The Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), Prof. Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, has urged African leaders to priorities investments in science and education to drive sustainable development across the continent.
Speaking at the Future of Science Communication Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, convened by the Alliance for Science Global Consortium, Prof. Danquah emphasized the need for Africa to build world-class universities that can nurture the science champions of the future. “If we fail to act, if we neglect investments in science and education, we are not just delaying progress—we are condemning millions, especially women and children, to malnutrition, hunger, and preventable deaths,” he added.
He further noted that the continent is losing many bright students because the current educational system does not provide a conducive environment for them to thrive. As a Science Champion, Prof. Danquah joined a high-level Communications Catalysts Panel alongside Hon. Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, former Minister of Energy and Education in Ghana; Prof. Channapatna Prakash, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, Tuskegee University, USA, and other distinguished panelists. The discussions focused on the role of culture and content in shaping science communication. Highlighting the work of WACCI, Prof. Danquah stressed that excellence in science is within Africa’s reach—if only leaders are bold enough to invest in it. He pointed to WACCI’s success in training plant breeders over the past 17 years as a model for Africa’s scientific future.
“At WACCI, we have built a game-changing platform for training Africans in Africa, for Africa. This is proof that we can achieve global excellence if we dare to invest in it,” he said. Prof. Danquah commended the Alliance for Science Global Consortium for its vision in championing science communication and urged African leaders to champion science in development and hold themselves accountable for its integration
