Senior Vice President of JICA, Mr. Kenzo Oshima Visits WACCI
Tue, January 22 2008
The Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mr. Kenzo Oshimahas recently visited the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University. He was accompanied by the Resident Representative of JICA Ghana Office, Mr. Kunihiro Yamauchi, the Senior Country Officer, JICA, West and Central Africa Team, Regional Development IV (Africa), Mr. Keiichi Okitsu. They were received by the Senior Management and teaching staff of WACCI.
The visit was to update WACCI on a proposal for a partnership between the Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and JICA for a comprehensive Africa Rice Development Programme and to learn about developments at WACCI. The Senior Vice President of JICA intimated that WACCI has been identified as a possible collaborator in the implementation of the new programme. In welcoming the delegation, Prof. Eric Danquah, Programme Director of WACCI, reiterated WACCI’s mission and vision, part of which includes the training of 40 PhDs in plant breeding. He assured JICA of support in the area of training of scientists and the development of new rice varieties and packages for farmers.
Also part of the JICA delegation were the Secretary to the Senior Vice President of JICA, Mr. Toru Uemachi, JICA Expert WARDA, Benin, Dr. Ryoichi Ikeda, Deputy Resident Representative, JICA Ghana office, Mr. Masato Kumagai, Assistant Resident Representative, JICA Ghana office, Mr. Yukinari Tanaka, and JICA Project Formulation Advisor, Ms. Akiko Tatsuta.
The University’s team also included Professor S.K. Offei, Dean, School of Agriculture, who is also Associate Director of WACCI, Professor K. Ofori, Head, Department of Crop Science, Professor I.K. Asante, Head, Department of Botany, Professor J.N. Ayertey, Department of Crop Science, Dr. E.O. Darkwa, formerly of the Agricultural Research Institute, College of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences, Ms. Enyonam Tay, Ms. and Ms. Vicentia Kotia, administrators for Finance and Student Affairs, WACCI, respectively.
The Senior Vice President of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Mr. Kenzo Oshima has recently visited the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) at the University.
By: Public Affairs Directorate