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Factsheet On CLUSTER
Factsheet On CLUSTER
Factsheet On CLUSTER
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Country: Ghana
Project: Programme for
sustainable economic
development
Background:
The BDS component of SPEED Ghana pays special attention to the BDS
markets in two selected value chains, namely tourism and the wood
products. Support to the wood products sector aims at enhancing
competitiveness of all the enterprises in the industry, create new jobs
and safeguard the existing ones. SPEED is cooperating with two private
sector business membership organisations (BMOs), namely the
Furniture and wood products association of Ghana (FAWAG) and the
Woodworkers Association of Ghana (WAG) and a knowledge institution,
the Wood Industries Training Centre (WITC). This is the triple helix
concept.
The focus of all interventions is on a 180 acre industrial enclave belonging
to FAWAG popularly called the ‘Wood Village’. In view of time constraints,
SPEED Ghana’s use of the cluster approach is seem as a fast-track vehicle
to deliver various interventions. Three thematic areas for interventions
are targeted, these are:
• Technology improvement and promotion
2.0 Justification
• Access to markets
• Shortage good quality lumber (kiln dried and dimensioned)
• Access to capital
• Old and obsolete equipment
• Lack of managerial and technical expertise
3.0 Impacts
• Improved efficiency and resource use
• Increased social capital
• Sustained employment
• Increased drive for innovation.
Product Description
A net work of firms in furniture production, builder’s woodwork, saw millers,
lumber retailers and two knowledge institutions working collaboratively for
mutual benefits in such areas as:
Information sharing
Skills development
Common procurement and supply to customers
Basic Features
• Platform for stakeholder dialogue and joint action
• Common services facility
• Productivity improvement schemes
• Technology transfer
• FSC certification
• Use of alternative raw materials
Benefits
• Improved efficiency and resource use
• Increased social capital
• Sustained employment
• Increased drive for innovation.
Implementation process
Development
SPEED Ghana conducted a feasibility study to assess the potential for
facilitating innovation and competitiveness in selected industries/sub-
sectors through active cluster development activities.
Input
SPEED Ghana facilitated the process through the following contributions:
Technical Advice by means of international and national experts. This
comprised:
o Adaption and dissemination of research innovation: Use of wood
waste(saw dust) as fuel for wood Kiln dryer
o Training of industry players:
Standards for wood products
Use of ICT
Best practices in production
Facilitated market research and sector study
Furniture show room in a prime location as common service facility for
paying members
Challenges and weakness
From the onset, large numbers of association members were rather skeptical
as previous attempts at such collaboration had failed, apparently hijacked by
a few. SPEED needed to demonstrate that the new approach was more
participatory and ownership rested with the association. This meant that the
process of consultations was long drawn delayed and the actual start of
implementation. A buy-in by membership was a necessity for the projects
sustainability
Observations
Produced results
Cost.
The direct costs associated with this product development process went into
the financing of consultancies that provided the initial industry information,
facilitation of stakeholder consultations as well as technical assistance and
human resource development.
Lessons learned