Accra, Oct. 22, GNA – Dr Wilhemina Quaye, Director, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (CSIR- STEPRI), says putting Science at the heart of development has become critical now more than ever.
This, she said, was due to the transition from COVID-19 effect situation to a more resilient, sustainable and inclusive country.
Dr Quaye made the remarks during the 32nd CSIR Research Staff Association (RSA) Annual General Meeting and 3rd Scientific Conference in Accra, on the theme: “Advance in Science, Technology, and Innovation for Resilient Food, Health, and Ecological Systems.”
She said Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) drove all the productive and social sectors of the Ghanaian Economy.
“This put a lot of demand on scientists,” she said.
Over the last decade, the Director said they had made tremendous contributions to the country’s socio-economic development and policy making processes through projects and programmes.
She said in collaboration with the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), they had been implementing a project that sought to strengthen STI systems for sustainable development in Africa.
This study, she said, promoted the UNESCO 2017 Recommendation on Science and Scientific Researchers (2017 RS/SR), elaborating on how science could be mobilised for a better world: a monitoring framework for well-functioning, rights-based national STI system able to promote evidence-informed policies and strategies.
Dr Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) said the inculcation of Science in the formative years of the Ghanaian was key to enhancing the country’s development.
He said it took the implementation of good policies to reap long benefits and ensure sustainability, continuity and using science and data to make informed decisions.
The Minister said scientific policies were needed to govern the use of modern technology, and the advancement in STI had significant impact on society.
Dr Kwame Antwi Oduro, President, CSIR, RSA, said harnessing STI had been one of the major ways to achieve food and nutrition security.
He said STI had been essential in accelerating the transformation of agri-food, ecological systems, combating hunger and malnutrition, hence, the need for technological advancement in the prevention or reduction of post-harvest loses, which had been a major threat to food and nutrition security in the country.
Dr Oduro said the constantly changing ecological, environmental and biodiversity contexts required continuous research, technological advancement and innovation to produce inputs and disseminate knowledge that maximized agricultural yields while safeguarding the environment or ecological systems.
He called for increased investments in coherent high-quality research with production models adaptable to the needs of farmers for resilient food systems.
GNA