Ghana hosts 6th Africa Agriculture Science Week

The Forum for Agricultural Research in Africa (FARA) is collaborating with Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to organize the 6^th Africa Agriculture Science Week.

The event is a continental gathering of all stakeholders in Africa Agriculture to create an open space for networking and exchanging information and knowledge on agricultural innovations and on topical issues with a bearing on agriculture research and development under the theme: “Africa feeding Africa through Science and Innovations”.

This milestone event will take place at the International Conference Center in Accra, Ghana from 15-20 July 2013 and will be officially opened by President John Dramani Mahama.

Speaking at the Official Launch of the Africa Agriculture Science Week in Accra, the Executive Director of FARA, Prof. Monty Jones, stated that “there is no better country to host this kind of meeting than Ghana, one of the few African countries that have succeeded in turning around its economy, cutting down hunger thereby remaining on track to achieving MDG Goal 1 of halving hunger and poverty by 2015”. 

 

As the target date draws nearer for the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), food and nutrition insecurity remain cardinal problems especially in Africa. 

Africa has a great potential to feed itself given that 60% of its arable land remains un-utilized and the remaining 40% bear crops with low yields.  Of all possible topics that could have been considered at this time, the issue of home grown food security is at the top of the list.

Hence in reflecting on a theme for the sixth edition of the Africa Agriculture Science Week, enhancing Africa’s capacity for agricultural innovation was at the front burner of discussions.

The Africa Agriculture Science Week which has been internationally recognized as the apex gathering of all stakeholders in African agricultural research and development will be attracting key decision makers in governments within and outside Africa.

Participants will include Ministers, Parliamentarians, key players in the private sector, leaders of civil society and farmers’ organizations, women groups and leaders in agricultural research and development.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh