Brazil opens agricultural research office for Africa in Accra

Brazil on Sunday 20/04 inaugurated a Regional Office of its Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA) in Accra to spearhead agricultural revolution in Africa.Ghana's President John Kufuor and visiting Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva jointly performed the inauguration, with Ghana contributing US$500,000 towards the Office.

The Accra Office, among other things, will facilitate technical co-operation activities for agricultural development, technology transfer, ensure availability of research findings to industry and enhance human resource capacity building.Additionally, it is designed to help to deepen South-South co-operation through collaboration of Ghanaian and Brazilian scientists to the mutual benefit of Ghana and other African countries.

EMBRAPA, established in April 1973, has developed into a major world player in agricultural research and technology development, contributing an estimated US$40 billion to Brazil's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Profile:
Dr. Silvio Crestana, Brazil Director-General, EMBRAPA (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation). In addition to leading EMBRAPA, one of the world's largest agricultural-research enterprises, Dr. Crestana is also a Research Scientist at the National Center of Research and Development in Agricultural Instrumentation in São Carlos. Read more

Reference:
Afrique-en-ligne 20/04
The Ghanean Journal 20/04
IPS 21/04 AGRICULTURE: Brazil Shares Technology with Africa