CSIR-PGRRI begins construction of genebank facility at Nyankpala

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Plant Genetic Resources Research Institute (CSIR-PGRRI) has begun the construction of a complementary genebank facility at Nyankpala near Tamale to strengthen the conservation of plant genetic resources from the country’s savannah ecological zone.

The genebank facility, expected to be completed in February, next year, will comprise offices and laboratory facilities to support the processing, conservation and management of plant genetic resources.

It is expected to provide farmers, researchers and plant breeders in the northern part of the country with improved access to genetic materials suited to the region while providing a complementary safeguard for collections maintained at the CSIR-PGRRI at Bunso in the Eastern Region.

The facility is being constructed in partnership with the Global Crop Diversity Trust (Crop Trust) with funding from the German Federal Government’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through KfW Development Bank, with Glasel Ltd serving as the construction company.

Dr Daniel Ashie Kotey, Director of CSIR-PGRRI, speaking at a sod-cutting ceremony at Nyankpala to begin the construction of the facility, said the new facility was necessary because the CSIR-PGRRI, which served as the country’s national genebank, was based in the forest agro-ecological zone at Bunso but collected plant genetic resources from all parts of the country.

The sod-cutting ceremony, held at the CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) at Nyankpala in the Northern Region, was attended by representatives of the CSIR, the Ministries of Environment, Science and Technology, and Food and Agriculture, the Crop Trust, development partners, researchers, farmers, amongst other stakeholders.

Dr Kotey said the climatic conditions at Bunso especially its prolonged rainfall pattern and high humidity made it difficult to sufficiently dry some

seeds collected from the savannah zone to the low moisture levels required for long-term conservation.

He said “Construction of this facility here would allow us to process seeds under international best practices.”

Dr Ashie said the facility would be purpose-built to meet the workflow and equipment requirements of an international genebank enabling the country to conserve plant genetic resources for future generations.

He explained that plant genetic resources were essential for crop improvement noting that their availability enabled researchers and breeders to develop crop varieties capable of responding to pests, diseases, climate change and other production challenges.

He said “For farmers in the northern half of the country, it gives them ready access to material. They don’t have to come to Bunso or write to us at Bunso. We will distribute material from here.”

Professor Paul Bosu, Director-General of CSIR said the establishment of the facility at Nyankpala would help correct the historical imbalance in the conservation of genetic resources between the country’s forest and savannah ecological zones.

He said although the country had collected some germplasm from the savannah, greater attention had historically been given to the forest zones.

He said the complementary facility would allow genetic materials from both the southern and northern parts of the country to be conserved at the two locations providing additional security against possible loss.

Professor Bosu said conserving the diversity was especially important as climate change, emerging pests and diseases, drought, heat and other stresses increasingly threatened agricultural production.

He emphasised that “Once lost, crop variety, wild variety or useful plant species may be impossible or extremely difficult to recover.”

Miss Suweibatu Adam, Chief Director, Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology described the project as a strategic investment in the country’s scientific infrastructure and biological heritage.

She said plant genetic resources constituted valuable national assets that underpinned resilient agriculture, food security, nutrition, scientific innovation and environmental sustainability.

She said, “As climate change, habitat degradation, land-use change and biodiversity loss continue to threaten these resources, the responsibility to conserve them has become a national imperative.”

She said the project demonstrated the country’s commitment to biodiversity conservation, climate resilience and sustainable development while reaffirming the Ministry’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for scientific research and innovation.

She assured that “We will continue to work closely with the CSIR and other stakeholders to strengthen research infrastructure, promote scientific excellence, encourage innovation and ensure that research outcomes translate into tangible benefits for the people of Ghana.”

Mr Alexander Kambili, Finance and Procurement Officer, Crop Trust, said the facility formed part of the Seeds for Resilience Project, a Crop Trust initiative being implemented in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Zambia to strengthen national genebanks.

He said while the project involved rehabilitation of genebank infrastructure in some participating countries, Ghana was benefiting from the construction of a new facility as well as equipment and improvements in operational and quality-management systems.

Mr Fuseni Abdul-Mumin Suchi, a farmer from the Northern Region, lauded the initiative, saying the facility would improve farmers’ access to crop varieties suited to their communities and reduce the need to travel to the southern part of the country to obtain planting materials.