Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

NGOs and sustainable rural development: experience from Upper West Region of Ghana

  • Published:
Environment, Development and Sustainability Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rural communities in Ghana are deprived of basic social amenities, infrastructure and livelihood skills. The absence of these amenities and skills has widened inequality between rural and urban spaces in the country. The situation is worse in the northern part compared to the southern part of Ghana. The government and its development partners have made efforts to bridge this inequality and to make the development of rural communities sustainable. In this study, we explored the activities of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in sustaining rural livelihoods in Upper West Region (UWR) of Ghana. Three basic questions that motivated the study are: what are the various interventions of NGOs in rural communities in the UWR?; how is sustainability built in the overall intervention programmes of the NGOs?; and what challenges do rural NGOs face in their operations? We purposively selected five NGOs operating in the region for the study. Simple random and purposive sampling techniques were used to select 194 respondents made up of beneficiaries and officials of the NGOs. The results from the study have shown that intervention programmes have contributed positively in improving economic, health, sanitation, social and political lives of beneficiaries in the studied communities. The study, however, found that there were no systems in place to sustain some interventions once programmes implementation periods are over. The low sustainability of the NGO intervention programmes was attributed to the many challenges they face. Prominent among them were cultural believes and practices, inadequate funding and logistical constraints. Recommendations are made to help NGOs and various stakeholders in rural development to sustain projects in order to achieve desired poverty reduction in rural areas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Adatuu, R. (2017). Gender political culture and sustainable democracy in northern Ghana: A comparative study of Three capitals, International Journal of Development Studies, 4(2), 25–46.

  • Adjei, P. O. W., Agyeman, S., & Afriyie, K. (2012). Non-governmental organizations and rural poverty reduction in northern Ghana: Perspectives of beneficiaries on strategies, impact and Challenges. Journal of Poverty Alleviation and International Development, 3(2), 47–73.

    Google Scholar 

  • Afrane, S., & Filipovitch, A. (2012). Mapping the non-profit sector in Ghana. CASS Journal of Art and Humanities., 2(1), 32–51.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ajani, E. N., Mgbenka, R. N., & Onah, O. (2015). Empowerment of youth in rural areas through agricultural development programmes: Implications for poverty reduction in Nigeria. International Journal of Research in Agriculture and Forestry, 2(2), 34–41.

    Google Scholar 

  • Akinbami, C. A. O., & Aransiola, J. O. (2016). Qualitative exploration of cultural practices in inhibiting rural women entrepreneurship development in selected communities in Nigeria. Journal of Small Business Entrepreneurship, 28(2), 151–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Akolgo-Azupologo, H., Bardy, R., & Rubens, A. (2021). Land governance in norther Ghana: Creating communities of practice between tribal leaders and the government. Land Use Policy, 107, 105493.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alabik, T., Bahah, M., & Alabi, S. O. (2014). The girl-child: A sociological view on the problems of Girl-Child education in Nigerai. European Scientific Journal, 10(2), 1857–1881.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alikhan, F., Kyei, P., Mawdsley, E., Porter, G., Raju, S., Townsend, J., & Varma, R. (2007). NGOs and the state in the Twenty – First Century: Ghana and India. INTRAC.

  • Alinola, S. R. (2007). Coping with infrastructural deprivation through collective action among rural people in Nigerai. Nordic Journal of African Studies, 16(1), 30–46.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allen, T., & Thomas, A. (2000). Poverty and development in the 21st century. Oxford University Press.

  • Asad, L. A., & Kay, T. (2014). Theorizing the relationship between NGOs and the state in medical humanitarian projects. Social Science and Medicine, 120, 325–333.

    Google Scholar 

  • Asogwa, B. C., Abu, O., & Ochoche, G. E. (2014). Analysis of peasant farmers’ access to agricultural credit in Benue State. Nigeria, British Journal of Economics, Management and Trade., 4(10), 1525–1543.

    Google Scholar 

  • Awekeya, P., & Bordy, R. (2017). A critical view on the role of NGOs in systematic capacity building: Insights from projects for promoting access to water and self-sufficiency in food production in Northern Ghana. Journal of Organizational Transformation and Social Change, 14, 78–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bawole, J. N., & Hossain, F. (2014). Marriage of the unwilling? The Paradox of Local Government and NGO Relations in Ghana. Voluntas: International Journal of Voluntary and Nonprofit Organisations, 26(5), 2061–2083.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhaker, S. K. (2014). Role of NGOs in rural development in India. Journal of Business and Economic Policy, 1(1), 93–109.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bigsten, A. (2003). Credit contraints in the manufacturing enterprise in Africa. Journal of African Economics, 12(1), 104–125.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bite, D., & Kruzmetra, Z. (2017). Non-governmental organizations as key actors of renewal of rural territories in Latvia. International Journal of Economics and Management Systems, 2, 277–286.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bolay, J. (2020). Urban planning against poverty: How to think and do better cities in the global south. Springer.

