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Agric Economists explore innovative ways toward sustainable food systems

17 Nov, 2023 By DIS

A four-day conference to deliberate on ways toward sustainable food systems, national development, and youth employment through entrepreneurship, especially in Africa, has been organised by economists in the agriculture sector.

The 6th annual conference of the Ghana Association of Agricultural Economists (GAAE), with support from Solidaridad West Africa, was on the theme: " Sustainable Food Systems for National Development."

Opening the workshop, the Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture responsible for crops, Mr. Yaw Frimpong Addo, called on stakeholders in the agriculture value chain to address food system sustainability.

According to him, building robust food systems was a pivotal step towards ensuring access to a healthy diet and contributing to the sustainability of food systems. He, however, admitted that the current food systems in Ghana were not adequately prioritizing safety, fairness, sustainability and health, and added that it required massive transformation.

To the Deputy Minister, sustainable food systems hinged on food security and nutrition for all in such a way that the economic, social and environmental bases to generate food security and nutrition for future generations were not compromised.

 

  • Mr. Yaw Frimpong Addo, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture responsible for crops

He pointed out that sustainable and resilient food systems were fraught with myriad of challenges such as policy instability, conflicts, climate change, increasing prevalence of shocks from diseases, and low crop yield per hectare.

Mr. Addo, who is also the Member of Parliament for Manso Adubia constituency in the Ashanti Region, was quick to add that the government had put in place a raft of measures to address food systems in Ghana.

The measures, Mr. Addo outlined, included enriching the environmental system through capacity building of farmers on climate-smart practices and building agricultural system resilience against climate and environmental threats.

"Strengthening food supply system by increasing local production of key staples, with focus on nutrition indigenous staples that have been neglected, enhancing the availability and accessibility of healthy food and promoting healthier eating habits amongst Ghanaians" he continued.

 For his part, the president of GAAE, Prof. Daniel Bruce Sarpong, in his welcome address to the participants, noted that the fallout of global challenges such as the Russia-Ukraine war, COVID-19 pandemic, Middle East conflict, had necessitated the conference to explore more innovative ways towards sustainable food systems for job creation for the teeming unemployed youth and entrepreneurship in Africa.

  •   Prof. Daniel Bruce Sarpong, President of GAAE

He said African youth were getting very dependent due to the lack of sustainable jobs which had resulted in all manner of social vices.

To curb the canker, Prof Sarpong insisted that sustainable agriculture and entrepreneurship would improve the quality of life of the jobless youth, especially in rural areas where agriculture was critical.

The Provost of the College of Health and Allied Sciences, Prof. Martins Ekor, who chaired the conference, decried the high rate of food inflation in the country as a major setback for achieving food system sustainability.

He, therefore, asked policymakers to address the price hikes of foodstuffs because food inflation had a tremendous impact on human capital development.

"There is no way to have food systems if the price of food keeps soaring", he pointed out.

He said illegal mining was detrimental to achieving food system sustainability and implored the government to deal with the scourge.

"I don't think it is beyond the capability of the government of the day to deal with galamsey. It is either we stop galamsey or galamsey stops us as a nation," the provost bemoaned.

  • Prof. Martins Ekor, Provost of the College of Health and Allied Sciences-UCC

Guests gracing the Conference included the Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North, Dr Kwamena Minta Nyarku; representative of the Central Regional Minister, Mr. Waxzy Mukaila who is the Central Regional Auditor; Dr Peter Boamah Otokunor, a member of faculty at the University of Professional Studies-Accra amongst and a former deputy minister for Local Government  and Rural Development, Mr. Abraham Dwuma Odoom, amongst others.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC

 

Directorate of Finance Welfare Association launches 30th Anniversary in Style

15 Nov, 2023 By DIS

The Directorate of Finance Welfare Association (DoFWA) of the University of Cape Coast (UCC) has officially launched its 30th anniversary celebration with a colourful event. 

The well-attended launch, themed: “Sustaining our Integrity and Objectivity in Unity” was chaired by the Provost of the College of Distance Education, Prof. Anokye Mohammed Adam, with a former Pro Vice-Chancellor of UCC, Prof. Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh, as the Special Speaker.

The event witnessed the popping of champagnes, cutting of the anniversary cake, and a 15-minute documentary chronicling the activities and achievements of the Association over the past 30 years.

The Association also unveiled new T-shirts to mark the anniversary. 

Innovation

The keynote speaker for the occasion, the Director of the Directorate of Academic Planning and Quality Assurance (DAPQA-UCC), Prof. Daniel Agyapong, challenged members of the association to embrace innovation and technology to propel the association to greater heights.

 "By fostering the culture of innovation, you ensure your relevance and effectiveness through the dynamic and ever-changing environment within the University,” he added.

