Roles of Strategic Partners and Clients, Collaboration

3.2 Roles of Strategic Partners and Clients, Collaboration

The Coastal Resources Center CRC at the University of Rhode Island URI remains the lead institution responsible for overall Program management and implementation including Program performance and financial reporting to USAIDGhana. Several other international, national and local organizations will play critical partnership roles with implementation. Key implementing partners are The WorldFish Center, Sustainametrix and Friends of the Nation: Friends of the NationFoN is a local socio-environmental NGO based in the Western Region that has on-going activities to address the crises in Ghana’s fisheries sector as well as advocacy programs relative to local rights and industrial exploitation of natural resources. FoN is viewed as the organization that can follow through and provide longer-term support with the ICM and governance initiatives as the CRC team is slowly phased out or moves on to the other coastal regions in Ghana. The WorldFish Center’s West Africa regional team has provided targeted technical support for the Initiative in Phase 1 through the Fisheries Sector Review and will be leading many of the actions aiming to improve the livelihoods of fisherfolk in the coastal communities. SustainaMetrix was instrumental in the Phase 1 in training the Initiative team and partners to conduct baseline surveys and to understand and assess governance issues in the coastal districts. They will continue to provide significant backstopping to communications activities as well as networking support for targeted livelihoods diversification. The primary clients of the Program are the coastal communities and government agencies in the six coastal districts in the Western Region. Other implementing partners and beneficiaries are: ｸ National Fisheries Commission and their Regional Office and personnel of the Fisheries Commission ｸ Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources - Regional Office of the Forestry Commission and the Regional Office of the Wildlife Division ｸ Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology - Regional Office of the Environmental Protection Agency ｸ Western Region Coordinating Council ｸ University of Ghana and University of Cape Coast ｸ Destination Management Organization of the West Coast a public – private sector organization for tourism promotion in the Western Region coastal areas The ICFG Program also works closely with the civil society sector in Ghana, which includes international, national, and local nongovernmental organizations NGOs, especially those with on-going programs on environmental and community-based resources management in coastal areas of the Western Region. This includes: ｸ Traditional Chiefs and Queen Mothers ｸ International NGOs programs of CARE, SNV, Friends of the Earth, and Ricerca e Cooperazione 59 ｸ Functioning Community-Based Fisheries Management Committees CBFMCs andor Chief Fishermen and their councils