The CSIR-Institute of Industrial Research has launched the Industrial Innovation Hub (i2 -Hub). IIR is Ghana’s foremost industrial research and development Institute with unique combination of applied research and scientific instrumentation.
The primary function of CSIR-IIR is to drive national development and global competitiveness in industry through scientific and technological research.
According to the Director for the Institute, Dr. Francis BoatengAgyenim, the essence for the launch of the Industrial Hub, is to bring both research and industry together.
“The whole idea is, the research or private partners are going to sit with us, industry will sit with us, provide us with what industry needs and what the public is expecting of us, then together we help design and if we design anything, they will be the first people to pitch against and to provide us a feedback whether or not this is important and it will be of good use to the public.”
Dr. Boateng Agyenim on the other hand urged the government to hand over jobs that it would usually give to foreigners to local researchers to avoid the scenario of having to rely on government for support.
He stated that “We are not asking the government to come and pay for everything that we do, but we are asking the government to provide us with the jobs, that should normally go to the companies outside the country such that we will be paid based on what we do and for that we can sustain ourselves.”
As part of the Launch of the Industrial Innovation, an Organic Farming Aid which is a natural Ghana made wood vinegar was also introduced from HJA Africa.
According to the CEO of HJA Africa, with the constant battle of fall armyworm especially with maize farming, the introduction of this product, will aid farmers to fight the infestation much more effectively as compared to fertilizers.
“It’s a pest repellent and we are very excited to find that it seems to be very effective against fall armyworm. We believe it can make a big difference in Ghana, partly because it is cost-competitive. The farmer can actually save money by buying this instead of some of their fertilizers.”
Mr Boateng-Agyenim also indicated that the purpose for introducing the Industrial innovation hub is to develop products that will benefit the public.