COLANDEF #IMPACTGROWS: THE VALUE IN BUILDING LOCAL CAPACITY FOR IMPACT- BAAKOYE FARMER COOPERATIVE LEADING LAND RIGHTS EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY
Baakoye Farmer Cooperative, in Ashanti Bekwai, has been one of the beneficiaries of COLANDEF’s education and capacity building activities in the last three years.? Located in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, the cooperative is made of over 2000 smallholder cocoa farmers, with about 45% being women.
In partnership with TrustAfrica , COLANDEF has been working with the Baakoye Farmer Cooperative by providing training for both the executives and members of the cooperative on Ghana’s Land Act 2020 (Act 1036), land rights documentation, and strategies for effective engagement and dialogue with customary land authorities.
For years, members of the cooperative struggled with challenges of insecure land and tree tenure, caused by threats of restrictions, displacement, outright dispossession and loss of investments. In recent times, illegal mining activities have also caused devastation to farmlands and water sources. Additionally, limited land access for youth and women has raised concerns about the future of cocoa farming in their communities. These challenges threatened not only their livelihoods but also the sustainability of farming in their communities.
Earlier this year, under the leadership of the President of the Cooperative, Mr. Emmanuel Opoku Acheampong, and other members of the Executives, a stakeholder dialogue was convened to deliberate on the challenges they face and build consensus on ways to address these challenges in their operational area. ?The dialogue brought together such stakeholders as Traditional Authorities, Queen Mothers, Opinion Leaders, and state institutions such as the Environmental Protection Agency, Local Government Authority, Security Services, Religious Leaders, Community Members, and the Media.
Equipped with knowledge and understanding of the Land Act and opportunities it presents for securing agricultural land users, the Executives of the Baakoye Farmer Cooperative led the discussions at this stakeholder dialogue and effectively advocated for application of relevant Provisions in the Land Act to address the threats to land tenure security. This engagement resulted in a local level policy document, endorsed by the traditional authorities in the operational areas of the members of the cooperative, committing to have the farm parcels of ?all cooperative members mapped, and land rights documented and signed off by the traditional leaders. The policy document also focused on the commitment to reviewing existing land acquisition mechanisms to make them more inclusive and accessible, with consideration for youth and women.
COLANDEF is excited to see how the institutional capacity strengthening efforts is paying off,? empowering agricultural land users to advocate for themselves. The experience with the Baakoye Farmer Cooperative is evidence of the powerful effect of building local capacity, sustained technical support and collective action.
We are grateful for the partnership with TrustAfrica in achieving this impact. This is just one of many inspiring stories in our #ImpactGrows series.? Partner with us to grow the impacts
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#LandRights #Farmers #InclusiveLandGovernance #OurImpactGrows
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Finance Manager
1 周At COLANDEF, we believe that securing land rights is fundamental to sustainable farming and resilient communities. Our partnership with the Baakoye Farmer Cooperative, supported by TrustAfrica, has shown the power of education and collective action in addressing tenure challenges. Through training on Ghana’s Land Act and strategic engagement, we have empowered farmers to navigate land governance complexities. The cooperative’s recent stakeholder dialogue, led by Mr. Emmanuel Opoku Acheampong, was a testament to the importance of collaboration. By bringing together traditional leaders, state agencies, and the community, they took a crucial step toward protecting land and livelihoods. This initiative reinforces the need for inclusive governance, where farmers, especially women and youth, can secure their future. At COLANDEF, we remain committed to this mission—because when land rights are protected, communities thrive, and farming becomes truly sustainable.