IITA–CGIAR Ghana received France’s Regional Agriculture Counsellor to Benin, Cameroon, Ghana, Niger, Nigeria, and Togo, Dr Sonia Darracq, during a courtesy visit in Ghana on 18 July. Darracq was accompanied by her colleague Dr Florent Engelmann, who oversees scientific high education at the French Embassy.
The visit of the two French Embassy representatives was to get deep insight into IITA activities in Ghana and explore collaboration opportunities that will promote French companies in Ghana. Darracq explained that the French Embassy collaborates with IITA in Nigeria, and she envisions similar collaboration with IITA in Ghana.
IITA Scientist Richard Asare introduced IITA-led projects in Ghana, including the BBEST project being implemented in Nsawam; the SSPING project being implemented in Northern Ghana; the Cocoasoils program, which aims to use Integrated Soil Fertility Management System approach for cocoa intensification; AICCRA, which scales climate-smart agriculture technologies to farmers and the Sustainable Intensification of Mixed Farming systems; and CGIAR Excellence in Agronomy initiatives.
Further discussions centered around agribusiness and agripreneurship, agriculture products’ value chains, youth and women capacity building, internship programs for trained youth in agribusiness, the Master Card sponsorship program, and the best ways to foster collaboration between the French Embassy and IITA Ghana.
Asare explained that IITA has an excellent relationship with Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture due to several years of collaborating on different projects and IITA’s efforts to align with the government’s vision for agriculture.
Darracq commended the AICCRA project’s work on gender and youth inclusion and a planned incubation program. She also hailed the Aflasafe work with maize and groundnut farmers and expressed the embassy’s willingness to explore projects on maize and groundnut.
Emphasizing the French Embassy’s commitment to collaborations on scientific research, Engelmann indicated that the appointment of a scientist as France’s ambassador to Ghana had paved the way for partnerships with institutions like IITA.
Darracq asked IITA to identify areas where the two entities can collaborate in Ghana.
Contributed by Francisca Ocloo
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