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The Director of Biotechnology and Nuclear Agric Research Institute (BNARI) of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Prof. Kenneth Danso, has called on Ghanaian farmers to embrace available and scientifically proven technology to enhance agriculture productivity in the country.
Professor Danso indicated that farmers over reliance on conventional methods of farming will not entirely inure to the benefits of the country unless technology is embraced in the systems of farming.
He said the application of technology in the country’s farming system will help solve the problems of pest as well as increase the yield of farm produce.
“How do we solve the problem of agriculture if there are no new methods,” he queried, adding, “we need scientific technology to overcome these challenges. All we need to consider is genetic engineering including biotechnology.”
He continued, “There are a lot of challenges that the technology can address. I am always saying that we must give it a chance, we are not saying that it is going to replace all the seeds in this country…no, but where there is a problem, we need to adopt the technology.
Prof. Danso spoke at an event in Accra organized by AATF, CSIR and OFAB to honour some Journalists on science reporting.
Mrs. Mary Ama Kudom- Agyemang , an environmental Journalist and Joseph Opoku Gakpo also a journalist were rewarded for their exceptional reportage on biotechnology.
The Professor maintained that if a particular technology is proven and accepted everywhere, then it must be given a chance to solve problems for the state.
“We need to adopt it”, he said, adding “technology is advancing and we must use technology to our advantage .We must give it a chance to see whether it will help agriculture in this country. From the scientific point of view we want it to be communicated to everybody that it has been scientifically proven and so far all those that have been released, there is a problem with it.’
On her part, Mrs Marry Ama- Kudom Agyemang one of the award winners expressed gratitude for feat and thanked the organizers for the honour done her. She also used the occasion to encourage young journalist to take interest in science reporting. She pledged to continue writing on issues of biotechnology to educate the populace on its advantages.
By: Mohammed Suleman
