By Michael Kofi Kenetey
The Crop Research Institute, CRI of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, CSIR, in collaboration with the Central and West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE Project), has organised a maiden stakeholder simulation meeting on the new cassava disease outbreak and management in Koforidua, the Eastern Regional capital.
The meeting was to assess the preparedness for combating any new plant viral disease incidence in Ghana in order to ensure food security in the country.
The Central and West African Virus Epidemiology for Root and Tuber Crops Project was established to ensure food security through coordinated management of viral disease threats in Central and West Africa.
Viral diseases of root and tuber crops are major contributors to yield losses, which affect farmers income and food security. It is noted that cassava contributes about 21 percent to agricultural GDP in Ghana and is also an industrial raw material such as high-quality starch for the brewery and pharmaceutical industries, besides being a staple food for the majority of the population in Ghana.
The Country Director of the WAVE Project for Food Security for Root and Tuber Crops in Ghana, Dr. Allen Oppong, noted that there are new and emerging threats of crop diseases that are considered serious risks to food security, including the cassava brown streak, which is currently affecting cassava productivity in East and Central Africa, hence the need for the stakeholder meeting to know how to combat such a disease when it invades Ghana.
The Director of CRI at CSIR, Professor Moses Bradford Mochiah, revealed that it is imperative for researchers, policymakers, farmers, and other stakeholders to be vigilant and monitor the environment closely for any new and emerging diseases that may negatively impact food security in the country.
Prof. Mochiah reiterated that disease surveillance and monitoring are shared responsibilities.
The Director of Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate, Eric Bentsil Quaye, opined that diseases and pests can cause significant damage to crops and economic livelihoods in the country, and therefore it is essential to prepare for any potential disease and pest invasion.
Mr. Bentsil Quaye noted that simulation exercises are a vital tool that allows people to test their preparedness and response to any potential disease or pest invasion.
The stakeholder simulation meeting brought together Regional Agriculture and Crop Directors from the Eastern, Volta and Oti Regions, Crop Researchers from Academia such as University of Ghana, University of Cape Coast and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, representatives from Ministry of Food and Agriculture, MoFA, PPRSD among others.