In 2023, the Ministry for Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development (MLGRD) visited the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to deliberate on strategic areas for collaboration.

Following that meeting, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed on behalf of the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD) under the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR), KNUST to support the Ministry's Rural Development Agenda. One of the key points in the MoU was a commitment to collaborate on the Rural Development Policy.

As a result, the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD) paid a courtesy call on the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development (MLGRD) to introduce themselves to the current minister and strategize ways to positively impact rural communities through the National Rural Development Policy (NRDP).

Professor Awunyo-Vitor, Provost of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, along with Dr. Monica Addison, Director of BIRD, who led the team, raised concerns about the state of the rural economy in the country and how to implement the policy.

"The state of the rural economy is crucial. It is one of the measurable indicators that the ministry uses to assess rural development. As we consider the policy, I suggest that the state of the rural economy should be included. We are ready and capable of contributing to this. We are enthusiastic about working together to enhance our rural areas, and I would be delighted if we could accomplish this during the minister's tenure," Prof. Awunyo-Vitor stated.

Dr. Monica added, "Beyond the policy, we are also looking forward to engaging with the Ministry to develop a tailored short course for capacity building. With your support, we hope to achieve this. If we can incorporate these elements into the policy, I believe it will benefit us and the nation at large."

The Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development, Mr. Martin Adjei Mensah Korsah, assured the team of his support and expressed his enthusiasm towards the collaboration.

"This discussion comes at a very opportune time as we are ready to move forward. I am pleased with the commitment to this collaboration, and you can count on my support to deepen it. We aim to achieve a great deal through this partnership, and we will ensure that the key points discussed are given the necessary attention. We are very grateful," he remarked.