University of Ghana

Eric Danquah

Founding Director, WACCI

Impacting Food & Nutrition Security in sub-

Saharan Africa: Training NextGen Plant

Breeders for a Hungry, Growing and Changing

World

GCHERA WAP Laureate 2018 Presentation, NJAU, October 28, 2018

New Visions, New Perspective - 84th Annual Meeting, Crop Science Society of America/ Agronomy Society of

America, Minneapolis, USA, November 2-6, 1992

Pre-graduation Engagement

Research at Cambridge University

Evidence of selection on Mla1 alleles in a

composite cross population of barley

Cited by Phillips and Wolfe (2005) Journal of Agricultural Science - Centenary Review of Evolutionary plant breeding for low input systems

Working Life at UG

The first decade (1994 - 2004) - The challenging years

Mutation breeding

for drought

tolerance in maize

- US$30,000, IAEA

(PI)

Mutation breeding

for resistance to

root rot in cocoyam

(Xanthosoma

sagittifolium) -

US$35,000, IAEA

(PI)

Molecular

characterisation of

genetic resources

of staple crops

Ghana-Israel

collaboration for

studies on the cassava

mosaic disease (Co-

PI) - US$199,000

TALIF grant for the

development of post

graduate and short

term training

programmes in

Agricultural

Biotechnology -

US$187,000, World

Bank (PI)

Published 24 peer-

reviewed Journal

articles

Taught over 750 students;

Supervised 22 students theses

Progressed from

Lecturer to

Associate

Professor in 10

years

Africa, Continent of Opportunities

• Current population of 1.23 billion (16% of total world population)

- highest growth rate of 2.5% p.a.

- about 60% under the age of 25 years

- 40% of population in urban centres

• Population projected to double to 2.5 billion by 2050

• Increased demand for food and energy

• Relative peace and stability in the region

• Agribusiness worth US$ 1 trillion in 2030

• MDG1: Eradicate Extreme Hunger and Poverty (2000 - 2015)

• SDG2: End hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture (2015 - 2030)

From the MDGs to the SDGs

Low Productivity in Farmers’ Fields

Contribution of Agriculture to Ghana’s GDP

There has been a continuous decline of the agricultural sector in the last 8 years (ISSER 2018)

1970s mid 1990s

Poor Infrastructure

———

Inadequate Funding for R&D

———

Low Staff Morale

———

Weak Post Graduate Programmes

Brain drain

Standards in Agricultural Education in SSA (1970 -1995)

Higher Education in sub-Saharan Africa

1. Produce significantly more food...

on less land,

with less water

in conditions of increasingly unpredictable

climate and markets

with less manual labour

2. Produce more nutritious and safe

food

3. Reduce post harvest losses

4. Value addition and Access to

Markets

Calls for increased

application of Science,

Technology and Innovation

The African Agriculture Challenge

Numbers of Breeders in SSA

There are approx. 370 breeders operational in SSA across all

crops

Table Overview of numbers of plant breeders by country in SSA: DIIVA study (2014) 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

Eth

iop

ia

Ken

ya

Nig

eria

Zim

bab

we

Tan

zan

ia

Sud

an

Uga

nd

a

Zam

bia

Mo

zam

biq

ue

Gu

inea

Mal

awi

Bu

rkin

a Fa

so

Gh

ana

D.R

. Co

ngo

Nig

er

Mal

i

Cam

ero

on

Sen

egal

Rw

and

a

Cô

te d

'Ivo

ire

Sier

ra L

eon

e

Ben

in

An

gola

Mad

agas

car

Erit

rea

Togo

Bu

run

di

The

Gam

bia

CA

R

Total FTE breeders

Total number = 370 FTEs

Overview of numbers of plant breeders by country in SSA: DIIVA study (2014)

• Innovative institutions for cutting edge Ag-Science research to generate products which can grow economies

• Critical mass of well-trained scientists across the value chains for all staple crops supported by strong leadership

Human Capacity Needs

Universities National Agricultural Research Institutions

(NARIs)

International Agricultural

Research Institutes

Focus on

Developi

ng

Quality

Food

Demand

Driven

Practical

Open to

Modern

Trends

The “NextGen” African Breeder

Cornell University, May 2006

Ronnie Coffman Director of International

Programs CALS, Cornell University, USA

Eric Y. Danquah Dean, International

Programmes University of Ghana

The story behind the dream

My Work - The Second Decade Plus (2005-2018)

