WACCI to Host High-Level Research Symposium to Mark Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa
The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University of Ghana is set to host a high-level research symposium on Thursday, June 26, to commemorate this year’s Day of Scientific Renaissance of Africa (DSRA), with a focus on highlighting the Centre’s pivotal role in transforming agricultural research into real-world impact.
Themed “WACCI: Seed to Impact – Highlighting the Journey from Seed Funding to Tangible Outcomes,” the symposium will take place at the WACCI Auditorium and will spotlight the Centre’s contributions to food and nutrition security, climate resilience, and agricultural innovation across the West African sub-region.
This year’s celebration also coincides with the successful completion of the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) Project, which officially concludes on June 30, 2025—a milestone widely acknowledged as instrumental in catalysing research excellence across higher education institutions in Africa.
The programme will be moderated by Mrs. Barbara Dodoo-Arhin, Assistant Registrar at WACCI, and will feature opening remarks by Prof. Sandow Mark Yidana, Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, followed by an address from Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, Founding Director of WACCI and 2022 Africa Food Prize Laureate.
Principal Investigators to Present Breakthrough Research
A key highlight of the event will be research presentations by Principal Investigators whose projects were funded under WACCI’s seed grant initiative. The presentations will showcase innovative scientific breakthroughs in staple and underutilised crops, emphasising how modest but strategic investments in agricultural research can yield transformative outcomes.
Presenters and their topics include:
- Dr. Daniel Dzidzienyo – From Root to Wealth: Cassava as Ghana’s Engine for Industrialisation and Food Security
- Dr. Naalamle Amissah – Unlocking the Value of Frafra Potato: A Pathway to Staple Crop Status
- Dr. Agyemang Danquah – From Season to Season: Transforming Ghana’s Tomato Industry
- Dr. Theresa Ankamah-Yeboah – Developing High-Yielding Sorghum Hybrids with Demand-Driven Traits for Commercialisation
- Dr. John Eleblu – Smart Seeds, Bold Returns: Cowpea Innovation as a Driver of Transformation
- Dr. Pearl Abu – Seed to Impact: Driving Transformation in Maize Improvement for Ghana
- Dr. Mavis Osei-Wusu – Seed to Impact: Climate-Smart Rice for Ghana’s Food Future
The event is expected to draw researchers, policymakers, development partners, and members of the diplomatic and donor community as WACCI showcases how investments in agricultural science are delivering impact from “seed to scale” across Ghana and the wider West African region.
