India and Ghana Sign Five-Year Agricultural Research Pact

The Indian Council of Agricultural Research and Ghana's Crops Research Institute signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding on October 7 in New Delhi to expand agricultural research and technology cooperation. The agreement, signed in the presence of Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, establishes a framework for joint research, capacity building, and technology transfer.

The first phase of the partnership prioritizes the introduction of high-yielding tomato varieties to Ghana. Beyond vegetable crops, the collaboration targets value addition for tuber crops, including yam and cassava, and aims to reduce waste through improved post-harvest management using cold storage and food processing technologies.

To ensure research translates into commercial success, Arima Farms Ltd. will act as the commercial partner to the Crops Research Institute to facilitate market adoption. A Joint Working Group will manage the implementation of the pact through periodic meetings held in New Delhi and Accra.