India, Ghana Sign Historic MoU to Advance Agricultural Research, Education and Technology Transfer.
ICAR and Ghana’s CSIR-CRI join hands to boost crop production, post-harvest infrastructure, value addition and commercialisation of agricultural technologies.
New Delhi:
India and Ghana have taken a significant step towards strengthening bilateral cooperation in agriculture with the signing of a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi, and the Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Accra, Ghana.
The agreement seeks to deepen cooperation in agricultural research, education, scientific and technological exchange, capacity building and the transfer and commercialisation of agricultural technologies. The initiative is expected to further strengthen India’s commitment to South-South cooperation and its growing agricultural partnership with African countries.
The MoU signing ceremony was attended by Dr. S. Jaishankar, External Affairs Minister of India, and Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Ghana, highlighting the importance attached by both countries to the new partnership.
Focus on agricultural research and technology transfer
The five-year agreement provides a comprehensive framework for joint agricultural research, exchange of scientific and technical expertise, development of institutional linkages and application of technologies suited to the needs of Ghana’s agricultural sector.
The collaboration has been facilitated by Arima Farms Ltd., Ghana, which has been recognised as the commercial partner to CSIR-CRI for specific research and commercialisation activities under the framework.
The partnership is designed to bridge the gap between agricultural research and its practical application by promoting the adoption, scaling and commercialisation of proven technologies.
Tomato research to be a key priority
The first phase of the cooperation will focus primarily on vegetable crop research, particularly tomato research and development.
Under the agreement, ICAR will support the scaling up of proven agricultural technologies and facilitate the introduction of suitable high-yielding tomato lines and varieties in Ghana. The initiative aims to contribute to increased domestic tomato production and strengthen the country’s agricultural productivity.
The collaboration is also expected to provide opportunities for scientific exchange and the sharing of expertise in crop improvement, breeding and production technologies.
Emphasis on cassava, yam and tuber crop value chains
Beyond vegetable crops, the partnership will address the processing and value addition of cassava, yam and other tuber crops. The objective is to strengthen agricultural value chains and create greater opportunities for processing and commercial utilisation of farm produce.
The cooperation will also cover post-harvest management, an area considered critical for reducing agricultural losses and improving farmers’ returns.
Technical support and capacity building will be provided in areas including cold storage, refrigerated transportation, sorting, grading and processing technologies. These interventions are aimed at addressing post-harvest losses and improving the efficiency of agricultural supply chains.
Exchange of scientists, technology and research material
The MoU provides for the exchange of scientists and technologists between the two countries, along with the sharing of germplasm, breeding materials, scientific information, methodologies and technical knowledge.
India and Ghana will also work together on the development and implementation of collaborative research projects. Institutional linkages between relevant research institutes and centres in both countries are envisaged to ensure sustained scientific and technological cooperation.
Such exchanges are expected to strengthen the technical capabilities of researchers and institutions while promoting the development of agricultural solutions adapted to local conditions.
Joint Working Group to oversee implementation
Implementation of the agreement will be overseen by a Joint Working Group comprising representatives of ICAR and CSIR-CRI.
The group will periodically review the progress of the partnership, identify areas requiring further cooperation and guide the implementation of agreed activities. Meetings of the Joint Working Group will be held periodically in New Delhi and Accra.
Strengthening India-Africa agricultural cooperation
The partnership is expected to establish a stronger link between agricultural research, technology development, capacity building and commercial application. By combining scientific expertise with field-level implementation and commercialisation, the initiative aims to facilitate the adoption of relevant agricultural technologies in Ghana.
The India-Ghana agricultural partnership is also expected to contribute to sustainable agricultural development, improved productivity, stronger value chains and better livelihoods for farming communities in Ghana.
The MoU marks another important step in expanding India’s cooperation with African partners in agriculture and demonstrates the potential of South-South collaboration to address shared challenges related to food production, post-harvest management, technology adoption and agricultural development.
