AGRA invests $2.1 million in training of soil scientists

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has been selected to build a centre of excellence in the training of research and teaching scientists in soil science for the West African sub-region.

Twenty students from Baukina Faso, Ghana, Mali, Niger and Nigeria will be offered scholarships to undertake a four-year Ph.D programme at the university.

The Alliance for Green Revolution Africa (AGRA) is investing 2.1 million dollars over a five-year period to organize the programme, which will train a new generation of Soil Scientists, capable of using balanced integrated soil fertility management to address current and future challenges.

They are expected to contribute to the achievement of an envisaged six percent growth in Africa's food production by 2015 under the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP).

Over 300 thousand dollars is already being invested in laboratory upgrade at the KNUST's College of Agriculture and Natural Resources.

Constraints in soil fertility have been identified as key factor militating against high agricultural productivity in Africa. Degraded soils have resulted in very low yields and low agricultural production.

Agra president, Dr. Namanga Ngongi tells Luv Biz Report the training of soil scientists is key to developing technologies and actions relevant to solving soil degradation problems.

He noted “if we do not take measures to prevent further degradation and improve productivity of land then the Green Revolution will be on very weak foundations… so we're capitalizing on seeds, soils, on markets and the policy environment that will be able to sustain agriculture”.

Ghana's Minister for Food and Agriculture, Kwesi Ahoi, vowed the ministry will continue collaborations with universities to “significantly upgrade the science and technological capacity of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to pave way for Ghana's Green Revolution”.

Story by Kofi Adu Domfeh