By Linda Asante Agyei
Accra, Sept. 23, GNA- Innovations in modern biotechnology such as Genome Editing (GEd) may hold the key to modernising Ghana’s food systems, Mr Kwamena Essilfie Quaison, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Ministry for Environment, Science, Technology, and Innovation (MESTI) has said.
He noted that the world had entered a phase of great technological innovations and Africa must leverage these developments to derive the needed benefits for its people.
“Indeed, the application of genome editing is consistent with the African Union Agenda 2063 and the sustainable development goals, and it is for this reason that the AUDA-NEPAD project on genome editing must be seen as a forwarding-looking project that must enjoy the support of all African governments.”
Mr Quaison was speaking at a two-day in-country workshop on GEd Product Development in Ghana organised by MESTI in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the AUDA-NEPAD.
The training, attended by scientists from both research institutions and academia, focused on Genome Editing product development with emphasis on the application potentials and risks of the tool towards enhancing agricultural value and supply chains.
The training, as part of the AUDA-NEPAD genome editing project for Africa, seeks to support the achievement of key development outcomes such as adapting to climate change and reducing poverty and sustainability of Africa’s food systems.
Mr Quaison explained that the Government of Ghana had put in place the needed regulatory framework to ensure that the country derived the best from these emerging technologies.
“To harness the benefits of genome editing and other emerging technologies to propel Ghana’s development agenda, Ghana has relevant policies and laws,” he added.
These policies and laws include the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policy, which is currently being reviewed, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) for 2022-2025, the National Agricultural Investment Plan (NAIP), the Food and Agriculture Sector Development Policy (FASDEP), the Biosafety Act, 2011 (Act 831), the CSIR Act, 1996 (Act 521), among many others.
He commended AUDA-NEPAD for their exemplary leadership support and urged Ghanaian scientists to ensure that, “we are able to integrate genome editing, an important modern biotechnology tool into our food systems to enhance its resilience.”
Professor Olalekan Akinbo, Head of the Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology, and Innovation (CoE-STI) of the AUDA-NEPAD noted that Africa should experience zero hunger by 2063, and he explained that would only happen when scientists come to use the innovation of genome editing to improve on agricultural productivity for the benefits of farmers.
“If we do not move the continent forward as scientists, the generation behind will not forgive us,” he stressed.
He explained that Africa had a youthful population, the youngest population in the world and the continent must leverage this advantage into the development agenda, hence, “the need to ensure that Agenda 2063 of the African Union does not become just a policy statement, but an action-oriented strategy for the continent.”
Prof. Akinbo called for a deepened collaboration among institutions in Ghana undertaking research in genome editing, building trust and confidence among institutions, and having an open-door policy for collaboration.
He noted that Africa would not be able to make change until over-dependence on donors to drive the research agenda for the continent; a situation which may affect the direction of Africa’s research was re-looked at.
“We need to domesticate the research outputs of the continent for Africa to derive the needed benefits,” he added.
Dr Seth Manteaw, Country Coordinator of the AUDA-NEPAD Genome Editing project called for the need to inspire confidence in the application of genome editing and called on stakeholder institutions to appreciate the essence of the emerging modern biotechnology from the point of product development.
GNA