Tackle Ghana’s agric challenges – Mahama to Researchers
President John Dramani Mahama has urged Ghanaian researchers to focus on developing practical solutions to the country’s most pressing development challenges, particularly in agriculture, to drive productivity, food security and industrial growth.
Speaking at the launch of the Ghana National Research Fund in Accra on Tuesday, June 16, the President said the initiative is intended to support research that directly addresses national development priorities and delivers tangible benefits to citizens.
He stressed that researchers must align their work with the needs of key sectors of the economy, especially agriculture, where persistent challenges continue to affect farmers and national output.
President Mahama cited the fall armyworm infestation affecting maize production, swollen shoot disease in cocoa, and pest resistance in cotton farming as areas requiring urgent scientific attention.
“Ghanaian farmers and agriculturists are looking for research that will save them from the scourge of the army worm in maize production. Ghanaian farmers, cocoa farmers are looking to research that will develop species of cocoa that are resistant to the swollen shoot disease. Ghanaian farmers are looking to scale up commercial cotton farming that will be resistance to the bull weevil. Ghanaian farmers and Ghanaian consumers are looking for gobe (Beans and gari) that is not infested with weevils,” he said.
The President noted that while Ghanaian researchers have produced valuable work over the years, one of the country’s longstanding challenges has been translating research findings into commercially viable products and large-scale solutions.
He said the Ghana National Research Fund is expected to help bridge that gap by providing sustainable financing for targeted, problem-solving research that responds to national needs.
According to him, the Fund will support government’s broader economic transformation agenda, including the 24-Hour Economy initiative and the Accelerated Export Development Programme, by promoting innovation and home-grown solutions to development challenges.
