Ghana’s National Seed Council, a technical body responsible for the approval of seed varieties for release in that country, has officially allowed the distribution of the Pod Borer-Resistant (PBR) cowpea seed variety to Ghanaian farmers.
Developed by the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), one of the research institutions under the umbrella of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, this variety marks the debut of Ghana’s first genetically modified crop into the country’s agricultural system.
The distribution ceremony followed an environmental release approval granted by the National Biosafety Authority, Ghana’s competent agency for the regulation of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), as well as a recommendation for commercial release by the National Variety Release and Registration Committee of the National Seed Council. The PBR cowpea was developed by scientists at SARI after nearly 10 years of both confined and on-farm trials in collaboration with an international network of organisations across western Africa, Australia, the USA and coordinated by the African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF).
Speaking at the ceremony, the Northern Regional Minister, Hon. Sani Alhassan Saliu, said the milestone underscored the dedication and commitment of Ghanaian scientists and the unwavering support from various stakeholders in the agricultural sector to tackle one of the most disruptive pests militating against the cultivation of cowpea in the country. Represented by the Tolon District chief executive, Mr. Fuseini Moshie he noted that farmers in the country had previously addressed the challenges by applying chemical sprays, which can be injurious to humans and the environment. He added that the determination of the scientists at SARI has not only provided relief for farmers but also saved the country foreign exchange that was previously used for the importation of chemical sprays.
Also speaking, the Northern Regional Director of Agriculture, Hajjia Hawa Musah acknowledged the importance of the development to the Ghanaian economy. She said it has the potential to make Ghana a powerhouse in cowpea production in the sub-region. The regional director noted that Ghana currently imports a substantial amount of its cowpea consumption from Niger, Mali and Nigeria. With the debut of the pod borer-resistant cowpea variety, farmers can scale up their production and, in no time, the country can become self-sufficient in cowpea production.
AATF executive director, Dr. Canisius Kanangire said in a presentation that the development and release of the PBR cowpea in Ghana is a promise kept. “Over a decade ago, AATF made a commitment to the government and people of Ghana to solve the challenges Ghanaian farmers faced in the cultivation of cowpea. Today, we are happy to report that we have kept that promise.” Kanangire said that AATF has been collaborating with the Ghanaian government to provide innovative solutions to the numerous challenges facing farmers. According to him, AATF believes that the agricultural sector is a key foundational pillar as Africa consolidates its economic growth and carves out its new position as a major global economic powerhouse and the next growth market in the world. “AATF was formed in response to the need for an effective mechanism that would facilitate and support negotiation for technology access and delivery, and the formation of appropriate partnerships to manage the development and deployment of innovative technologies for use by smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa.”
Director-general of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Prof. Paul Bosu said the CSIR is committed to delivering on its mandate of making technologies responsive to the needs of the people of Ghana and to spur national development in an exponential manner. It is in this light that one of its institutes has collaborated with partners in the West African sub-region and beyond to deliver this scientific breakthrough for local cowpea farmers. He praised the resilience and tenacity of his scientists in the institutes, especially in the areas of technology development. He was glad that CSIR has brought hope to cowpea farmers and they will soon smile and be alleviated from poverty.
Director of CSIR – Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI), Dr. Francis Kusi said the genetically modified cowpea variety called “Songotra T” was developed by scientists at the Institute. He said the Institute has been working on this variety for nearly a decade. During this period, the institute followed strict regulatory processes from start to end. According to him, the National Biosafety Authority, which is the competent national authority responsible for regulating GM crops in Ghana, has conducted a comprehensive risk assessment on the variety and concluded that this variety is substantially equivalent to any conventionally bred cowpea variety. Thus, they declared it to be as safe for use as food and feed as conventional cowpea varieties. He was excited that Ghanaians can now have access to cowpea with less insecticide residues because growers of this variety no longer need to spray eight times or more; they only need two sprays. This is a huge saver on cost and on the health of insecticide applicators.
USAID provided support to the researchers through Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative.
