Dr. Mavis Owusuaa Osei-Wusu, a lecturer at the West African Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), spearheads a project focused on enhancing the resilience of rice to bolster cultivation in Ghana. Driven by a commitment to promoting good health through nutrition, she endeavors to contribute to global health by fortifying crops against environmental stresses exacerbated by climate change. 

Recognizing the centrality of rice in Ghanaian diets, with almost every household consuming it daily, Dr. Osei-Wusu strives to address challenges hampering its production. Over 80% of rice farmers rely on rainfall for cultivation which poses a challenge due to unpredictable weather patterns. Moreover, diseases, poor soil nutrients, and a preference for specific rice varieties by consumers also reduces production and promotes rice importation. The impending ban on rice importation in Ghana however, coupled with population growth and urbanization, poses threats to rice security, necessitating increased production and improved grain quality to meet consumer demands and preference. 

Currently, Dr. Osei-Wusu leads a rice breeding program aimed to utilize molecular tools such as marker-assisted selection, gene transformation, gene editing, and the double haploid technique. This program aims to develop high-yielding rice varieties resilient to both biotic and abiotic stresses and align with consumer preferences. 

Looking ahead, Dr. Osei-Wusu has established collaborations with institutions like the Cambridge Crop Science Centre for nutrient-use-efficient rice varieties, Zhejiang University for modern technologies in rice breeding, and partnerships with the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and AfricaRice for comparative studies on related cereals like African rice and finger millet. These efforts aim to harness resilient genes, enhance rice nutrition, and fortify its resilience to abiotic stresses, contributing to sustainable agricultural practices. 

To realize these ambitions and significantly advance crop science, Dr. Osei-Wusu seeks collaborations and funding opportunities, inviting collective efforts to address global challenges, promote food security, and create a lasting impact on agriculture and human well-being.