By Emelia B. Addae
Accra, July 15, GNA – The biannual board of directors meeting of the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) has been held in Ghana’s capital, Accra, with digital agriculture on top of the agenda.
The meeting discussed extensively several strategies for overcoming obstacles and improving digital agriculture in West and Central Africa, with a focus on more efficient input utilisation and the optimisation of integrated production systems.
This is the 34th meeting of the governing board, and it was organised by Ghana’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and CORAF, featuring representatives from Cameroon, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Cabo Verde.
Dr. Angela Maria P. B. da Veiga Moreno, Chairperson of the CORAF Board of Directors, said that the current moment of digital agriculture offered opportunities for leveraging the activities of researchers and farmers.
This, she said, could be done through automation and connectivity, sensor technology, autonomous cars, robotics, cloud computing, 5G technologies, and 3D printing.
However, she expressed concern that signal coverage in rural areas of member countries did not allow for the full development of these new ways of doing agriculture to maximise its full benefits and produce greater output.
Therefore, she said it was incumbent upon member countries to create the necessary conditions that would ensure good connectivity in rural areas, where there is a huge investment market for agricultural companies.
Dr. Moreno also highlighted the imperative need for providing training for precision farming, information technology, and data management to professionals in agriculture, veterinary medicine, and forestry sciences.
“It is time to be optimistic about the future of Africa,” she said, adding: “It is with this wish that I close, with the firm hope that in the next decade, we will celebrate the more efficient use of inputs and the optimisation of integrated production systems, making Africa more sustainable.”
CORAF aims to improve livelihoods in West and Central Africa through sustainable increases in agricultural production and productivity, promoting competitiveness and markets.
Considering this, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation, said, “Let us foster partnerships, share knowledge, and facilitate the transfer of technology to ensure that our farmers have access to the tools and techniques they need to thrive.”
He added that this could be done by empowering farmers with scientific ability and modern agricultural practices, and with that, “We can elevate their livelihoods, improve food security, and derive sustainable development.”
Professor Paul P. Bosu, Director-General of CSIR-Ghana commended CORAF for supporting CSIR’s Research and Development programme over the years.
He cited some notable assistance, such as including CSIR in the recently completed West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP) and the Partnership for Agricultural Research Education Development (PAIRED) project.
“We look forward to our fullest participation in the Food Systems Resilience Project,” he added.
He emphasised the important roles CSIR plays in supporting the public and private sectors through research that is aligned with Ghana’s priorities, the council’s mandate, and its science, engineering, and technology competencies.
As part of the commemorative activities for the session, CSIR organised an open day and exhibition to display its products, which included, among others, honey, tenera fruits, banku mix, prekese syrup, palm oil, hybrid seedlings, long grains aromatic, soy pancake mix, and maize grits.
The West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development is a non-profit international association of agricultural research systems from 23 West and Central African nations.
It was founded in 1987 and seeks to reduce poverty and food insecurity in West and Central Africa sustainably.
To achieve this, efforts are being made to increase the economic growth generated by agriculture and enhance the subregion’s agricultural research system.
GNA