Prof. Eric Danquah, Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) has paid homage to Dr. Baffour Badu-Apraku, Principal Scientist, Maize Breeder and Quantitative Geneticist at the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan at the 3rd Feedback Scientific Conference.
The special conference took place on the 13th and 14th of November, 2023 at the Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife, Nigeria, commemorating Dr. Baffour Badu-Apraku’s retirement from the IITA after 32 years of dedicated service. Participants, attending both in-person and virtually, gathered to celebrate his remarkable contributions to agricultural research.
As part of the conference, Dr. Badu-Apraku’s collaborators from national, regional and international institutions, including his former students celebrated him in presentations.
Dr. Badu-Apraku
Prof. Danquah reflected on the fruitful 16-year collaboration between WACCI and Dr. Badu-Apraku emphasizing its significant role in the Centre’s academic and research success achievements.
During the partnership, Dr. Badu-Apraku and WACCI co-authored over 20 articles in high-impact journals. Prof. Danquah noted that Dr. Badu-Apraku had supervised eight plant breeders including five women, underscoring his role in empowering female plant breeders at WACCI.
Prof. Danquah also highlighted some of Dr. Badu-Apraku’s key publications and their influence on addressing agricultural challenges and enhancing the productivity of maize.
The collaboration which began in 2007, has been instrumental in maize genetics and breeding, marking a significant stride toward sustainable agricultural practices in Africa. WACCI takes pride in its longstanding partnership with Dr. Badu-Apraku, celebrating the legacy of a distinguished scientist and mentor.