CSIR-SARI, partners sign MoU to promote technology transfers in agriculture

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a consortium of organisations to promote technology transfers in agriculture in the country.

The organisations included West Africa Food System Resilience Programme (FSRP), CORAF Innovation Research Extension and Advisory Coordination Hub (iREACH), Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale Technical University, and the Damongo Agricultural College.

The rest were seed companies namely Puzuri Group of Companies, Agriaccess Ghana Limited, Alhaji Mushud Farms and Brakatu Farms Limited, and the Association of Church-based Development Project (ACDEP), an NGO.

The MoU, which is a five-year strategic partnership agreement, seeks to scale up highly productive and commercially viable technologies developed by the CSIR-SARI and its partners to promote agriculture and agribusiness in the country.

The MoU is supported by the World Bank through its Food Systems Resilience Project, the United States Agency for International Development, and the Kansas State University.

Dr Francis Kusi, Director, CSIR-SARI, speaking during the signing ceremony at Nyankpala in the Northern Region, said over the years, CSIR-SARI had developed and disseminated highly productive and profitable improved crop varieties of maize, rice, cowpea, soybeans, potatoes, among others.

He said despite working with several partners from educational institutions and NGOs, the relationship was not formalised, hence the MoU, to set the stage for a new framework for engaging partners on critical challenges such as low crop yields, food insecurity, and limited knowledge of some farmers on sustainable agricultural practices.

Professor Marian Dorcas Quain, Deputy Director-General, CSIR said the institution was ready to partner organisations to revolutionise the agricultural sector to ensure enhanced food security, job creation, youth development, and improved livelihoods.

She described the MoU as a step toward improving the seed supply system in the country as the partners would have direct access to seed varieties that were resilient to diseases, and drought to promote climate-smart agriculture.

She was optimistic that the partnership agreement would help reduce the importation of hybrid seed varieties into the country and cut down farmers’ costs by 30 per cent.

Dr Jonas Osei-Adu, CORAF iREACH Development Manager, said as part of the implementation strategies for the MoU, a Management Committee, with one representative from each of the organisations to facilitate decision-making and execution of projects and other initiatives, would be set up.

He said other initiatives would include the development of the CSIR-SARI Technology Park, and a field day to showcase innovations of various hybrid seeds.

Alhaji Mohammed Nuhu Adams, Principal, Damongo Agricultural College, said the partnership would not only create visibility of the various technologies, but also serve as a platform to encourage innovation amongst students.

Source: GNA

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