An urgent challenge this 21st century is ending hunger and malnutrition in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) by 2030. Agricultural productivity is very low in SSA, which has the highest population growth rate globally, and is challenged by a myriad of problems including deteriorating soils, increasing pest and disease problems, drought, exacerbated by climate change. Extensive research reports indicate that productivity of the staple crops of SSA would need to be increased by 80% by 2050 to feed a burgeoning population. This would require significant investments in science and technology and strategic public-private partnerships for the development of improved, climate-smart crops with in-built resilience against biotic and abiotic stresses that meet market and industry demand. It is against this backdrop that the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), a World Bank funded Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) and a leader in plant breeding education in Africa is organizing an International Conference on Food and Nutrition Security dubbed “The march towards a hunger-free Africa” in commemoration of the 70th anniversary of the University of Ghana. The Conference will provide a platform for conversations on research outcomes and development of partnerships for the inclusive transformation of agriculture in SSA. It is expected that concrete and concerted actions required to realize a SSA free from hunger and malnutrition would be mobilized.
Topical issues to be discussed fall under five thematic sessions:
1. Crop Breeding & Genomics
2. Tree Crops Improvement & Value Chains
3. Seeds & Postharvest Management Systems
4. Nutrition Security & Food Safety
5. Modern Biotechnologies for Crop Improvement
Opening Ceremony:
Venue: WACCI Conference Facility, University of Ghana
Date: October 3, 2018
Time: 9:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
Chairman: Prof. Ebenezer Oduro Owusu, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ghana
Guest of Honour: Dr. Owusu Afriyie Akoto, Hon. Minister of Agriculture, Ghana
Host: Prof. Eric Y. Danquah, Founding Director, WACCI, University of Ghana
Keynote Speaker:
Dr. Howard-Yana Shapiro, Chief Agricultural Scientist, Mars Inc., USA ,
Dr. Joe DeVries, Vice President, Program Development & Innovation, AGRA, Kenya,
Dr. Yemi Akinbamijo, Executive Director, FARA, Ghana
Dr. Marcel Nwalozie, AfricaRice, Côte d'IvoireC
Invited Speakers:
Prof. Janet Bornman, Murdoch University, Australia
Dr. Jean-Marc Boffa, ICRAF, Kenya
Dr. Chiedozie Egesi, NRCRI, Nigeria; Cornell, USA
Dr. Iago Hale, University of New Hamsphire, USA
Dr. Abdulai Jalloh, CORAF/WECARD, Senegal
Dr. Emmanuel Okogbenin, AATF, Kenya
Dr. Francis Padi, CRIG, Ghana
Dr. Nigel Taylor, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, USA
Dr. Véronique Decroocq, INRA-Universite de Bordeaux, France
Dr. Victor Afari-Sefa, WorldVeg, Benin
Dr. Ramadjita Tabo, ICRISAT, Mali
Prof. Pangirayi Tongoona, WACCI, UG, Ghana
Dr. Ted Carey, CIP, Ghana
Darshna Vyas, LGC Genomics, UK
Important Dates
| May 2, 2018 | |
| May 31, 2018 | Closed |
| August 17, 2018 | Closed |
To register and submit an abstract click here
For details on conference logistics click here