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| Community Institutions in Resource Management: Agroforestry by Mobisquads in Ghana |
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Reference |
| Dorm-Adzobu,Clement; Veit,Peter G: 1991 "Community Institutions in Resource Management: Agroforestry by Mobisquads in Ghana": World Resources Institute and African Centre for Technology Studies,U S A :Kenya |
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Introduction to the Institution |
| Goviefe-Agodome is one of five traditional Govie settlements.The Govie people belong to the Ethnic group. In the 1870s or 1880s,Goviefe-Agodome became the third Govie group to distance itself from the traditional Govie settlement.The founders moved to the lowlands to open new farmland and to live near the road.They settled near a Borasus tree locally known as "Agor",from which came the name 'Agodome'-"the settlement under the tree" |
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Rules for Management
of the Institution |
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(a) Boundary Rules |
| Spatial:Goviefe-Agodome is situated in Hohoe District, Volta Region, it is at the base of the Akwapim-Togo mountain range.The area has rocks essentially sandstone.The soils are of low to medium agricultural potential with high iron content.The mean annual rainfall is 58 inches.The flatlands and foothills of Goviefe-Agodome are characterised by typical savannah grassland vegetation
Social: |
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(b) Governance
rules |
| Each Govie community is headed by a village chief who is selected by a council of elders from the extended family of the village.A regent, selected by the village chief,acts as a deputy chief and rules in his absence.The council ,which helps the chief decide local matters is made up of the leaders of the village clans.The "Okyeami", the spokesman for the village chief,regent and council of leaders receives and delivers official messages between the public and chieftaincy.The queenmother is the traditional leader of women villagers.There is another traditional custodian of peace,the "asafo" company,led by a man called an "asafoatse" organizes all young village men into communal work parties.In 1987 ,the Govt,established a separate Ministry of Mobilization and Social Welfare.The Ministry called for transformation of the mobisquads into agricultural co-operatives to help boost food production,improve the living conditions of squad members and other rural people.An executive committee was established in 1987 which heads the mobisquad.It is responsible for organizing weekly "durbars" for discussing current affairs, work plan,financial matters etc.The mobisquad operates all year long. Members work one half-day each week(7a.m to 1p.m) except during peak labor demand periods-planting and harvest periods when they may work 2-3 days each week. Men clear the land and women cook,collect water, and sellthe crops; both men and women plant,weed and harvest. |
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(c) Resource Allocation |
| A significant percentage of the financial profits from the mobisquad communal farms and other activities are shared equally among the members each year.As mobisquad services to the membership have increased,significant non-economic benefits that relate to personal/household needs for labor and other resources have emerged. Members have access to low-interest loans from the mobisquad bank account and to labor for agricultural, house building etc |
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Conflict Resolution Mechanism |
| Members who do not show up for work are fined.The fine for missing one day is usually two bottles of "akpeteshie",a local gin,valued at1,200 cedis.The gin is disbursed for refreshment on workdays; members pay villagers to prepare their food on full workdays |
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Problems Faced by Institution |
| The benefits of the Goviefe-Agodome mobisquad have been equitable, and they have reached every household in the village.But its successes and the attention it has received have created tensions between its nearby village Goviefe-Kwowu.Goviefe-Agodom residents are calling for more modern facilities that they do not intend to share.Tensions are likely to arise until the neighbouring villages are equally organized and successful |
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Other Features of Institution |
| In Goviefe-Agodome,approx 63% of the adult population is literate,10% has completed secondary or technical/commercial school,and 34% has completed middle school.Only 19% stopped education with primary school |
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Country |
| Ghana (Africa) |
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Region |
| Goviefe-Agodome |
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Date Of Publication |
| RS-28/03/96 |
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