The Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC) is advancing research in CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing technology to support sustainable agriculture, as scientists explored innovative approaches to develop improved crop varieties at a training programme in Accra.
The training and mentorship programme, organised by the African Orphan Crops Consortium (AOCC) in collaboration with the UC Davis Plant Breeding Academy, sought to build capacity in plant genome editing and establish CRISPR-Cas9 platforms at participating research institutions across Africa.
The Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats associated protein 9 (CRISPR-Cas9) is a modern genome-editing technology that enables scientists to make precise changes to the DNA of crops to enhance desirable traits such as disease resistance, improved nutritional value, and tolerance to environmental stresses.
Speaking in an interview after the training, the Manager of the Plant Disease Research Centre of the Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) of GAEC, Dr. Andrew Sarkodie Appiah, said the CRISPR-Cas9 programme began in 2023 with a year-long training course in Nairobi, Kenya, comprising three intensive two-week sessions.
“I participated in the inaugural cohort, while two other researchers from the Centre joined subsequent cohorts, enabling the Commission to build a growing pool of expertise in genome editing research,” he said.
Dr. Appiah noted that, following the training, participants received seed funding to establish CRISPR-Cas9 platforms at their respective institutions and enabled the GAEC research team to apply the technology in rice research targeting key traits such as virus resistance, nitrogen-use efficiency, iodine biofortification, and salinity tolerance.
He explained that participating institutions have received continuous support from mentors who visit research facilities to supervise activities, provide technical guidance, and assist researchers in addressing challenges encountered during the project implementation.
“We recently welcomed a mentor for a four-day visit, during which activities included the commencement of genetic transformation work. The visit marked the mentor’s second engagement with the research team and formed part of the continuing supervision and technical support provided under the programme,” he added.
Speaking during the visit, the Director of Mentorship at the African Orphan Crops Consortium, Dr. Nicholas George Karavolias, explained that the mentorship programme was designed to support the establishment and advancement of CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing platforms across Africa, with Ghana among the participating countries.
According to him, Ghana’s participation in the programme has yielded encouraging results, with the GAEC-BNARI research team demonstrating remarkable progress and emerging as a regional hub for knowledge sharing and technical collaboration.
He noted that the team’s progress has already begun benefiting the wider region through collaborations and knowledge-sharing initiatives with scientists in neighbouring countries, including colleagues at the University of Abomey-Calavi in Benin.
Dr. Karavolias expressed confidence in the potential of genome editing technology to transform agriculture in Ghana and across Africa and reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the team’s continued progress.
“The team at GAEC is emerging as a leader in genome editing research in Africa. Their achievements demonstrate the continent’s growing scientific capacity, and we are confident that this work will contribute significantly to transforming agriculture and strengthening food security across Africa” he stated.
By: CPRC/CCD
