USAID supports Legon to improve agric research
Three units of the University of Ghana, Legon, have received a $2.9-million support from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to improve agricultural research and innovation at the university.
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They are the School of Agriculture (SOA), the College of Applied and Basic Sciences (CABS) and the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI).
Students pursuing master’s degree and doctorate programmes are expected to benefit from the grant.
Agreement
A five-year agreement was signed between the University of Ghana and the USAID in Accra.
Under the agreement, the three units will offer training to extension officers of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and farmers for them to contribute significantly to the attainment of food security.
Sustainable development
The Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana in charge of Research, Innovation and Development, Prof. John Owusu Gyapong, said the university would put in more effort to become a research intensive institution.
He described the agreement as relevant and assured the USAID that the resources made available would be used judiciously.
The Dean of the School of Agriculture, Prof. John Ofosu-Anim, said the funding would contribute to building human capacity in agriculture for the country in line with the school’s vision of contributing to sustainable human development in agriculture.
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Food Security
The acting Mission Director of USAID Ghana, Mr Andrews Karas, said the agency would provide direct support to strengthen and maintain the university’s role in providing higher education with focus on agricultural research.
He observed that innovations in agricultural research and growth in the country could be championed by Ghanaians, hence the need for quality education to accelerate efforts towards achieving food security.