Tamale, Ghana – On March 4, Mission Director for USAID/Ghana, James Bever, traveled to Tamale to kick-off two Feed the Future funded projects in the region: the launch of the Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (SARI) and a groundbreaking for the new Ghana Seed Inspection Unit.

In the Tolon/Kumbubgu District, Mr. Bever gathered with key actors in agriculture, technology and innovation to sign an agreement providing $5.5 million in Feed the Future funding from the American people in direct support to SARI. Funding the research institute will bolster SARI’s capacity to transform agriculture in the north in particular.

Mr. Bever remarked that, “research is the cornerstone of innovation and agricultural growth,” and that it would, “drive food security and prosperity in Africa for years to come.”

SARI has a long history of contributing to agricultural technology development and information sharing through the availability of crop varieties adaptable to the Northern, Upper East, and Upper West regions. U.S. Government support will directly support to strengthen and maintain SARI’s role as a leader in applied agricultural research through improvements in systems performance. The institute’s national and international research programs will also receive support to make agricultural technologies readily available to farmers through crop improvement, soil fertility management, and research administration.

Through the agreement, USAID will provide training to staff and rehabilitate critical infrastructure, positioning SARI as a center for excellence in agricultural research in northern Ghana. By making the relevant research available to investors, the Institute will drive increased private sector investment in the area.

Later Mr. Bever joined partners to break ground on a new laboratory that will use international standards to ensure farmers throughout Ghana have access to high quality seed. The Tamale-based Ghana Seed Inspection Unit for the Northern Region, is the first of many facilities funded by USAID. Identical laboratories will also be constructed in Upper East and Upper West. This support will provide buildings, equipment, and training to modernize the process for testing seed and ensuring quality standards are met.

Mr. Bever called the occasion a celebration of, “the continued strong relationship between USAID and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture,” and remarked that the new infrastructure will be a transformative resource for farmers in northern Ghana especially.

In addition to the groundbreaking, leaders toured the existing seed laboratory and processing facilities and talked with management about the best strategies for sustainability, cost recovery, and growth within Ghana’s seed industry. The project, implemented jointly by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture and the Feed the Future Ghana Agriculture Technology Transfer (ATT) Project, will provide dedicated work rooms, walk-in germination facilities, workbenches, testing equipment, and technician training. These updated facilities and skills are designed to ensure that private sector seed producers are able to deliver an excellent product that will reach farmers across northern Ghana.

Through continued partnerships with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, and the Ministry of Food and Agriculture, USAID will ensure sustained food security and reduce poverty among farmers for generations to come.