US partners Ghana to offer training in quality seed development and production
As part of efforts to enhance the development and production of quality seeds towards ensuring total food security, the U.S. government through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) hosted a two-day workshop in Accra to train participants in seed production, ABC News can report.
The workshop, which started on Tuesday, November 5 and ended on Wednesday, November 6, was held at the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement.
The initiative, which is part of the Borlaug Higher Education for Agriculture Research and Development (BHEARD) Program, hosted representatives from the Government of Ghana and various academic institutions who presented information on pertinent topics.
Discussion topics included the current state of the seed sector, the role of government in the production and distribution of quality seed, and current issues and opportunities facing the private sector.
Participants also co-designed a map of the Ghanaian seed system and created a strategy that integrated the needs and vision of the public and private sectors.
During the workshop, participating teams will compete for funding to develop commercial seed technologies. Up to three participating teams will be awarded up to $12,000 each. BHEARD staff will work directly with the winners to identify opportunities to scale up the successful technologies.
The BHEARD Program is a $4.9 million, USAID-funded, multi-year program as part of Feed the Future, the U.S. government’s global hunger and food security initiative. BHEARD is a long-term agriculture degree (MSc and PhD) and food security training program in support of agriculture-led growth and poverty reduction.
The program provides opportunities for selected public institutions to build their capacity in research, production, trade, policy, management, and outreach to promote greater agriculture-led economic growth and natural resources management.
USAID is the lead U.S. Government agency that works to end extreme global poverty and enable resilient, democratic societies to realize their potential.