The Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah has been elected President of the Food for West Africa (FOOD4WA).
His election took place at the Tropical Summit in Lisbon, Portugal on November 7, 2024. Speaking at the event, Prof. Danquah expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to serve the network and emphasized his commitment to advancing it’s mission of driving transformative impact for the region’s agricultural future.
FOOD4WA was officially established in December 2021 as a collaborative platform to promote agricultural research, knowledge sharing, and innovation across West Africa. Its formation was inspired by a landmark workshop in 2015 hosted by WACCI in Accra, Ghana, under the World Bank Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE) project, where the concept of a united network of agricultural centres was first proposed. In response to a call from the Association of African Universities, the network received a grant to support its founding.
The network brings together seven ACEs from six African countries: Regional Center of Excellence in Avian Sciences (CERSA) of Togo, Université du Lomé, Togo; Regional Center of Excellence on Pastoral Productions (CERPP), Abdou Moumouni University of Niamey, Niger; Center For Food Technology and Research (CEFTER), Benue State University, Nigeria; Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CCBAD), Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Ivory Coast; African Center of Excellence in Dry Land Agriculture (CDA), Bayero University, Nigeria, African Center of Excellence in Agriculture for Food and Nutrition Security (AGRISAN), Université Cheikh Anta Diop, Senegal and the West Africa Center for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana.
Prof. Danquah succeeds Prof. Sylla Eh Samba Ndao of Senegal’s AGRISAN, continuing the legacy of previous presidents, including FOOD4WA’s inaugural President, Prof. Kokou Tona, Centre Leader of CERSA, and Prof. Jibrin M. Jubrin, Centre Leader of CDA.
Under Prof. Danquah's leadership, the network aims to build on its foundational strengths and work towards sustainable agricultural development, supporting food security and resilience in the West Africa and beyond.
