Government and players in the agriculture value-chain are being urged to place more value on research and funding in the sector.
These, according to agricultural experts, are key drivers in turning around Ghana’s agriculture potential.
Former Research Scientist with the Savannah Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR); Professor Roger Kanton said it is high time Ghana prioritised agric funding and research.
Professor Roger Kanton was particularly worried that Ghana’s agriculture sector is, over the years, losing out yearly due to these challenges – a situation he strongly believes must be addressed.
“Research comes with ideas for others to implement. Sponsoring or funding agriculture is a huge problem”, he said on the on-air series of the Citi Breakfast Show on the topic; “The role of research in Agric”.
Also, a matter of concern to him was the lack of attention given to research institutions, such as the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
“We are not giving the due recognition to CSIR. I must be honest, we are not. We have about 13 institutions comprising CSIR. It is a forgotten key driver, but no one cares.”
While admitting the risky nature of agriculture, he mentioned that, it should not hinder efforts by stakeholders.
He added that emphasises must be placed on value addition of agricultural products amidst tough state policies.
“They say it [agric] is risky, yes I agree, but what business is not risky? Even eating food is risky, you can get choked. Look at normal business…there is risk everywhere, so I am challenging people who have money or are well-placed to go into such areas. There is a problem. We should stick to our agricultural policies and prioritise value addition.”
The Citi Business Festival is an extensive program of business events and on-air activities providing inspiration, business ideas, and information to persons who are starting, building, or growing their businesses.
The on-air series airs on the Citi Breakfast Show on 97.3 Citi FM every weekday throughout the month of June.
For the 2022 edition, the themes outlined during the period were as follows:
Week 1: Re-imagining the Digital Economy
Week 2: Resetting your SME after COVID-19
Week 3: The Ghana Opportunity
Week 4: Consumer Markets
Week 5: Agribusiness
ABSA Bank is the main sponsor of the Citi Business Festival 2022 and supported by MTN Momo and MTN Business, IT Consortium and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) and GIRSAL.
