A Core of Excellence Launch Meeting was held July 13 at the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) in Nyankpala, Ghana.
During the event, ISU signed an agreement with the SARI to improve the research and infrastructure facilities at the Institute as a means to improve productivity and profitability of smallholder agriculture in the Northern Ghana region. The USAID provided $5.5 million funding for the project.
ISU College of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been working on the USAID Ghana Feed-the-Future Agriculture Technology Transfer (ATT) Project since 2013. The goal of the program is to increase competitiveness of Ghana’s rice, maize, and soy value chains to foster broad-based and sustained economic growth in the region.
In February 2017, Dileepkumar Guntuku conducted a needs assessment for the SARI. A Core of Excellence (COE) team was then established made up of experts in maize, soy, and rice value chains, business, and communications.
In March of 2017, the COE team traveled to ISU for training and to visit Midwest companies and institutions.
ISU and the COE team are enhancing the livelihoods of Ghana smallholders by providing training and exposure to innovative science and institutional strategies to improve SARI’s educational and communications capabilities.
Iowa Seed & Biosafety News —10/01/17