Challenges and durability of local development plans for West African rural communities based on a case study of Tafi-Todzi settlements (Volta region, Ghana)

Purpose: This paper presents the results of a study on agricultural systems and economic activities of selected rural communities in the Volta Region (Ghana) and assesses, from a 10-year perspective, the durability and validity of elements of the development programme prepared and implemented in their area. Design/Methodology/Approach: The analysis was conducted on the basis of questionnaires and interviews as well as field work. These were used to prepare the action programme. The fate and issues of the activites was followed up over a period of 10 years. Findings: The communities studied were characterised by very different levels of agricultural production methods: from near-burner economy to modern farmer production. Members of the communities mainly subsisted on agriculture, supported by small-scale economic activities of other types. Of the activities carried out, infrastructure improvement measures survived in their entirety after 10 years. Supported economic initiatives almost entirely disappeared within a few years after the programme. Practical Implications: The effectiveness of economic initiatives is closely dependent on the presence and actions of local leaders/trainers. Infrastructural measures are most likely to have a long-term impact.