Sector Minister, Dr. Oteng Adjei,
says the 13 research institutes have the potential to be financially
independent whilst supporting economic growth by putting commercial value to
the output of research activities.
“We
looking forward to them adding value to the raw material which will allow us to
have food security and also be able to get money expand and also be able to
make the scientists feel very comfortable”, he told Luv Biz Report during a
working visit CSIR-Crops Research Institute in Kumasi.
The
CRI has over the years developed new technologies and come out with improved
crop varieties with high economic benefits for the manufacturing and
agricultural sectors.
Director
of the Institute, Dr. Hans Adu-Dapaah, has emphasized the importance of activating
linkages between researchers, agriculturists and industrialists for the country
to benefit from research products.
Inadequate
funding for research however remains a challenge to the CRI, he said.
Dr.
Adjei acknowledged the constraint but says “the President has given us a line
as to how legally we can give them a constant flow of income – at least it
should be about one percent of GDP”.
He
says the Ministry is also committed to supporting the Institute and others
under the CSIR to efficiently communicate and commercialize research products
to help create jobs and increase the country’s food export earnings.
An
agricultural economist with the CRI, Jonas Osei-Adu believes a team with
commercial skills would need to be put in place to advance the cause.
“We
already have the technology; let’s find a very simple setting like a technology
center, a one-stop shop whereby people can come in and access our technology. That
will be the starting poring for our commercialization drive”, he observed.
Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh
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