Nyankpala, Ghana — January 15, 2026
The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) has hosted Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Environment, Science and Technology at its headquarters in Nyankpala, Northern Region, as part of efforts to deepen Parliament’s understanding of the Institute’s work and explore avenues for strengthened institutional support.
The visit provided the Committee with first-hand insight into CSIR-SARI’s ongoing research and technology development initiatives. Members toured key facilities, including the Institute’s new yam breeding technology site and the rice seed warehouse, where improved seed stocks are prepared to support farmers during the planting season.
Presenting an overview of the Institute’s operations, achievements, and challenges, the Director of CSIR-SARI, Dr. Francis Kusi, highlighted the Institute’s long-standing contribution to national food security through the development and release of improved crop varieties such as rice, maize, soybean, groundnut, and yam. He noted that CSIR-SARI continues to play a pivotal role in delivering climate-smart and productivity-enhancing technologies to farming communities across northern Ghana and beyond.
Dr. Kusi, however, drew attention to critical challenges confronting the Institute, including limited funding, high staff attrition, and the recent withdrawal of donor support, which has affected several ongoing research projects. He appealed to Members of the Committee to use their influence to help address these constraints and strengthen CSIR-SARI’s capacity to deliver on its national mandate.
Members of the Parliamentary Select Committee expressed admiration for the Institute’s work and acknowledged its strategic importance to Ghana’s agricultural transformation agenda. The Ranking Member of the Committee, Professor Adam Hamza, described the current budgetary allocation to CSIR as inadequate and indicated that the Committee would consider policy and legislative measures to secure more sustainable funding for the Institute. He also emphasized the need for improved conditions of service to attract and retain scientific talent.
The Vice Chairman of the Committee, Mr. John Darko, reaffirmed Parliament’s commitment to advocating for increased government investment in CSIR-SARI’s operations, noting that the Institute’s work remains essential to improving national food security. He further expressed optimism that planned recruitment of scientists into the public research sector could help address staffing gaps at the Institute.
The engagement concluded with a shared commitment between CSIR-SARI and the Parliamentary Select Committee to strengthen collaboration in advancing agricultural research, innovation, and technology delivery for sustainable livelihoods and food security in Ghana.
— CSIR-SARI Communications Unit
Source: Select Committee on Environment, Science, Technology visits CSIR-SARI https://gna.org.gh/2026/01/select-committee-on-environment-science-technology-visits-csir-sari/
