USDA Officials Call on Pro-Vice-Chancellor

The Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. George K. T. Oduro has called for a concerted effort to control post-harvest losses in Ghana in particular and Africa in general.

This according the Pro-Vice-Chancellor was very critical in addressing matters concerning food security in our society.

Prof. Oduro who said this when he received a four-member delegation from United States Agency Department of Agriculture (USDA) in his office hoped the collaboration between the USDA and the University of Cape Coast would be beneficial to the two parties and eventually help turn agriculture around in the country. “We appreciate your efforts to promote agriculture through academic dimensions and will urge you to look at other relevant areas like post- harvest losses’.

Prof. Oduro called on the team to also consider teaching people “how to do agriculture” since it would help in our bid to increase productivity”.  “Whatever we do in agriculture, if we do not sustain the teaching of the art of doing that, then we have a problem”. He therefore implored them not to hesitate to let the university management know when things are not going well and prayed for sustained relationship between UCC and USDA.

The Coordinator of the Monitoring Evaluation and Technical Support Services (METTS) project, Dr. Francis Enu-Kwesi explained that the team was on campus to undertake a review and also hold a meeting with officials of the project.  He said the METTS project, which is run in five regions, has been renewed for two more years.

Harold Tarver of the USDA described the relationship with UCC as “wonderful and fruitful one despite the ups and downs” and called for a more deepened relationship that will last for a long time to come. He indicated that USDA was happy to be capitalising on local expertise in the promotion of good agriculture practices in the country.