Put BAC On The Path Of Financial Sustainability

The financial viability of an Organization is the ability of that Organization to cover all its expenses through the income generated by its activity without recourse to external funds. It is one of the key criteria for funders when they have to support a development project. Since 1995, the Rural Enterprises Programme (REP) has been launched following a tripartite partnership between the Government of Ghana (GoG), the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) to support rural entrepreneurs and enhance livelihoods in rural areas. To achieve this, some structures have been set up at the district level, close to rural and semi-urban communities to provide them with business development services. These are the Business Advisory Centers (BACs). However, after several years of having these centers in place, BACs continue to rely heavily on REP funding to function. In fact, 80% of their financial resources come from the REP, which finances almost all their training programs. While the REP is about to stop from the year 2020, it is imperative to find ways and means to continue to work after that date.