Prof. Daniel Agyapong addressing the gathering

Prof. Agyapong urged them to uphold the principles and the code of ethics of their profession to ensure integrity, objectivity, and professional judgement in the execution of their duties.

He also encouraged members to reinforce their commitment to transparent financial practices and ensure accountability at all levels.

Prof. Agyapong reminded members that welfare associations played critical roles in fostering connections amongst individuals across various spheres.

He explained: "Welfare Associations serve as a connective tissue that binds individuals across various spheres. As such, there is the need to delve into the core principles that have been the pillars of the Association and explore how it can elevate a commitment to integrity, objectivity, and unity."

 

"This celebration should not only mark a milestone but also serve as a turning point in the Association's collective financial commitment," Prof. Agyapong continued. 

 

He emphasized that the Association's financial contribution should be viewed not merely as a responsibility, but as a tangible investment in their shared vision.

 

Integrity

 

Prof. Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh, the Special Speaker in her address, called on members to ensure unity and integrity within the Association, especially in the wake of the upcoming 2024 general elections.

 

She urged them to promote solidarity and cooperation among themselves, stressing, "Always remember that there's strength in unity,"

Prof. Dora Francisca Edu-Buandoh

 

Prof. Edu-Buandoh implored senior members of the Association to groom the younger ones to become the best leaders the Association yearns for.

 

She further urged the more experienced members of DoFWA to take an active role in the personal and professional development of the up-and-coming young members.

 

"The seniors should do well to invest and help the juniors become better people," Prof. Edu-Buandoh stated. 

Some members of DoFWA at the event

Activities earmarked for the anniversary celebration included; a health walk, seminar, cooking competition, eye screening, excursion and a durbar.

The launch was attended by the Director of Human Resource, Rev Isaac Baafi Sarbeng; the College Registrar of the College of Humanities and Legal Studies, Mr. Ebenezer Aggrey; the College Registrar of the College of Distance Education, Mr. Isaac Nyieku; the College Registrar of the College of Distance Education; Mr. Atta Yeboah-Sarpong, the College Registrar of the College of Education Studies; Mr. Nasir Yaqub Entsie,  the Head of Documentation and Information Section, and Mr. Felix Adu-Poku, the Head of Public Relation and Protocol Section, amongst others.

Dignitaries and Members of DoFWA after the launch

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC

 

D-Hub builds synergy among young entrepreneurs

14 Nov, 2023 By DIS

The Design Thinking and Innovation Hub (D-Hub) of the University of Cape Coast and the Kosmos Innovation Center (KIC), have organised the southwest zonal KIC AgricTech Challenge Classic 2023 for young entrepreneurs of UCC and the Takoradi Technical University.

About 37 business startups pitched their business ideas to a panel of judges known in the competition as the Ideation Team.

The successful teams will get seed funding of $50,000 to enable them to operationalize their business ideas.

In all, 15 successful teams from 10 participating universities will join 15 other setups at the “Pro level” to battle for the main prize.

The Director of D-Hub, Dr. Karen Naa Abaka Arthur, in a brief remark, noted that the competition gives credence to the University of Cape Coast’s vision of becoming a global entrepreneurial university.

 “We believe that this partnership allows us to tread the same course and to support entrepreneurship and career development among the youth to create more jobs,” she said.

One of the teams pitching their business idea at the challenge

She expressed admiration for the innovative ideas of the young entrepreneurs and was of the hope that the agricultural sector would receive the needed support systems to expand.

The entrepreneurship development specialist at Kosmos Innovation Centre, Mr. Ato Ulzen-Appiah, said the competition will offer the young entrepreneurs the requisite training to build their ideas and businesses.

 

He explained that KIC would continuously “train, transform, support and invest in young entrepreneurs working within the agricultural space.”

According to him, the training would enable young entrepreneurs to build innovative and commercially driven solutions that were solving problems in the agric sector.

“They have resources, we have expertise that we can use, and we have access to a lot of students. So, we believe that this partnership allows us to tread the same force and to support entrepreneurship and career development among today’s youth to create more jobs,” she said.     

   

The other universities participating in the challenge include the University of Ghana (UG), SD Dombo University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (SDD-UBIDS, University for Development Studies (UDS), and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). The rest are Ho Technical University (HTU), Bolgatanga Technical University (BTU), Koforidua Technical University (KTU), and the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR).

 

KIC

The Kosmos Innovation Centre is a not-for-profit organisation that invests and supports young entrepreneurs and small businesses with viable ideas in the agriculture value chain.

It trains and builds capacities through the Agritech Challenge programme, incubates and supports businesses through the KIC incubator and accelerates small businesses for investor readiness through the KIC Business Booster.

