CANR-KNUST Explores Research Collaborations with International Partners

The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has hosted a meeting with researchers from the University of Reading, cocoa research institutes in Brazil and Nigeria, and the Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana.

The meeting focused on developing strategies to enhance cocoa production and increase yields across the participating countries.

During the meeting, participants gave presentations introducing themselves and showcasing ongoing initiatives in the cocoa sector within their respective countries.

The primary objective was to identify areas of synergy and lay the foundation for collaborative research proposals aimed at improving cocoa productivity.

Prof. Dadson Awunyo-Vitor and Prof. Laura Atuah, representing KNUST, shared insights into Ghana’s cocoa value chain and highlighted the University’s ongoing research efforts to support sustainable cocoa farming.

Prof. Atuah emphasized the importance of international collaboration in addressing global agricultural challenges and expressed optimism about the meeting’s potential outcomes.

“We expect to develop several strong and well-structured research proposals, each focusing on distinct thematic areas,” she said. “Given the diverse expertise represented at this meeting, participants can leverage their unique perspectives and experiences to craft proposals that align with their specific research interests, with the goal of securing funding to advance their respective objectives.”

The meeting also featured the participation of a representative from The Hershey Company, a major player in the global cocoa and chocolate industry based in the USA, further strengthening the collaborative effort.