Exploring System Context Contributing to Emerging REDD+ Collaborative Governance Regime in Ghana: Stakeholders Perceptions at the National Level

Since its emergence in 2007, the global mechanism for Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation in developing countries (REDD+) has raised hopes of providing cost-effective solutions to climate change. However, the design and implementation of REDD+ projects in many developing countries, including Ghana, have faced complex governance challenges. In recent years, a collaborative governance approach has been increasingly recommended for effective REDD+ implementation, but the impact of the dynamics of developing countries' context on collaboration success remains unclear. Using Ghana's Cocoa Forest REDD+ Programme (GCFRP) as a case study, this paper aims to increase our understanding of how the dynamics of developing countries' context affect the drivers shaping the initiation of REDD+ collaborative regimes for transforming cocoa forest landscapes. Through qualitative content analysis of document reviews and semi-structured interviews with national program stakeholder groups, the results indicate that Ghana's dynamic context facilitates collaboration on REDD+ implementation when stakeholders feel uncertain about the future availability of forest resources and recognize their interdependence in responding to such issues. Additionally, the findings of the study indicate that strong political will for change, along with strategic windows of opportunity created by REDD+ funding mechanisms, play a vital role in shaping consequential incentives essential for aligning stakeholder interests and fostering cross-sector leadership for initiating the REDD+ collaborative governance regime. While the applicability and limitations of the IFCG framework are discussed, further in-depth studies at project levels are crucial to understanding local stakeholders' perspectives on the key elements necessary for successful collaboration.