Since the inception of the programme in 2016, four cohorts (AgriTechies or teams) have gone through the KIC AgriTech Challenge.

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC

 

 

 

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Helping Africa Foundation donates books to Sam Jonah Library

13 Nov, 2023 By DIS

Helping Africa Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has donated books to the Sam Jonah Library of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

The books included   African   Biography, The Price of Civilisation, The Collected Writings of Joe Brainard, and The End of Poverty.

The donation forms part of a project initiated by the NGO to encourage students in the Central Region to read and enhance their academic performance.

Dr. Deborah Rose presenting the books to Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis

At a short presentation ceremony at the library, the President of the Foundation, Dr. Deborah Rose, pointed out that she was donating on behalf of her uncle, Dr. Daniel Rose, to empower students through books and educational materials to assist them in achieving high academic laurels.

She expressed the hope that the books would also help improve the knowledge base of students.

Dr. Rose admonished the staff of the library and students to take good care of the books to facilitate teaching and learning.

Receiving the books on behalf of the library, the Provost of the College of Education Studies, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, expressed appreciation to the organisation for the benevolent act.

"These books will contribute immensely to helping students of the University", he highlighted. 

The provost assured the NGO that the books would be put to good use to benefit all who would visit the library.

 "They would be kept well and put to good use ", he noted.

The University Librarian, Dr Mac-Anthony Cobblah, in a brief remark, called for more support from other firms and organisations and encouraged students to make good use of the library and to read extensively to become responsible citizens in the country.

 Dr. Deborah Rose and other University officials and dignitaries posed for the press after the donation

Source: Documentation and Information Section

 

 

 

 

We don't Keep our Research works on Shelves - Prof. Martin Bosompem

13 Nov, 2023 By DIS

A former acting Head of the Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension, Prof. Martin Bosompem, has rebuffed suggestions among a section of the public that research works by academia are lying on the shelves to the detriment of policymakers.

He insisted that policy makers were rather not interested in using their studies to address challenges affecting national development and, therefore, implored the general public to clear up the popular misconception.

Prof. Bosompem made the remarks while responding to a question posed by a participant during the Research Seminar Series organised by the School of Agriculture of the University of Cape Coast (UCC).

The seminar, which was delivered by an Assistant Professor in School of Animal and Range Sciences College of Agriculture, Hawassa University, Ethiopia, Prof. Sintayehu Yigrem Mersha, was on the theme "The Role of Higher Education and Agricultural Research Systems in Addressing SDGs: Lessons from SDG Graduate School in Ethiopia".

The participant who posed the question at the Seminar

Speaking further,Prof. Bosompem noted that though research work could be submitted to a government agency, but the agency reserved the right to use the research work for its operations.

 "The point is that the erroneous mindset that our research works are on the shelves is not true," he noted.

Prof. Bosompem recalled: "When I completed my MPhil and PhD on cocoa precision agriculture. I sent copies of my research works to Ghana Cocoa Board that I can be of immense help with regard to the training of farmers on precision agriculture. Do I have to beg them to call me?"

He, however, indicated that foreign organisations were using the research works by Ghanaian academia to accelerate development.

For example, Prof. Bosompem pointed out that United States Department of Agriculture ( USDA) had catalogued research findings of  some faculty  members at the School of Agriculture and used them for its policies. 

Dr. Sabina Appiah-Boateng (1st right)  at the Seminar

A Research Fellow at the School for Development Studies, Dr. Sabina Appiah-Boateng, in her contribution to the discussion, called on academia   to open up and involve policymakers in research works.

She asserted that academia needed to establish stronger ties with industry and government in order to foster collaborations for the development of the nation.

Seminar

Prof. Sintayehu Yigrem Mersha, in his presentation at the seminar, called on African states to substantially invest in education to create economic opportunities and a better future for their populace.

According to him, governments and education stakeholders in Africa must give priority to education in order to produce new breed of African educated elites who would truly show the world that they were capable of managing their affairs.

 

The Vice-Dean of the School of Agriculture, Prof. Julius Eghan, chaired the seminar, which was held at the Sasakawa Conference Room.

Source: Documentation and Information Section

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ghana’s Ocean in danger – Professor of Ocean Studies raises alarm

10 Nov, 2023 By DIS

A professor of Coastal Ecology and Interdisciplinary Oceans Studies, Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto, has expressed grave concern over the dire consequences Ghana’s ocean stands to suffer following the indiscriminate disposal of plastic waste into the ocean. 

According to him, the pollution of the ocean has an overwhelming bearing on staple food and the over two million Ghanaians whose livelihoods depend on it.

