Agric research boosted with modern biotech lab

Scientists in Ghana have access to an ultra-modern biotechnology laboratory to do their tissue-culturing and other advanced cell biology techniques in agricultural research.

The completion of the $1.8million biotech complex in Kumasi is a major leap in the sustainable management of genetic resources for agricultural production.

The facility will facilitate the generation and dissemination of new technologies to farmers, processors and other end-users.

The project is an offshoot of the West African Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP), a World Bank funded-project, being implemented by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Crop Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

Director of the CRI-CSIR, Dr. Hans Adu-Dapaah, says the facility will become fully operational upon commissioning by the President.

According to him, it will serve as the West African sub-region hub as far as roots and tuber research is concerned.

Under the WAAPP, the CRI is a centre of specialization for root and tuber crops, including cassava, sweet potato, cocoyam and yam.

Biotechnology techniques have served as efficient tools for enhanced agricultural production in developed countries. They are essential for preparing clean planting materials with high crop yield for distribution to farmers.

It has been reported, for instance, that the use of clean planting materials can lead to about 30% increase in sweet potato tubers.

The WAAPP, since take off in 2008, has come up with some high yielding and disease-tolerant crop varieties.

The Programme is currently in its second phase of implementation.