NATIONAL NEWS

Farmers attend workshop on biotechnology

CropLife Ghana, in collaboration with CropLife Middle East (CLAME), has held a day’s workshop to sensitise the public, especially farmers and input-retailers, to biotechnology and related issues in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.

The workshop was aimed at educating participants about improved ways to enhance the country’s agricultural potential.

In an address, the Programme Manager of Croplife, Mr Frederick Boampong, said the workshop would expose participants to issues to enable them to appreciate biotechnology to enable them to make informed choices.

Resource persons, who were drawn from research institutions to speak on current issues such as Genetically Modified Foods (GMO), expressed the hope that the participants would find the workshop useful.

The President of CropLife Ghana, Mr William Kotey, noted that besides creating awareness, the workshop was also a platform for the expression of divergent views on GMOs.

As to whether his outfit supported the adoption of GMOs or not, he said, “We are in the middle. We haven’t taken any side.
“What concerns us is productivity and the quality of agricultural practices,” he said.

Mr Kotey called for more sensitisation programmes so that the country could make the best decision out of the options towards ensuring agricultural productivity and food security.

Many participants for their part were cautious about bio-technology as an alternative to boost agricultural productivity in the country. They called on the experts to focus more on further sensitisation programmes and improved ways of ensuring maximum food security and the avoidance of farm gate wastage in Ghana.

Resource persons at the workshop included, Dr Daniel Ofosu, the Country Director of Programme for Biosafety Systems (PBS), Dr Michael Adu, of the Crop Science Department, University of Cape Coast (UCC), and Joseph Opoku-Gakpo, of Joy FM.

CropLife Ghana is an association of 13 Ghanaian agrochemical companies, namely: Wienco Ghana Ltd, Dizengoff Ghana Ltd, Chemico Ltd, Calli Ghana Ltd/ArystaLifescience, Afcott Ghana Ltd, LDC Ghana Ltd, Bayer Ghana Ltd, ADAMA Ghana Ltd, Wynca Sunshine Ltd, Reiss & Co Ghana Ltd, BASF Ghana Ltd, Candel Ltd and Yara Ghana Ltd.

Souirce: graphic.com.gh

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