  • Brass, J. (2016). Allies or adversaries? NGOs and the state in Africa.

  • Browess, N. C. (2015). comprehensive sexuality education, culture and gender: The effect of the cultural setting on a sexuality education programme in Ethiopia. Sex Education, 15(6), 655–670.

    Google Scholar 

  • Chambers, R. (1983). Rural development: Putting the last first. Longman.

  • Chambers, R. (2008). Revolutions in development inquiry. Earthscan.

  • Chant, S., & Mcllwaine, C. (2009). Geographies of development in the 21st century: An introduction to the global south. Edward Elgar.

  • Conteh, F. M. (2014). Chiefs, NGOs and alternative conflict resolution mechanism in post-conflict Sierra Leone. Review of African Political Economy, 14(142), 516–529.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cooke, E., Hague, S and Mckay, A. (2016), The Ghana poverty and inequality report: Using the 6th Ghana Living Standard Survey report.

  • Cornwall, A., Lucas, H., & Pasteur, K. (2000). Introduction: accountability through participation: Developing workable partnership models in the health sector. IDS Bulletin, 31(1), 1e13.

    Google Scholar 

  • Creswell, J. W. (2003). Research design: Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approach (2nd ed.). Sage.

  • Denscombe, M. (2007). The good research guide: For small-scale social research projects (3rd ed.). Open University Press.

  • Department of rural development and land reform. (2010), Strategic Plan 2010 – 2013, Pretoria: Government Printers.

  • Dugle, G., Akanbang, B. A. A., & Salakpi, A. (2015). Nature of non-governmental organizations involved in local development in the Upper West Region of Ghana. Graduate Journal of Development Studies, 12(1), 142–163.

    Google Scholar 

  • Erdiaw-Kwasie, M., & Alam, K. (2016). Towards understanding digital divide in rural partnership and development: A framework and evidence from rural Australia. Journal of Rural Studies, 43, 214–224.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fielmua, N. (2011). The role of community ownership and management strategy toward sustainable access to water in Ghana: A case of Nadowli District. Journal of Sustainable Development, 4(3), 174–184.

    Google Scholar 

  • Forkuor, D., & Agyemang, S. (2018). Fighting urban poverty in Ghana: The role of non-governmental organizations. Urban Forum, 29, 127–145.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ganle, J. K., Dery, I., Manu, A. A., & Obeng, B. (2016). ‘If I go with him, I can’t talk to other women’: Understanding women’s resistance to and acceptance of men’s involvement in maternal and child healthcare in northern Ghana. Social Science & Medicine, 166, 195–204.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gautam, Y., & Andersen, P. (2016). Rural Livelihood diversification and household well-being: Insights from Humla. Nepal, Journal of Rural Studies, 44, 239–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ghana Statistical Service. (2010), Population and housing census-2010: Summary report of results, regional analytical report of Upper West Region, Accra.

  • Ghana Statistical Service. (2014), Ghana living standard survey, round 6, Ghana Statistical Service, Accra.

  • Ghana Statistical Service. (2018), Ghana living standard survey, round 7, Ghana Statistical Service, Accra.

  • Government of Ghana. (2007), Draft NGO Policy Guidelines 2007, Available at http:// www.posdev.org/library/ngo_policy_regulations/ngo_policy_regulations_eng. Pdf, Accessed 12 March, 2015.

  • Gyamfi, P. (2010), Financing local non-governmental organisations in Ghana: Issues and challenges, A Thesis submitted to the Department of planning in partial fulfillment for the award of Master of Science in Development Policy and Planning, KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana.

  • Gyan, C., & Mfoafo-M’Carthy, M. (2021). Women’s participation in community development in rural Ghana: The effects of colonialism, neoliberalism and patriarchy. Community Development. https://doi.org/10.1080/15575330.2021.1959362

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hill, C. (2011). Enabling rural women’s economic empowerment: Institutions, opportunities and participation. UN Women Cooperation with FAO, IFAD and WFP, Accra, September 20–23.

  • Hlalele, D. (2014). Rural education in South Africa: Concepts and practices. Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, 5(4), 462–469.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hodge, I., & Midmore, P. (2008). Models of rural development and approaches to analysis evaluation and decision making. Economie Rurale, 307, 23–38.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hugh, A. (2006). Village savings and loans associations-Sustainable and cost-effective rural finance. Small Enterprise Development, 17(1), 61–68.

