International Conference On Agricultural Impact Assessment Opens In Accra

Accra, (Greater Accra) 22 Sept., Prof. Walter S. Alhassan, Director-General of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), said today scientists require analytical tools which will enable them to determine the economic impact of their research output. He told a five-day workshop on Agricultural Impact Assessment for West African Anglophone countries in Accra today that technologies have been taken for granted. The workshop will discuss, among others, the economic impact assessment on some technologies in West Africa. Agricultural Scientists from Ghana, Nigeria and the Gambia have so far reported at the workshop being organized by the CSIR, National Agricultural Research Project (NARP) and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The Indiana-based Perdue University is among the sponsors. Professor Alhassan said most of the technologies CSIR develops in the agricultural sector address food crop production which hitherto has been largely targeted to small scale farmers. The technologies have been taken for granted, he said, adding "We, therefore, require analytical tools which would enable us determine the economic impact of our research output even to this category of farmer".