Synergies for Wealth Creation and Poverty Reduction through Agriculture in Ghana: The role of Non-Governmental Organisations

This book delves into how the cord of synergy can be struck in the interorganizational relationships that exist between NGOs, public and private sector stakeholders in the delivery of agricultural advisory services for sustained wealth creation and poverty reduction in rural northern Ghana. Although there is considerable descriptive and prescriptive literature about inter-organizational relationships in the NGO sector, there is little about the study of the processes by which "synergy" narrowly defined here as 'making the whole bigger than the sum of its parts' is harnessed from the programmes, projects and activities of NGOs. This has become necessary because most NGOs in consonance with global strategy are reviewing their focus from short term projects to programmatic approaches.This calls for useful lessons on how experiences from projects implemented earlier can shape future efforts in the establishment or fortification of relationships - and support meaningful outcomes in the sharing of knowledge, skills and competencies. As a result, a multiple case study approach was adopted as the strategy needed to investigate the actual work of synergy-making activity- how it can happen, and what actors actually do or can do to make synergy a reality.The focus of the book is on Regional Rural Development (RRD) and will indeed facilitate the efforts of development planning students and practitioners in their dealings with issues of rural development planning and policy.