Eric Danquah: Ghana will not develop if …
The professor of plant genetics says the country needs to invest in seed systems and the food value chains
Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, a professor of plant genetics at the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) in Legon, Accra, has said Ghana cannot develop if the country does not develop its agricultural sector.
He urged the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to work with Ghana’s missions abroad to help bring investments into the country’s agricultural sector.
Speaking with Nana Yaa Mensah on the Sunday Night programme on Asaase, Professor Danquah said: “I believe that what governments must do is to put their best foot forward and if governments don’t put the foot of agriculture forward in any engagement, I think we are losing.
Champion agriculture as a cause
“For example, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and their bases all over the world: I will obligate them to ensure that all of them champion a cause that brings home the best of sciences, funding etc for investments in agriculture …
“There is no nation in this world which developed without first developing its agriculture, and if Ghana does not develop its agriculture, it will never develop.”
Professor Danquah added, “We are not going to use a different model to develop. It’s the same model: serious investments in the seeds system and the food value chains, and ensuring that everyone is well fed with nutritious food all of the time.
“Once we break that barrier, I believe we are moving into a stable middle-income country and a developed country in the future by promoting our products all over the world. We can do that,” Professor Danquah said.
“Corporate social responsibility”
He also urged the top companies in the country (Ghana Club 100) to invest, develop and celebrate talents in the various universities to propel Ghana’s rapid development.
“I think the top 100 institutions are failing by not prioritising their social corporate responsibility investments. Assuming Ghana spends 30% of CSR money in agriculture in this country we won’t be where we are.”
Professor Danquah added, “So perhaps we should begin a crusade of getting the private sector more engaged in recognising and celebrating talents, investing in our universities.
In fact, if we don’t develop world-class universities we cannot develop … it is when your universities are moving forward that a nation can move forward.”
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