CRIG HOLDS ANNUAL REVIEW MEETING

Date: 30th May 2023

The Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG) has held its 2023 Annual Review Meeting at New Tafo - Akim to discuss the progress of the various research projects of the Institute. The week-long programme started on Tuesday 23rd May and ended on Friday 26th May 2023.

Presentations by Research Scientists were restricted to the existing Thrust Systems of the Institute which include, Soil and Crop Management and Crop Improvement Thrusts. Other systems are Insects and Pests Management, Pre-and Post-Harvest Quality Management and System Assessment and Analysis Thrusts.

The Deputy Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD), in charge of Agronomy & Quality Control (A&QC), Dr. Ebenezer Owusu, expressed the Board’s gratitude to CRIG and urged the Scientists to continue with  the culture of quality research which has contributed largely to increased productivity and sustainability of the industry.

Dr. Owusu was optimistic that these numerous research projects being implemented by COCOBOD, would contribute significantly to the Board’s target of attaining 1 million metric tonnes of cocoa beans.

"The last time Ghana attained this feat of 1.1 million metric tonnes was the 2020/21 crop season", he added.

He emphasized the need for the Institute to re-package its by-products such as cocoa wine, cocoa jam, cashew nuts and the Ghana Dark Bar chocolate among others to make them attractive to business ventures for commercialization.

Dr Francis Padi, the Executive Director of CRIG, expressed his gratitude to the eminent scientists and participants for making the programme a success. He lauded the research scientists for a good job done, urging them to work harder to do more to address farm management challenges. He further exhorted them to hold on to the Institute’s pride as a centre of excellence and a formidable force for the cocoa industry.

In attendance at the meeting were Rev. Edwin Afari, Executive Director of Cocoa Health and Extension Division (CHED) and a member of CRIG Management Board, Mr. Lawrence Adutwum, Executive Director of Seed Production Division (SPD) also a Board member and Dr. Samuel Lowor, Deputy Executive Director of CRIG. Some other key attendees included Dr. Richard Adu Acheampong, Deputy Executive Director of CRIG, Nana Charles Owusu (Board Member), Nana Paul Adjei (Board Member) and Professor Kwadwo Ofori, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon.

Story By Public Affairs Unit, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)