“Significantly, fishermen are catching more plastic than fish. No one seems to care about the ocean even though we all like fish. Ghana is the number one fish-eating nation in Africa. The average Ghanaian eats about 25 kilograms of fish per year far above the global average of 15 kilograms per year,” he continued.

Prof. Aheto made the remarks while delivering his inaugural lecture on the topic: “Our Oceans: Securing our Common Future through Transformative Research.”

The event was attended by some past Vice-Chancellors of the University of Cape Coast,members of academia, marine life and ocean experts, students, researchers, civil society organisations, members of the diplomatic corps and other personalities.

The lecture, which was held at the School of Medical Sciences Auditorium, also saw in attendance the strategic partners of the Africa Centre of Excellence in Coastal Resilience (ACECoR) of the University of Cape Coast, including World Bank, the Association of African Universities, and the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission.

Prof. Aheto being robed by the VC-UCC, Prof. Nyarko Boampong and Prof. Blay. Looking on are members of the College of Professors-UCC

Continuing, he observed that there were untapped opportunities to secure the common future of the ocean and underlined the need to build human capital, as well as increase in human development index to meet the goals of the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063. 

The AU Agenda 2063 is a strategic framework that focuses on achieving inclusive and sustainable socio-economic development over fifty years.

He opined that the ocean’s health and productivity were declining at an alarming rate, and posed a threat to humanity

Prof. Aheto maintained that Ghana’s coastal and marine resources face significant threats in the form of pollution, biodiversity loss, ocean dumping, overfishing, and other marine threats including overexploitation, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), piracy and trafficking.

In addressing the challenges, he called for structures to be put in place to help position the country to take advantage of the immense opportunities that would come with the blue economy.

Prof. Aheto being congratulated by Prof. Rashid Sumaila of the University of British Columbia (UBC)-Canada. Looking on is Prof. William Cheung also of UBC.

As a result, Prof. Aheto proposed to government to create a Blue Economy Authority, instead of a ministry, to serve as a strong coordinating unit and provide technical capacities aimed at halting the pollution of the sea and other water bodies, including the destruction of marine life.

He noted that the blue economy holds solutions to employment, food security and enhanced socio-economic well-being if properly harnessed.

Quoting explicitly from the World Development Report, he expressed worry that the Sustainable Development Goal 14, which is life below water, was the least funded among the 17 goals.

He said Africa needs a new ocean agenda anchored on the recognition that the blue economy should be a catalyst for sustainable development.

In line with SDG 17, Prof. Aheto called for partnership to promote sustainable practices and management of fishery resources to improve the ocean.

The inaugural lecture was chaired by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Johnson Nyarko Boampong.

Prof. Aheto with faculty, administrative staff and students of the Centre for Coastal Management-UCC

At a glance: Prof. Denis Worlanyo Aheto

• Born on 1 April, 1972 at Nsawam in the Eastern Region
• Hails from Adutor in the Volta Region
• Completed O’ Level in 1990 at St. Martins’ Secondary School, Nsawam
• Had A’ Level in 1992 at the Pope Johns’ Secondary School, Koforidua
• Obtained Bsc. (Hons) Degree in Biological Sciences and a Diploma in Education in 1998 at the University of Cape Coast (UCC)
• Worked as a Teaching Assistant at the then Department of Botany at the UCC from 1998-99
• Served Ghana Education Service as a Biology Teacher at the St. Augustine’s College in 1999
• Completed his master’s degree in Rural Development Studies at the Swedish Agricultural University in Uppsala in 2002.
• Had MSc. Degree in International Studies in Tropical Aquatic Ecology at the Centre for Tropical Marine Ecology in 2004
• Obtained a PhD Degree in Environment Environmental Science at the Center for Environment and Technology at the University of Bremen, Germany, in 2008
• Appointed as a lecturer at the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences (DFAS) at UCC in 2009
• Appointed as Casford Hall Tutor in 2010
• Promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2012 and appointed as Head of DFAS in the same year
• During his term of office as Head of DFAS, he led the formal establishment of the Centre for Coastal Management in 2013 and was appointed its first Director in 2016 till date.
• Published over 50 peer reviewed academic papers in reputable journals over a period of 14 years
• His standing as an accomplished academic is further demonstrated in the number of organisations interested in funding his research and these include World Bank, among others
• Staunch Catholic and his hobbies include music, travelling and family leisure time
• Married to Mrs. Cythia Aheto and they are blessed with a son, Arnold Sefa Aheto
• Promoted to Associate Professor in 2017
• Promoted to full-fledged Professor in 2020
• Delivered inaugural Lecture on the topic: “ Our Oceans: Securing Our Common Future Through Transformative Research” on Thursday, 9 November, 2023.
 

Source: Documentation and Information Section-UCC

 

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