Officials of the West African Agriculture Productivity Programme (WAAPP) have paid a courtesy call on Professor William O. Ellis, Vice-Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).

The visit was in conjunction with KNUST’s involvement in the WAAPP project. KNUST has two projects that WAAPP is supervising- Cassava Harvester Project designed by Dr. Emmanuel Bobobee of the Department of Agricultural Engineering and the Solar Dryer for drying yam and cassava by the Department of Horticulture.

According to Mr. Patrick Kumah, Project Leader, the Cassava Harvester and the Solar dryer is being used by farmers in six Communities and WAAPP’s visit was to access progress on the work being done in the six communities.

In his welcome address, Professor Ellis, Vice-Chancellor of KNUST commended WAAPP for the project and stated that KNUST was happy to receive them. He said cassava is one of the major crops in Ghana and the ability to mechanise the production will help farmers to develop interest in its cultivation. He however, recommended that WAAPP should once a while bring all specialists on board to avoid repetition of technology. He also advised that as they get to the second phase of the WAAPP, recognition should be given to areas where new technologies have emerged so others can make contributions to perfect what has already been done.

The National Project Coordinator for WAAPP Ghana, Mrs. Azara Ali Mamshie said Dr. Bobobee has helped Ghanaian farmers who are into roots and tuber cultivation. She said the technology developed by KNUST will be sent to other Countries who are into roots and tuber production.

In response to the Vice-Chancellor’s recommendation, Dr. Mama Vincent, a member of the delegation said the WAAPP project is different from others in that it seeks to emphasis local work and sharing of Technology regionally among specialist and participating countries.