By Emelia B. Addae
Kade (E/R), Oct. 24, GNA-The Research Staff Association (RSA) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has extended their condolences to the victims affected by the flood caused by the spillage of the Akosombo dam.
The incident has caused extensive damage to numerous communities along the Volta River, resulting in the displacement of thousands of people and the destruction of many businesses.
Dr. Kofi Ampomah-Benefo, the President of CSIR-RSA, said the flooding incident took place in the downstream area of the Akosombo dam, which is where the institute is situated.
As a result, the aquaculture research activities of the water pumping station and fish cage infrastructure were destroyed.
He was speaking during the 34th CSIR-RSA annual general meeting and the fifth scientific conference held at Kade in the Kwaebibrem District of the Eastern Region.
He said the doors of the RSA and CSIR-Water Research Institute were opened to the government and the public for engagement in discussions and working together to forestall a similar situation from occurring again.
The association consists of the Research and Principal Technologist Grade Staff of the CSIR.
The meeting was on the theme “Diversification of Agricultural Systems: The Role of Tree Crops in Harnessing Ghana’s Economic Potential.”
Dr. Ampomah-Benefo noted that agriculture was the backbone of Ghana’s economy, contributing over 50 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product and employing more than 40 per cent of the population.
However, he said the agricultural industry depended on a limited number of essential crops, such as cocoa, cassava, and maize.
This reliance exposes the sector to various risks, such as climate change, pests, and diseases.
“Meanwhile, the rest of the tree crops in Ghana, such as cashew, coffee, shea nut, mango, and avocado, offer a number of advantages as they are more resilient to climate change, have a longer production life span, and can generate income for farmers throughout the year,” he added.
He emphasised the significance of the theme, saying diversification of the agriculture system was essential to reducing vulnerability and boosting the country’s agricultural sector’s productivity and profitability.
Mr. William Agyapong Quaittoo, Chief Executive Officer of the Tree Crops Development Authority (TCDA), said the tree crop sub-sector diversification required a deliberate search for new approaches to farming for obvious reasons.
“For instance, land acquisition for agricultural purposes in Ghana is gradually becoming a difficult hurdle,” he said. “In solving this challenge, our researchers must help us with new approaches and methods aimed at producing more with less land and in a more sustainable manner.”
He said that a powerful way to improve food security would be to encourage crop diversification by adding properly managed tree crops to farming systems as a way to make extra money without affecting the production of food crops.
He said the government had secured US $100 million in funding to finance the interventions in the tree crop sector through a project called the Ghana Tree Crops Diversification Project.
The interventions focused on strengthening institutions and governance within value chains, enhancing productivity and climate resilience, and providing support for post-harvest management, value addition, and market access.
He explained that TCDA has allocated $11 million to research activities involving coconut, rubber, and cashew.
To support market-driven research proposals, the money will be split among several research institutes, such as the CSIR-Oil Palm Research Institute, the CSIR-Crops Research Institute/College of Agriculture and Renewable Natural Resources of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana.
Again, a significant amount of the fund, totalling over US 30 million dollars, has been designated for the development of high-quality planting material supply chains.
According to Mr. Quaittoo, the project would start in November of this year, and for its successful implementation, extensive market research is necessary.
The TCDA was established in September 2020 with the aim of overseeing and promoting the sustainable cultivation, processing, and trade of various tree crops, including cashew, shea, mango, coconut, rubber, and oil palm.
GNA