Scientists
in Ghana have access to an ultra-modern biotechnology laboratory to do their
tissue-culturing and other advanced cell biology techniques in agricultural
research.
The
completion of the $1.8million biotech complex in Kumasi is a major leap in the sustainable
management of genetic resources for agricultural production.
The
facility will facilitate the generation and dissemination of new technologies
to farmers, processors and other end-users.
The
project is an offshoot of the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme
(WAAPP), a World Bank funded-project, being implemented by the Ministry of Food
and Agriculture and the Crop Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
Director
of the CRI-CSIR, Dr. Hans Adu-Dapaah, says the facility will become fully
operational upon commissioning by the President.
According
to him, it will serve as the West African sub-region hub as far as roots and
tuber research is concerned.
Under
the WAAPP, the CRI is a centre of specialization for root and tuber crops,
including cassava, sweet potato, cocoyam and yam.
Biotechnology
techniques have served as efficient tools for enhanced agricultural production
in developed countries. They are essential for preparing clean planting
materials with high crop yield for distribution to farmers.
It has been reported, for instance, that the use of
clean planting materials can lead to about 30% increase in sweet potato tubers.
The
WAAPP, since take off in 2008, has come up with some high yielding and
disease-tolerant crop varieties.
The
Programme is currently in its second phase of implementation.
Story
by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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