Communication At The Science - Policy Interface In The Forestry Sector Of Ghana

Abstract

What does the forest science-policy interface in Ghana look like? For some time now policy makers have blamed research scientists for not living up to expectation since they do not see what scientists do and what impact their work has on national development. In other parts of the world, this is also the case where it appears there is poor communication between scientists and the intended users of their research results. The forestry science/policy interface in Ghana has not been systematically examined. To enlighten stakeholders, a study was conducted among forestry research scientists of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and some university researchers and policy and implementing partners in the forestry sector. The research focused on communication channels and their effectiveness, institutional arrangements and how they affect the interface between science and policy actors. In Ghana, the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG) which mainly hosts forestry scientists is administratively under a different Ministry from the Forestry Commission which is the main client of research results. Interviews were conducted with 82 people; 45% being researchers and 55% being policy actors. Researchers mainly used publications and informal meetings to receive information from policy and end- users while policy actors mainly depended on meetings and official requests in receiving information. The study concludes that institutionalising communication channels such as informal network and face-to-face interaction seems to be more beneficial to both scientists and policy actors than just an administrative integration of their respective agencies.

Keywords: Science-policy interface, scientific communication, Ghana forest sector, communication channels, effectiveness