Workshop on safer methods to control cocoa virus opens

Accra, April 28, GNA - A two-day thematic workshop to identify less toxic local potential micro insecticides for sustainable management of insect pests that damage key crops such as cocoa opened in Accra on Monday.

The workshop has brought together insect scientists and pathologists from the United Kingdom to team up with their colleagues in the University of Ghana, Legon, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MOFA).

It will examine, among others, the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of application practices for existing control agents, with a view to developing effective delivery systems for mycoinsecticides. It is being sponsored by the Royal Society of the United Kingdom, a scientific research based organization that encourages scientific development around the world.

Dr Roy Bateman, a Research Fellow at the International Pesticide Application Research Centre (IPARC), Imperial College London, said the objective was to initiate and encourage "bottom up" networking between the United Kingdom and Ghanaian and Tanzanian scientists to develop new enduring partnerships that would ultimately result in future collaborative research.

It is also aimed at finding safer methods to control mirid, a cocoa infection, as an example of good agriculture practice component for cocoa farmers.

Following the joint Science Academies' G8 statements on Science and Technology for African Development, the Royal Society agreed to extend its regional focus from the Republic of South Africa to Ghana and Tanzania.

The funding scheme was part of a wider effort to assist the science communities of both countries and their higher education institutions in their efforts to undertake cutting edge research and provide high quality training for insect scientists.

The research would include work on entomopathogens of major pests of cocoa and other cash crops, especially those which have numerous pest problems and which are sprayed with a cocktail of pesticides. He said areas eligible for support include agriculture (including animal health), water and sanitation, basic human health research, biodiversity and energy (including bio-fuels).

Dr. Bateman said it was expected that at the end of the workshop, a large project proposal that would relate to the national priority areas of agricultural sustainability by reduction of crop losses and exploitation of local biodiversity for insect pest management would be developed for funding.

Mr Clement Eledi, a Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture in-charge of crops, called for collaboration and partnership between MOFA and the African Regional Postgraduate Programme in Insect Science (ARPPIS) Centre at the University of Ghana, Legon, in capacity building to solve insect related agricultural problems in West Africa.

He said insect pests that developed resistance to pesticides required higher doses for their control, thus leading to high residue of pesticides on the produce and contamination of the environment. "For this reason, among others, any research programme and other related activities which deemphasize the use of pesticides are most welcome," he said, and pledged the ministry's support in implementing the findings of the workshop.