Ghana will see improved crop yield if the county applies biotechnology seriously.
That’s a prompt from Director of Crop Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Dr. Stella Asante-Ennin.
She says it is critical authorities take definite steps to address the country’s food security issues.
Dr. Asante Ennin was unveiling a graduate programme in Plant Breeding and Biotechnology at the Crop Research Institute at Fumesua, near Kumasi.
She is convinced biotechnology will speed up initiatives by scientists to come up with improved crop variety.
“Biotechnology is the new tool that can give plant breeders quicker results,” she said.
“Conventional plant breeders will take 10 years to come up with new variety but biotechnological can cut down the time,” she adds.
Under the programme which tailored for industry students will acquire skills and focus on breeding crops adaptive to Ghana’s varied ecological zones.
Programme Head, Dr. Hans Adu-Dapaah,says students will go through entrepreneurial training to enhance their business potential.
In addition, they will learn French to prepare them for the expanding and challenging global market.