Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement at the University of Ghana, Prof. Eric Danquah, has been appointed a member of the advisory group of the UK-CGIAR Centre, which Prime Minister Rishi Sunak launched on Monday.

The four-member Science and Impact Advisory Group is expected to offer advice on the Centre’s strategic direction.

The group will also offer an independent assessment and opinion on project proposals elicited from project partners by the centre.

Prime Minister Sunak announced the launch of the UK-CGIAR Centre at the Global Food Security Summit in London.

The summit brought together governments, international organisations, scientists, NGOs, and the private sector to mobilise action on global food insecurity.

With funding from the UK government’s Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office, the UK-CGIAR Centre has been created to help harness the country’s strengths in science and technology to help tackle the interconnected challenges of global food security and climate change.

“We’ve already helped develop crops that are drought-resistant and even richer in vitamins now feeding 100 million people across Africa.

"And we’re going further…launching a new UK CGIAR Science Centre to drive cutting-edge research,” Prime Minister Sunak said at the summit.

CGIAR, formerly known as the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research, is a global partnership that unites international organisations engaged in research about food security.

The CGIAR runs 15 research institutions across the world, including the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) which has offices in Ghana.

The UK-CGIAR Centre is expected to forge dynamic, new collaborations and strengthen existing ones between CGIAR, UK science institutes, and research centres in the developing world.

Centre for Agriculture and Bioscience International (CABI ), a UK headquartered international not-for-profit organisation, will direct the Centre’s secretariat and manage its day-to-day operations.

CABI in a statement on its website said Prof. Danquah will serve on the Science & Impact Advisory Group alongside Professor of Gender and Development at the University of East Anglia, UK, Nitya Rao; Professor of Plant Development at the University of Oxford, Jane Langdale, and Professor Wayne Powell who is Principal and Chief Executive of Scotland’s Rural College.

Prof. Danquah told Joy News in an interview he is deeply honoured to contribute to this pioneering initiative.

“The Centre's focus on harnessing cutting-edge science to address global food security and climate change resonates profoundly with my work and values,” he said.

“Our collaborative efforts will undoubtedly advance sustainable agricultural practices, crop resilience, and nutritional improvements, making a significant impact in regions like Africa and South Asia.

"I am eager to work alongside esteemed colleagues to drive innovative solutions for these pressing global challenges," he added.

As the founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement and a professor of Plant Molecular Genetics at the University of Ghana, Prof. Danquah has helped train a new wave of researchers working toward enhancing staple crop varieties in Africa.

His role extends internationally as an Adjunct Professor at Cornell University, USA, the University of Western Australia, and Murdoch University, Australia.

He is a member of the Standing Advisory Group on Nuclear Applications (SAGNA) at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) based in Vienna, Austria.

He laid the groundwork for the establishment of the African Plant Breeders Association (APBA) by serving as its first and incumbent president, and he contributed his expertise to various international boards across the globe.

Prof. Danquah’s work has earned him several accolades, including the University of Ghana’s Distinguished Award for Meritorious Service in 2013, the 2018 Laureate, Global Confederation of Higher Education Associations in Agriculture and Life Sciences (GCHERA) World Agriculture Prize, and the 2022 Laureate, Africa Food Prize.

In January 2023, Reputation Poll International recognized him as one of the 100 most Reputable Africans. The African Genius Awards also honored him recently with an Outstanding African Achiever Award.