24990




Findings reports on ongoing operational, economic and sector work carried out by the World Bank and its member
 governments in the Africa Region. It is published periodically by the Knowledge Learning Center on behalf of the
                                                      Region.




 Ghana: Building Local Capacity for Integrated Coastal Zone Management


During 1996 and 1997, a series of Bank-assisted workshops were held under the auspices of the
Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana. They aimed to: (a) raise awareness among coastal
communities of the need for better management of the marine and coastal ecosystem; (b)
identify the priority needs of coastal communities; (c) identify appropriate, cost-effective
interventions for addressing these needs; (d) raise awareness of ongoing initiatives to support
such interventions; (e) assist coastal communities in the design of appropriate small-scale
initiatives to address priority needs.

Impact on the Ground

High degree of ownership for the initiative was developed at the local level through a
participative approach that emphasized capacity building at the local level using the
participatory approach.

The workshops served to increase awareness of the range of initiatives available to support the
needs of communities in terms of access to basic services such as sanitation and water supply,
through IDA-funded or other donor-assisted programs.

The strong linkages between marine and coastal resource degradation and poor income and
health levels of coastal communities became clearer to the communities.

Communities recognized the need for better mobilization on the ground, for increased
ownership, accountability, monitoring and supervision, for successful implementation of local
initiatives.
Increased collaboration among local entities, whether public, traditional or private was seen as
vital to managing the marine and coastal resource base.

Lesson Learned

Lack of education, awareness, requisite skills and/or motivation to access and manage
development assistance. In many coastal communities, there is a significant lack of awareness of
ongoing initiatives that aim to address some of the priority problems. Where there is no
awareness, requisite skills to access development assistance are not developed. This is a serious
constraint to community development interventions.

Costs associated with the participatory process. Raising awareness and building ownership for
initiatives through an intensive participatory process requires a considerable amount of time and
perseverance. Participatory processes are costly to the community as well. The time spent in
discussion is time taken away from productive activities. The community needs to be convinced
that it is worth their while to engage in consultative processes that may not always result in
improvement in their conditions.

Need for simplified procedures in accessing funds or services. Participants often complained
that the procedures involved in accessing targeted funds or services are so complicated that they
no longer tried to access these services.

Lack of awareness of "win-win" projects. Communities generally did not have exposure to "win-
win" types of projects that would improve their socio-economic conditions while protecting and
conserving the marine and coastal ecosystem. There is a critical need for dissemination of such
experiences, particularly of projects where a proven track record is available. The workshops
were important in disseminating this type of information.

Need for leadership. In some communities, there was a noticeable lack of motivated individuals
with the entrepreneurial spirit capable of initiating the planning, the organization, the monitoring
and supervision required for implementing local-level initiatives. An opportunity exists for local
NGOs to adopt such communities that lack leadership and promote an entrepreneurial spirit
amongst them.

Increased collaboration at the local level is key. Good working relationships between district
assemblies, traditional rulers and other local entities are essential for successful implementation
of local-level initiatives in Integrated Coastal Management.

Key Documents

World Bank, Africa: A Framework for Integrated Coastal Zone Management, Environmentally
Sustainable Development Division and Land, Water and Habitats Division, Africa Region,
1995.

World Bank and SIDA, The Journey from Arusha to Seychelles: Successes and Failures of
Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Eastern Africa and Island States, Proceedings of the
Second Policy Conference on ICZM in Eastern Africa and the Island States, October 1996,
Graphic Systems, AB, 1997.

World Bank and the Environmental Protection Agency, Ghana, Towards an Integrated Coastal
Zone Management Strategy for Ghana, May 1997.

For more information on Integrated Coastal Zone Management in Africa, contact Indu Hewawasam, Rm. J3-097,
World Bank, 1818 H Street, Washington D.C. 20433; Tel. No.: (202) 473 5559, e-mail address:
Ihewawasam@worldbank.org