Kwadaso: The Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) is championing the production of early generation seeds for soybean production in Ghana.
According to Ghana News Agency, the Institute is collaborating with the Harnessing Agricultural Productivity and Prosperity for Youth (HAPPY) Programme and the West Africa Food Systems Resilience Project (FSRP) to fund the production of approximately three tonnes of early generation seeds for the soybean variety known as ‘Toondana’. The HAPPY Programme is a consortium-managed project aimed at catalyzing transformative investments in the rice, soybean, tomato, and poultry value chains, specifically focusing on the production of early generation soybean seeds.
Additionally, the FSRP is committed to promoting sustainable production and productivity by increasing stakeholders’ access to Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) and nutrition-sensitive technologies, thereby developing priority value chains such as soybeans. The ‘Toondana’ variety is a climate-smart, drought-tolerant, and high-yielding soybean option that matures in 95-100 days and offers a yield of up to 3.5 tonnes per hectare. This variety has gained significant adoption across soybean cultivation zones in Ghana due to its larger grain size and resistance to common diseases and insect pests.
Dr. Sylvester Addy, Head of the Legumes and Oil Seeds Improvement Division at CSIR-CRI, emphasized during a field day for soybean stakeholders and farmers at Kwadaso that the use of certified seeds in soybean production remains low, highlighting the need for increased production of certified seeds to enhance productivity. He expressed optimism that with the adoption of the ‘Toondana’ variety and access to quality certified seeds, farmers could significantly boost their yields per unit area.
Soybean, scientifically known as Glycine max, is a vital crop in Ghana, contributing to food security, livestock feed production, and industrial applications. The soybean value chain, encompassing production, processing, storage, and marketing, provides employment opportunities for farmers, processors, traders, and transporters. Dr. Addy assured that increased soybean production and productivity could reduce import dependency, strengthen food sovereignty, and improve Ghana’s trade balance.
The field day also served to underscore the pivotal role of CSIR-CRI in ensuring an improved and sustainable soybean value chain in Ghana, through breeding new improved varieties and producing quality early generation seeds. It also showcased CSIR-CRI’s support of the government’s agricultural transformation agenda with the ‘Feed Ghana Programme (FGP)’, aimed at achieving food sovereignty, industrial growth, and job creation through modernizing farming, supporting value chains, and boosting agro-processing.
Dr. Addy encouraged farmers, particularly in the middle belt of Ghana, to invest in cultivating the improved soybean varieties to maximize their gains. The event was attended by officials from the Crops Services Directorate, Plant Protection and Regulatory Services Directorate, and the Extension Services Directorate of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA).