed by FAO and offers a structured approach to consensus building and joint planning on natural resource management. This made the approach potentially useful, considering the complex institutional environment made up of communities, traditional authorities, and government agencies in two countries with partly overlapping mandates on natural resource management. SNV provided advisory support to the OFZ Project to pilot the PNTD approach through its teams in Tamale (Ghana) and Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso). The PNTD process was tested in a single pilot area spanning the border. Most of the people in the pilot area belong to the Gruni (Frafra) ethnic group. They thus share a common language, culture and ancestry, but are divided on the basis of nationality. A team consisting of staff members of local government and non-government organisations was established and trained to facilitate joint planning, to provide technical expertise, and to liaise with relevant institutions. An active learning approach was followed in which short workshops alternated with field level application.
Authors: Van Waveren, E. , Mariez-Currena, V. , Issaka, B.Y.
Country: Ghana , Burkina Faso
Category: Practice
Keywords: development policy , natural resources , economic development
Language: eng
Organization: SNV - Netherlands Development Organisation , KIT - Royal Tropical Institute
PAGE: 52
Place: Accra
Publisher: SNV Ghana [etc.]
Year: 2008
Region: West Africa
Right: © 2008 SNV and KIT
Subject: Environment and Natural Resources
Title: Towards cross-border natural resource management and economic development : linking communities and institutions in the onchocerciasis-freed zone of Burkina Faso and Ghana