News

Research institutes under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Ghana say they will continue to provide cutting-edge technologies, particularly in agriculture and other key areas, to support Ghana and the West African sub-region. This was one of the key messages of the regional planning meeting for the research activities and projects of the Regional Center of Excellence on Root and Tuber Crops and the open day in Fumesua, in the Ashanti region as part of the FSRP and iReach programs held from November 22 to 24, 2023.

" Our aim is to support government policies to ensure that Ghana achieves Sustainable Development Goal 2, zero hunger, and all the others, but more importantly, we aim to ensure that food is available for all," said Prof Paul Pinnock Bosu, CSIR's Executive Director.

" So, in the catalog of the Variety Approval Committee, all the crop varieties that have been approved in this country over the last eight years, with over 120 to 150 agricultural technologies, have been 90% approved by the CSIR, with the Crop Research Institute (CRI) leading the way in crop variety approval," he added.

The three-day regional planning meeting combined with the opening day showcased ready-to-use technologies developed by CSIR's Crop Research Institute (CRI) for farmers and agro-industry players in the root and tuber crop value chain. The CSIR director said that the technologies developed over the years were being used by farmers, attesting to the fact that investment by Ghana and other donor partners in research and development had direct benefits for the population.

Technologies developed in root and tuber crops such as yam, cassava, sweet potato, taro and other products, as well as best agronomic practices and post-harvest technologies, were presented at the open house.

" CORAF would continue to develop proven technologies and innovations to serve as a one-stop shop for farmers, processors, policymakers and development partners. The aim is to increase the adoption of climate-, nutrition- and gender-smart technologies and innovations to strengthen the agricultural sector," said Dr Nieyidouba Lamien, program manager at CORAF.

This planning meeting is also an opportunity to gain a common understanding of research progress and challenges in the root and tuber value chain. A regional action plan for research and development on root and tuber value chains was developed at the end of the meeting.