The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) held its Annual Review and Strategic Planning Workshop from February 5 – 9, 2024 at the Peninsula Resort and Golf Club, Eastern Region.
The workshop aimed to review the Centre's activities for the year 2023 and formulate a strategic action plan to promote sustainable and transformative growth in the Centre.
The Provost of the College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Prof. Boateng Onwona-Agyeman, delivered the opening remarks. He stated that there is the need for WACCI to engage with policymakers to ensure that its research outcomes are effectively integrated into policy formulation. This would help in ensuring that WACCI’s varieties get to farmers, he added.
The workshop was chaired by Professor Eric Danquah, the Director of WACCI. In his welcoming address, he highlighted the Centre's key achievements and challenges. He emphasised the innovative ideas and continuous engagement with stakeholders to drive agricultural transformation in Africa.
Prof. Eric Danquah
Over the course of the five-day workshop, presentations were delivered by the administrative staff and faculty. The administrators outlined their action plans for 2024, covering various areas such as Administration, Project Management, ICT, Communication and Visibility, and Finance.
Additionally, the faculty provided updates on their research progress, sharing insights into opportunities, achievements, and challenges encountered. Research on crops including Frafra Potato, Fonio, Cowpea, Sorghum, Maize, Bambara Groundnut, and Rice were presented.
As part of efforts to formulate an action plan for the centre, participants used WACCI's existing strategic plan and the Vice Chancellor's action plan as guiding documents to a new strategic plan for the Centre.
Participants of the workshop included faculty of the Department of Crop Science and Biotechnology Centre of the University of Ghana, as well as faculty, administrative staff and national service persons of the Centre.
