Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Commission, Minerals Commission, Department of Cooperatives and Local
Development. Their roles will be briefly discussed.
Water Resources Commission (WRC): In Ghana a significant step was taken
to address the diffused state of functions and authority in the water
resources sector with the creation of the Water Resources Commission
(WRC) through an Act of Parliament (Act 522 of 1996). The Act clearly
defines the WRC as the overall responsible body for coordination, regulation
and management of the nation's water resources (Opoku-Ankomah et al.,
2006). The WRC serves as an umbrella organization to coordinate the
different government agencies involved in water management and
development. According to Act 522, the WRC has the following
responsibilities:
to propose comprehensive plans for the utilization, conservation,
development and improvement of water resources;
to initiate, control and co-ordinate activities connected with the
development and utilization of water resources;
to grant water rights;
to collect, store and disseminate data or information on water
resources,
to monitor and evaluate programs for the operation and maintenance
of water resources,
to advise the government on any matter likely to have an adverse
effect on the water resources of Ghana; and
to advise pollution control agencies on the management and control
of the pollution of water resources.
The WRC Act allows for decentralized governance of the commission and to
this end the WRC has established sub-commissions. The WRC uses this as
legal bases for the development of basin boards that are supposed to
implement the functions of the WRC at the lower level. The basin boards are
not tied to administrative boundaries but rather to hydrological boundaries.
One of these basin boards relevant to this study is the White Volta sub-basin
Management Board (WVBMB). The WVBMB was established to handle
trans-boundary water issues especially between Ghana and Burkina Faso.
Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA): MOFA supports agricultural
development, including livestock development at the district level through
the regional directorate. One of its main tasks is to provide agricultural and
veterinary extension services for farmers (both rainfed and irrigated). The
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