    Google Scholar 

  • Islam, M. R. (2014). Improving development ownership among vulnerable people: Challenges of NGOs community empowerment project in Bangladesh. Asia Social Work and Policy Review, 8(3), 193–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ismail, M. (2009). Corporate social responsibility and its role in community development: An international perspective. Journal of Integrated and Social Research, 2(9), 200–209.

    Google Scholar 

  • Israr, M., Yaseen, A., & Ahmad, S. (2017). Sustainable rural development and livelihood sources of the rural households in mountainous Parkistan. American Journal of Rural Development, 5(4), 97–105.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jalongo, M. R., & Saracho, O. N. (2016). Writing for publication: Transitions and tools that support scholars success. Springer.

  • Johnson, M. (2013). Understanding the real budget process: The Case of Ghana. Discussion Note #029.

  • Jung, B., and Röhm, M. (2015), Civil society cooperation: A valuable partnership. Bonn: Deutsche Welthungerhilfe, e.v.

  • Khayesi, M. (2018). Rural development planning in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan.

  • Kollmair, M., & Gamper, St. (2002). The sustainable livelihood approach. Development Study Group, University of Zurich.

  • Koolmans, M. E., Rogge, E., Mettepenningen, E., Knickel, K., & Sumane, S. (2017). The role of multi-actor governance in aligning farm modernization and sustainable rural development. Journal of Rural Studies. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.03.012

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kotey, B., & Rolfe, J. (2014). Demographic and economic impact of mining on remote communities in Australia. Resource Policy, 42, 65–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kumar, R. (2011). Research methodology: A step-by-step guide for beginners. Sage.

  • Kumar, A., Deka, N., Bathla, S., Saroj, S and Srivastava, S.K. (2020), Rural non-farm employment in Eastern India: Implications for economic well-being. The Indian Journal of Labour Economics, 63, 657–676.

  • Kyei, P. O. (2008). Crawling out of poverty: Nadowli women and poverty alleviation under the decentralized system of Ghana. Bulletin of Ghana Geographical Association, 3(25), 129–148.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lekorwe, M., & Mpabanga, D. (2007). Managing non-Governmental organizations in botswana. The Public-Sector Innovation Journal, 12(3), 1–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • McLoughlin, C. (2011). Factors affecting state–non-governmental organisation relations in service provision: Key themes from the literature. Public Administration and Development, 31, 240–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Michailidis, A., & Lazaridou, D. (2020). Non-farm employment: A key challenge to achieve zero hunger. In W. Leal Filho, A. Azul, L. Brandli, P. Özuyar, & T. Wall (Eds.), Zero hunger encyclopedia of the UN sustainable development goals. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69626-3_33-1

  • Mohan, G. (2002). The disappointment of civil society: The politics of NGO intervention in Ghana. Political Geography, 21(1), 125–154.

    Google Scholar 

  • Moyer, C. A., Adongo, P. B., Aborigo, R. A., Hodgson, A., Engmann, C. M., & DeVries, R. (2014). ‘It’s up to the woman’s people’: How social factors influence facility-based delivery in rural northern Ghana. Maternal and Child Health Journal, 18, 109–199.

    Google Scholar 

  • Munson, M. K. (1998). Professional research and knowledge base for non-formal rural youth education in Africa programmes. In L. V. Cowder (Ed.), Training for agricultural and rural development. Rome: FAO/SDP.

    Google Scholar 

  • National Development Planning Commission (2018). An agenda for jobs:creating prosperity and equal opportunity for all, 2018–2021. NDPC, Accra.

  • Ngeh, D., B., (2013), Non-Governmental Organizations and Rural Development in Nigeria, Mediterranean Journal of Social Sciences, Department of Social Studies Ignatius Ajuru University of Education, Port Harcourt, Nigeria, Published by MCSER-CEMAS-Sapienza University of Rome, ISSN 2039–2117 (online), Vol. 4(5).

  • Nikoi, S. K. (2008). Information needs of NGOs: A case study of NGO development workers in the northern region of Ghana. Information Development, 24(1), 44–52.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nzimakwe, T. I. (2008). South Africa’s NGOs and the quest for development. International NGO Journal., 3(5), 90–97.

    Google Scholar 

  • Odeh, M. A., & Okoye, C. O. (2014). Poverty reduction policy and youth unemployment in Nigeria. Journal of Public Policy and Administration Research, 3(4), 92–103.

