He made this statement at the World Biodiversity Day celebration, held at the Academy of Arts and Sciences auditorium in Accra, on May 22, 2019.
This year’s celebration was on the theme: Promoting our Indigenous Foods and Medicines, a Catalyst for Achieving the Ghana beyond Aid Agenda
In his introductory statements at the panel discussion session of the programme, Dr. Osae said that as humans, we have the luxury of selecting from a myriad of flora and fauna as food and medicine, but we also have the responsibility of maintaining the ecological balance that exists in nature. “All life forms are interlinked and interdependent. Something may be eating one thing today but can itself be food for another tomorrow, and we have the responsibility to protect this food web,” he added.
He lamented that Ghanaians in particular have not cared much about our biodiversity. He indicated that the indiscriminate use of pesticides has ravaged the population of many of the indigenous beneficial insects found in Ghana and this can be catastrophic if care is not taken. “Without the insects, pollination of most crops may not take place and without pollination, fruits which bear the seeds for the next generation cannot be produced”, he explained.
Dr. Osae further stated that the invasion of foreign species such as the fall armyworm could be attributed to human practices that have made our region conducive to these pests. “It is our responsibility to safeguard our own biodiversity and to protect it from invasive species”, he said.
The programme was attended by the Minister and Directors of the Ministry Environment Science Technology and Innovation (MESTI), representatives from the Traditional Medicine Association, representatives from the agencies of MESTI including Ghana Atomic Energy Commission, Scientists involved with the protection of Ghanaian indigenous foods, members from the media, among others .
