A delegation from the Food Systems Resilience Programme (FSRP) Ghana, has undertaken a working visit to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) Technology Park at Nyankpala in the Northern Region.
The visit was to explore potential areas of collaboration between FSRP Ghana and CSIR-SARI in fostering resilient food systems through research and innovation as well as for FSRP Ghana.
This is to gain insights into the latest agricultural technologies developed by CSIR-SARI, particularly those addressing climate change, sustainable productivity, and food security challenges.
Mr Osei Owusu-Agyeman, the National Coordinator of FSRP Ghana, who led the delegation, said it formed part of Programme’s broader agenda to promote partnerships with research institutions that were driving innovation in agriculture.
The CSIR-SARI Technology Park, located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region, is a demonstration hub, which showcases advanced farming solutions and other good agronomic innovations developed by the research institute.
CSIR-SARI, as a leader in agricultural research and technology development, is pivotal to addressing the pressing challenges of climate change, low agricultural productivity and rural poverty.
During the visit, the delegation was introduced to high yielding varieties of oleic groundnut, high yielding sorghum, local hybrid maize, fall army worm tolerant maize, high yielding pearl millet, seed technology, Frafra potato and peat tolerant cowpea.
FSRP Ghana is a collaborative initiative aimed at strengthening the resilience and sustainability of food systems in Ghana with a focus on addressing challenges related to food security, nutrition, and climate change.
It is part of a broader regional programme implemented across West Africa to improve agricultural productivity, reduce food losses, and enhance access to nutritious food.
Mr Owusu-Agyeman commended CSIR-SARI for being one of the greatest organisations addressing food insecurity.
He encouraged researchers to consider the commercial aspects of their work, saying “Every research that you undertake, ask yourself how it will be taken up at the market space”.
Dr Francis Kusi, the Director of CSIR-SARI was delighted at the visit and said it was important in scaling the technologies being developed by the Institute to enhance food security and improve livelihoods.
He said, “We want to let the whole Ghana, and the world at large know what we do as a research institution and what we can offer as a country.”
Mr Ziblila Sayibu, the Technical Officer, the Yam Improvement Programme at CSIR-SARI, advised farmers to learn the new techniques of making seed yam, saying “In this technique, the multiplication of seed yam is very rapid and promising as compared to the traditional method”.
He encouraged farmers not to store or save their own seed yam for propagation in subsequent seasons explaining that storage or recycling them could lead to accumulated pathogens and bacteria, which reduced the yield.
By Albert Futukpor, GNA
