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Mrs. Nane Annan Visits West Africa Centre For Crop Improvement

   Mrs. Nane Annan has paid a visit to the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana on Tuesday, September 3, 2019. 

Mrs. Annan, who was accompanied by Senior Advisor on Food Security at the Kofi Annan Foundation, Dr. Tesfai Tecle and the Programme Coordinator for Combatting Hunger & Elections and Democaracy, Mr. Fabian Lange, was received by  Mrs. Mercy Haizel-Ashia, Registrar and Prof. Eric Y. Danquah, Director of WACCI.

Prof. Eric Danquah with Mrs. Nane Annan and Mrs Mercy Haizel-Ashia

 

The purpose of the visit was to have conversations on a proposal to name an Enterprise Hub for Agricultural Innovation after her late husband, Mr. Kofi Annan, a former Board Chair of the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and former Chancellor of the University of Ghana.   Prof. Danquah mentioned that the proposal which has been approved by the University Council was referred to the Kofi Annan Foundation for a no objection before inauguration of the Enterprise Hub.

After fruitful conversations, the delegation commended WACCI for the role the Centre had played in fighting food and nutrition security in Africa and said the Foundation will give a formal feedback to the University of the request.

As Board Chair AGRA, Mr. Annan, on learning about the PhD programme in plant breeding at the West Africa Centre of Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, took keen interest in the programme.  It may be recalled that prior to his assumption as Chancellor of the University of Ghana, he had visited the Centre on July 30, 2008 to have conversations on the African Green Revolution.  Accompanied by his wife, Nane, on that visit, he spent some time to inspect the fields, and discussed research on food and nutrition security with the Directors and faculty at WACCI. This visit gave the much-needed visibility to WACCI.

Prof. Eric Danquah with Dr. Tesfai Tecle and Mrs. Nane Annan

 

WACCI, a semi-autonomous Centre, in the College of Basic and Applied Sciences runs one of the largest PhD programmes in Plant Breeding in Africa. Under a new project, the Africa Centres of Excellence Development Impact, WACCI is committed to evolving into an Agricultural and Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institution.  The Kofi Annan Enterprise Hub for Agricultural Innovation will run programmes that will equip the youth with the knowledge and skills needed to turn ideas into agri-businesses needed to transform agriculture in Africa.

Group photograph of WACCI Team and Mrs. Annan’s delegation