Nyankpala, Ghana — March 10, 2025
A high-level delegation from the West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF) paid a working visit to the CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) to strengthen collaboration and provide technical Technology Park (ATP) initiative. The mission was led by Prof. Nieyidouba LAMIEN, Programmes Manager, and Ms. Safouratou ADARIPARE, Director of Corporate Services and Finance at CORAF. The CSIR-SARI team was led by Dr. Francis Kusi, Director of the Institute and Coordinator of the ATP.
The three-day visit, which took place from March 9 to 11, 2025, included a tour of the Technology Park, a visit to the CSIR-SARI dam site, and in-depth technical deliberations on financial reporting processes for CORAF-funded activities.
Following a warm reception, Dr. Kusi led the CORAF delegation on a tour of the ATP site at the Nyankpala station. He showcased harvested plots of technologies that were demonstrated during the 2024 rainy season. The Director shared that although the current park covers just one hectare, plans are well underway to expand it to three hectares, with irrigation facilities to enable year-round demonstrations.
He noted that despite these ambitions, efforts to construct a borehole have been hampered by the area’s high water table. Prof. LAMIEN emphasized the strategic importance of ensuring year-round display of technologies and proposed the multiplication of seeds into take-home seed kits for visitors. He further advised CSIR-SARI to proactively engage the National Food System Resilience Project (FSRP) to support replication of the park across SARI’s outstations.
The delegation also visited the CSIR-SARI domestic dam, where Dr. Ramsom Abombila, the institute’s irrigation expert, outlined a proposed expansion plan to enable the dam to support both domestic use and irrigation. Prof. LAMIEN requested a detailed budget to assess CORAF’s potential support in connecting water from the dam to the park. Dr. Kusi disclosed that SARI will begin desilting the dam using internally generated funds while awaiting support from CORAF or FSRP.
Back at the office, discussions turned to financial reporting and accountability. Ms. Safouratou ADARIPARE facilitated the session, reaffirming CORAF’s satisfaction with CSIR-SARI’s financial reports but emphasized the importance of continuous improvement to avoid future challenges. She inquired about the existence of a dedicated bank account for the ATP project. In response, Mr. Rufai Mahama, CSIR-SARI’s Finance Officer, explained that as a public institution, CSIR-SARI is bound by regulations and cannot open new bank accounts without parliamentary approval.
He outlined the institute’s financial procedures, from expense initiation and approvals to internal and external audits. He also detailed how cheques are used for supplier payments and how taxes are handled through dual-cheque systems—one for suppliers and another for the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA).
This engagement marks a significant step in strengthening institutional collaboration and ensuring sustainability of the Technology Park model being developed under CORAF’s support. With irrigation expansion plans and improved financial systems underway, CSIR-SARI continues to position itself as a leader in agricultural technology dissemination and accountability in West Africa.
