CRI Director appeals for more support

Dr Hans Adu-Dapaah, Director of the Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the Council of the Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), has called for more support for the Institute, to enable it to research and develop more varieties of maize and legumes.

He appealed to development partners to aid the Institute to intensify and strengthen its research into these crops.

Dr Adu-Dapaah made the call at a meeting with a Canadian delegation, led by the Governor General, David Johnston, at Fumesua.

The group inspected the Ghana Grains Development Project (GGDP), which focuses on research into maize production, to learn more about the project, benefits and challenges and how best the initiative could be supported.

The delegation interacted with farmers and researchers at the CSIR, assessed the benefits from the Canada-Ghana agricultural research collaboration that had led to the introduction of three maize hybrids – “Obaatanpan, Mamaba and CIDA-Ba”.

Dr Adu-Dapaah said Canada’s support for the GGDP has contributed to the development of new and improved varieties of maize with higher nutritional value, now widely used by farmers.

He called for the sustenance of assistance to help improve maize and cowpea production in the country.

Mr Johnston said he was impressed by the project and gave the assurance that his country would continue to support research work.