West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI)

Established in June, 2007 to train plant breeders over a 10-year period (AGRA-PASS grant) - US$11.5 m initial

grant

Total commitments - US$ 29 m

West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI)

Innovative 4-year PhD Programme

Year 1: Foundation Courses and Modules

Courses and modules of special topics in plant

breeding, genetics, biotechnology, biometry

and related subjects

Year 2-4: Thesis Research

Students return to their home institutions to conduct theses research

Internships in Advanced Laboratories, Mentoring

Students return to the University of Ghana to submit theses

Plant Breeding

Year 1: Coursework

Year 2-4: Thesis Research

Innovative 4-Year PhD Programme

Collaborating Academic Units at UG

School

Biological

Sciences:

Biochemistry

Plant Biology and

Biodiversity

College of

Humanities: School of Agriculture:

WACCI

Business School,

Centre for Remote

Sending and GIS,

Language Centre,

English Dept.

Agribusiness & Ag.

Econs., Ag. Ext.,

Crop Sc., Soil Sc.,

FOHCREC

Biotechnology

Centre

School of

Engineering

Sciences:

Agric. Engineering

Biomedical

Engineering

30 Associate Faculty

from 13 Departments

Institute of Applied Science and Technology

(IAST)

Cornell University, Ithaca, USA

Cornell faculty participate in proposal reviews via video

conferencing

ACE Africa Centers of Excellence

MPhil Seed Science & Technology Students at the WACCI Model Farm

US$ 8 Million

WACCI-ACE Project (2015 – 2019)

International Accreditation

Board Chair of AQAS, Germany, Prof. Eberhard Menzel

presenting accreditation certificates to Prof. Eric

Danquah of WACCI

Panel of Experts from AQAS meets with University of Ghana Senior Management

PhD 41 Female (36%) 68 Anglophone (60%) 46 Francophone (40%)

PhD:114 students MPhil: 49 students

MPhil 17 Female (35%) 44 Anglophone (90%) 5 Francophone (10%)

Enrollment to Date

Regional Impact

July 26, 2013 July 26, 2014 July 24, 2015

July 22, 2016 July 26, 2013

July 20, 2018 July 20, 2018

66 PhDs, 35 female plant breeders, 10 countries; and 7 MPhil Graduates

59 Varieties released by Graduates

Maize, 8

Mali

Rice, 19

Burkina Faso & Ghana

Cassava, 6

Ghana

Cowpea, 6

Burkina Faso & Nigeria

Groundnut, 9

Mali

Sweet Potato, 7

Burkina Faso & Ghana

Taro, 4

Ghana

Publications

Dr. Lydia Ezenwaka in a pose after PhD graduation ceremony,

July, 2018

Over 150 publications from Students and Faculty research

Crop: Rice

Thesis Research Outcome:

Molecular markers for improving quality traits in rice identified

Current Position:

Snr. Research Scientist & Leader, Rice Breeding Programme, CRI

Outcomes: USD 972, 000

- (AGRA, USAID, AATF,

CORAF/WECARD)

- 15 Publications

- 6 varieties released

- Scientist of the Year

2017, Crops Research

Institute

Dr. Maxwell Asante, 2013 Graduate

Spotlight on a Maxwell Asante

Demand-led Plant Breeding Training Syllabus

Professional Development for Plant Breeders in Variety Design and Product Development

Demand-led Education Module

1. Principles of demand-led

breeding

2. Visioning and foresight

3. Clients’ needs and value chains

4. Variety design

5. Development strategy and planning

6. Monitoring, evaluation and learning

7. Breeding investment decision-making

Extension and Community Engagement

• Envirodome Greenhouse Technology workshop for farmers

• Demand-Led Plant Variety Design in Plant Breeding for alumni

• Training of Agricultural Extension Agents (AEAs) and Farmers

• Communicating modern technologies to farmers and opinion leaders

• WACCI International Conference on Food and Nutrition Security

• Initiated in 2009 to offer practical training to plant breeding students

• Almost 200 inbred lines sourced from IITA, CIMMYT, IRAD-Cameroon, ACCI-South Africa

