The two-day engagement held in Accra brought together scientists, regulators and other key stakeholders to discuss challenges facing cowpea farmers and explore how improved technologies can enhance production.

The engagement also served as a platform for experts to highlight the progress made in the development of the GM cowpea technology by CSIR and to discuss regulatory and policy issues surrounding its adoption in Ghana.

Dr. Daniel Ashie Kotey, Director of the CSIR-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute (CSIR-PGRRI), said the institute played a critical role in Ghana’s seed system by collecting and conserving plant genetic resources used for crop improvement.

He noted that the institute, which operated under CSIR served as the national gene bank responsible for preserving plant genetic materials that breeders relied on to develop improved crop varieties capable of withstanding pests, diseases, and other environmental stresses.

“Agricultural productivity largely depends on the quality of seeds available to farmers, as seeds determine how crops respond to biotic stresses such as pests and diseases,” he added.

Dr. Kotey cited the case of taro, scientifically known as Colocasia esculenta, which was once widely cultivated in Ghana but was nearly wiped out by a devastating disease outbreak.

He explained that CSIR-PGRRI undertook extensive research to identify disease-tolerant germplasm, which was later made available to crop breeders to develop improved taro varieties for farmers.

The new varieties were subsequently distributed to farmers, helping to restore taro cultivation, with some farmers now producing the crop commercially.
The Director said similar scientific approaches were applied in biotechnology and genetically modified crop development to address challenges facing agriculture.
He said reducing pesticide use enhanced consumer safety by lowering the likelihood of harmful chemical residues remaining on food consumed by the public.
Dr. Kotey stressed that biotechnology relied on natural biological processes in plant breeding and reproduction, noting that Genetically Modified (GM) crops were developed through controlled scientific methods designed to ensure safety and improve agricultural resilience.

He called for continued support for biotechnology research as a sustainable solution to improving food production, protecting the environment, and strengthening Ghana’s food security.

Prof. Samuel Amiteye, a Molecular and Biotechnology Scientist, called for increased public understanding and acceptance of biotechnology, noting that GM technology was rooted in natural biological processes.
He explained that conventional plant breeding already relied on natural cross-pollination, but scientists guided and accelerated the process under controlled conditions to develop improved crop traits faster.

“Biotechnology simply applies knowledge derived from nature to produce crops that can better withstand pests and other challenges facing agriculture,” he added.
He emphasised that embracing such technologies was important for strengthening food production and achieving long-term food security in Africa.
Prof. Amiteye encouraged young people to take interest in biotechnology, noting that the future of agricultural innovation on the continent would depend on the next generation of scientists.