    Google Scholar 

  • Olugbire, O. O., Falusi, A. O., Adeoti, A. I., Oyekale, A. S., & Adeniran, O. A. (2011). Non-farm income diversification and poverty reduction in Nigeria: A propensity-score matching analysis. Continental Journal of Agricultural Science, 5(3), 21–28.

    Google Scholar 

  • Oni, S. S. (2015), Community participation in rural development: catalyst for sustainable development efforts. Proceedings of INTCESS 15 – 2nd International conference on education and social sciences 2–4 February, Istanbul, Turkey.

  • Osano, H. M., & Languitone, H. (2016). Factors influencing access to finance by SMEs in Mozambique: A case of SMEs in Maputo Central Business District. Journal of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, Springer, Heidelberg, 5(13), 1–16.

    Google Scholar 

  • Panda, S., & Majumder, A. (2013). Review of rural development programmes in India. International Journal of Research in Sociology and Anthropology, 1(2), 37–40.

    Google Scholar 

  • Porter, G. (2003). NGO and poverty reduction in a globalizing world: Perspectives from Ghana. Progress in Development Studies, 3(2), 131–145. https://doi.org/10.1191/1464993403ps057ra

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, J. M. (2002). Stakeholders in rural development: Critical collaboration in state-NGO partnership. Sage.

  • Rogerson, C. M. (2004). Local economic development in the changing world: The experience of Southern Africa. Routlege Group.

  • Rubin, A., & Babbie, E. R. (2014). Research methods for social work (8th ed.). United States: Brook/Cole.

    Google Scholar 

  • Satterthwaite, D., & Mitlin, D. (2014). Reducing urban poverty in the global south. Routledge.

  • Scheiterle, L and Birner, R. (2020), The myth of the market queens: A case study of women an power in Ghanaian market. Hohenheim working paper no. 002–2020 on social and institutional change in agricultural development.

  • Schoneveld, G. C., German, L. A., & Nutakor, E. (2011). Land-based investments for rural development? A grounded analysis of the local impacts of biofuel feedstock plantations in Ghana. Ecology and Society. https://doi.org/10.5751/ES-04424

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Shepherd, A. (1998). Sustainable rural development. St: Martins Press, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tamale, S. (2014). Exploring the contours of African sexualities: Religion, law and power. African Human Rights Law Journal, 14, 150–177.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tandon, S. (1995). Educating the girl child in rural areas. Social Change, 25(2–3), 197–202.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Thomas, A. (1992). Non-governmental organisations and the limits to empowerment. In M. H. Wuyts (Ed.), Development policy and public action. Oxford University Press.

  • Todaro, M.P. and Smith, S.C (2009). Economic development, (Tenth edn), Pearson Education, NY.

  • Treurnicht, S. (2000). Sustainable development. In F. Beer & H. Swanepoel (Eds.), Introduction to development studies. Oxford University Press.

  • UN Chronicle. (2007). Agriculture Leads to Millennium Development Goals, Rural Development in Africa, Vol. XLIV (4).

  • Usadolo, S.E and Caldwel, M. (2016), A stakeholder approach to community participation in rural project. Sage Open, pp. 1–9.

  • Wang, X., & Cheng, Z. (2020). Cross-sectional studies: Strength, weaknesses and recommendations. Chest, 158(1), 565–571.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warria, A. (2018). Girl’s innocence and futures stolen: The cultural practice of sexual cleansing in Malawi. Children and Youth Service Review, 91, 298–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • World United. (2006). Youth in Agriculture. NY, USA: World United.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yitayal, A. M. (2004), Determinants of smallholder farmers access to formal credit: the case of Matema Woreda North Gondar in Ethiopia, Addis Ababa: The World Bank Report.

  • Zadawa, A. N. & Omran, A. (2020), Rural development in Africa challenges and opportunities. In A. Omran & O. Schwarz-Herion (Eds.), Sustaining our environment for better future. Springer, Singapore

  • Zulaikha, E., Bereton, M. (2013), Participatory approach to support community development of rural craftspeople. In: Proceeding of Quality in Research, Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography and Rural Development, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana

    David Forkuor

  2. Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability, University of Oklahoma, 100 East. Boyd Street, Sarkey’s Energy Center 438, Norman, OK, 7309, USA

    Andrews Korah

Authors
  1. David Forkuor
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Andrews Korah
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to David Forkuor.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Forkuor, D., Korah, A. NGOs and sustainable rural development: experience from Upper West Region of Ghana. Environ Dev Sustain 25, 351–374 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-02057-w

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-021-02057-w

Keywords

Search

Navigation