Dr Francis Cusi, Director of the Savannah Agricultural Analysis Institute (SARI) on the Council for Scientific and Industrial Analysis (CSIR), expressed concern on the lack of sponsorship for regionally developed crop seedlings, regardless of important funding in manufacturing.
He revealed that the institute has produced lots of of tonnes of improved seedlings, particularly forms of maize and rice, that are at the moment underutilized as farmers proceed to go for imported substitutes.
Dr Kushi, who spoke on Pleasure FM’s Tremendous Morning Present on “Analysis Underpinning Ghana’s Every day Meals” as a part of Pleasure Enterprise’ Agribusiness Month Discussions, stated the scenario was unlucky on condition that the institute was mandated and supported by the federal government to develop regionally tailored planting supplies to extend agricultural productiveness.
“After this dialogue, we will ship reporters to Tamale to see the inventory of seeds that now we have produced.For rice alone, we will depend lots of of tons of rice seeds, lots of of 1000’s of them, mendacity there, however nobody involves ask for rice seeds,” he revealed.
“But they proceed to import,” he added.
He additional identified that Ghana at the moment imports extra maize seeds, regardless that SARI produces improved maize seeds which might be higher than imported varieties.
“Imports are primarily associated to maize seeds. We have now knowledge to show the quantity of maize seeds which might be imported into the nation. Alternatively, now we have developed varieties which might be higher than the maize seeds which might be introduced into the nation,” he added.
He identified that regardless of the provision of high-quality seedlings, the uptake of seedlings by farmers stays low and a lot of seedlings stay unsold.
Dr. Kusi warned that this pattern undermines the nation’s efforts to advertise meals safety and cut back dependence on imported agricultural merchandise, stressing that higher consciousness and confidence in regionally developed seed varieties is urgently wanted to strengthen Ghana’s agricultural sector.
