The Association of Church Development Projects in Northern Ghana was formed in 1977, known then as the Association of Church Agricultural Projects (CAP), a loose association of Church Agricultural Projects. The membership soon expanded beyond the agricultural stations to include other church rural development work such as the water projects, health, nutrition and primary health care, gender and development, and rehabilitation of the blind. To reflect the diverse nature of the network the name was changed in 1988 to the Association of Church Development Projects (ACDEP).

ACDEP is an ecumenical network of largely, but not only, church sponsored development NGOs in Northern Ghana.

Main Objective
The main objective of ACDEP is to further the development efforts of the individual churches. It is also to provide a collective platform for the participation of churches in the socio-economic development of Northern Ghana as a whole and the rural poor in particular.

• To bring all church projects together for the purpose of sharing experiences.
• To improve horizontal communication between projects on technical and management issues.
• To co-ordinate the procurement of agricultural inputs and other logistics for all the stations.
• To improve the knowledge and skills of field staff through educational tours, workshops, and in-service training.
• To develop and demonstrate alternative development strategies to reaching, benefiting and empowering the rural poor.

By coming together as a network ACDEP provides a forum and an institutional framework for collaboration with government and other non-governmental organizations.

Since its establishment in 1977, ACDEP has served as an effective forum for sharing experiences and information among the church projects. This has helped to improve individual project interventions and strategies. It has also improved the collective impact of the churches' development work in Northern Ghana. The church development projects and, indeed ACDEP, are looked up to by development agencies in the region. It is the largest and most experienced NGO rural development agency in Northern Ghana. ACDEP is looked up to by government and NGOs in the region as a pioneer, a pace-setter, a lead agency, a rural development resource agency, and an important partner in the socio-economic development of the region. It is called upon to represent the NGO community in collaborations as it brings together the largest number of NGO actors in the three northern regions. ACDEP is recognized by all the relevant government agencies as the mouth piece of the church projects and the churches on development issues in the region.

As part of efforts to improve service delivery by the churches through the member NGOs, ACDEP initiated a number of support services that provided (some of which continue to provide) useful services to member NGOs, other NGOs, and government institutions. Notable among these are:

• The Agricultural Information Service
• Small-scale Agricultural Extension Support Unit
• The Church Agricultural Inputs Supply Project
• The Ecumenical Training and Consultancy Centre
• The Family Health Advisor Project (FHAG)
• The Co-operative Animation and Management Support Project (CAMS)
• ACDEP-NGLWG-ILEIA Collaborative Action Research Project

Starting as a loose informal gathering of church development professionals for the purpose of networking, collaboration, and sharing of experiences, ACDEP has gradually transformed itself into an enviable institution and key player in northern Ghana. This transformation, based largely on a process of continuous assessment of relevance and cautious growth, is aimed at ensuring the effectiveness of the members and the network itself. The transformation is also to ensure a sustained effort and framework to further the collaboration between the NGOs and the churches on one hand, and government, NGOs, and related institutions on the other.

This transformation has been progressive and cautious growth towards:

• Becoming an independent, autonomous, formal organization (as an independent NGO).
• Defining a vision, mission, and role in the overall development effort of the churches and the needs of the poor in northern Ghana
• Defining areas of development intervention

ACDEP was transformed from a loose, informal network into an independent NGO in 1995. It established its own Secretariat in 1997. Its first direct funding for the establishment of ACDEP as an NGO with the necessary administrative structures was provided by ICCO and CORDAID in 1999.

Defining Our Strategic Vision and Development Priorities
The process of defining our philosophy, vision, mission, and role as a development actor has been an intensive and extensive process. It required a series of consultations, reflection and debate involving the member NGOs, the churches, other NGOs and relevant government institutions. We received the support of organizational development expects and the wise counsel of the churches.

ACDEP's Vision, Mission, and Role

Our Development Philosophy
ACDEP is a development network. It is a Christian organisation affiliated to the member Churches of the Christian Council of Ghana, and the Catholic Bishop's Conference. Consequently ACDEP draws its development philosophy, policies, and working principles from the teachings of the Churches; the same principles that guide the work of member stations or projects. As a development network ACDEP believes in the principle of co-operation among members and between development institutions.

As a network ACDEP believes in the principles of democracy, transparency, cost effectiveness, accountability, and collective responsibility. The association is managed by the members themselves.

ACDEP is a facilitating body and not a co-ordination body. The task of co-ordination, administration, supervision, staff policy and conditions of service, fund raising, reporting and management of the member stations or projects is the responsibility of the churches that established these stations. ACDEP is not a channel for direct funding of the stations / projects of the churches. ACDEP is concerned about effectiveness, efficiency, relevance, and impact of the member stations or projects in particular and development assistance in general. In doing this ACDEP will explore possibilities for enhancing the impact of stations. It also provides as a forum for discussing, understanding, and internalizing church development policy so as to be able to effectively implement these policies.

We believe that the church is an important and effective means for reaching out to people. The promotion of socio-economic development and social justice is a Christian responsibility. In our circumstance where the capacity and resources of government institutions are limited, the churches' participation in socio-economic development of the citizenry is a moral obligation on the church. In this effort we believe that the individual actions are enhanced by an effective collaboration, co-operation, sharing, learning, and mutual support while respecting the individuality of the projects, stations, and the churches. Unity In Diversity.

As a development agency ACDEP's development philosophy is guided by the principles of sustainable human, social and economic development. Development must be equitable, gender sensitive, environmentally friendly, culturally respectful, and socially just. We believe that 'an acre for everybody is better than ten acres for one'. We believe that development is about emancipation, empowerment, awareness raising, capacity building, development of the people by the people, and providing opportunities for socio-economic improvement. We believe in the power of the people to make the desired changes in their lives. Development is about improving or building on what people have and creating the awareness and opportunity for self growth. Development is about economic emancipation, equity, justice and peace.

Our Vision
Sustainable socio-economic development of the people in northern Ghana through an effective network of church-based institutions and other relevant partners.

Our Mission
To strengthen the development initiatives of churches and provide a collective platform for participation of churches in collaboration with other partners.

For more information about ACDEPs development programming see our Programs Section.