• New lines developed from segregating materials among the assembled germplasm

• 1,750 hybrids generated and evaluated

• Multi-locational trials of 10 hybrid varieties in different agro-ecologies

WACCI Maize Breeding Programme

30

Drone shot of the WACCI Plant Breeding Farm, University of Ghana main campus 3 hybrid maize released (Yields

between 9 – 11 t/ha in multi-locational trials)

WACCI Maize hybrids

National Varietal Release and Registration Committee visit to WACCI , May 5 & June 30, 2017

WACCI - Legacy Foundation Seed Company Partnership

December 2019

400 kg breeder seed 1500 kg of certified seed

8 demonstration plots 4 farmer field days

20 seed company staff trained 2 seed production fields

35 out growers trained 200 smallholder farmers reached

Awards & Recognitions

WACCI 10th Anniversary Celebration June 7, 2017

From left: Minister of Finance, Minister of Agriculture, Vice-Chancellor of UG, Minister of Education and President of AGRA

Participants at the Anniversary Launch

Hon. Minister for Finance launched a US$ 50 million Endowment Fund

The WACCI Multipurpose Building

Staff Offices

Lecture Rooms

Bioinformatics Lab

Tissue Culture Lab

Seed Science Lab

Auditorium

Enterprise Hub

Library

Seed Bank

Research Commons

Board Room

Bioinformatics Lab

Some Facilities in the Building

Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) for Agricultural Innovation and Entrepreneurship

ACE Impact Project

Enterprise Hub (proposed) for Ag. Innovation

Training of the Youth in entrepreneurial skills for Agribusinesses (THE KOFI ANNAN ENTERPRISE HUB FOR AG. INNOVATION)

WACCI External Review

Dr. Rita Hogan Mumm (Chairperson)

______________ Professor Emerita

and Founding

Director, Plant

Breeding Centre,

University of

Illinois, Urbana-

Champagne, USA.

Mr. Alfred T. Konu (Member-Secretary)

_____________ Former Registrar,

University of

Ghana

Dr. Raymond Atuguba (Member) _____________

Legal Expert &

Executive

Secretary to the

Former President

of Ghana

Mr. Richard O. Boapea (Member) _____________

_

Finance Director,

University of

Ghana

Dr. Hans Adu Dapaah (Member) ______________ Immediate Past

Director & Chief

Scientist, Crops

Research Institute,

Fumesua, CSIR,

Ghana

WACCI is poised to have a tremendous impact on food security for Africa in the decade ahead and beyond by providing Africans with vital education in Africa to meet regional and global needs - WACCI Review Panel, 2015

Ambassadors of Goodwill

Management Staff

Prof. Eric Y. Danquah Director

Dr. Beatrice E. Ifie Plant Breeder

Dr. Agyemang Danquah Academic

Programmes

Dr. Daniel K. Dzidzienyo

Research, Anglophone Africa

Dr. John S.Y. Eleblu Research, Francophone

Africa

Ms. Lucia Akumpule Administration

Mr. Francis Turkson ICT

Mr. Kwadwo O. Afrifa Grants Manager

Mrs. Jennifer Saint-Aquaye Industrial Sectoral Liaison

Prof. Pangirayi Tongoona Associate Director

Prof. Kwadwo Ofori Associate Director

Prof. Kwame Offei Associate Director

WACCI Advisory Board

Dr. Eugene Terry, Senior Technical Advisor, New Markets Lab, Washington

DC (Chairman)

Prof. Eric

Danquah

WACCI

Prof. Daniel

Asiedu

Univ. of Ghana

Dr. Rufaro

Madakadze

AGRA

Dr. Ronnie

Coffman

Cornell Univ.

Prof. M. Laing

ACCI, UKZN

South Africa

Dr. Abdul

Tenkouano

CORAF/WECARD

WAAPP

The NARS in WCA

Partners

Conclusion

Working with strategic partners, we can put the smiles back on the faces of women and children

through plant science

Well-managed institutions like WACCI with goals

of sustainability in Ghana and expectations of

efficiency and ethics are rare and match the

Ministry’s vision for the future of Ghana

- Collet Preston, June 2018

Thank you Eric Danquah

WACCI, UG

Conclusion........