From 26- 27th June, 2025, Kumasi is going to witness the first-ever Agricultural Researchers-Investors summit.
This initiative is engineered by the Agri Eye Consult in partnership with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research -Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI), Faculty of Agriculture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and the Ghana Agricultural and Rural Development Journalists Association(GARDJA).
Ghana, like many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, is at a crossroads. While the nation boasts a strong tradition of academic excellence and scientific research, especially in agriculture, natural resources, and food systems, there remains a persistent gap between research institutions and the industries that stand to benefit from their work. Groundbreaking research sits idly on shelves, underutilised, while entrepreneurs and investors struggle to find innovative solutions to scale and sustain agribusiness ventures. This disconnect represents not just a missed opportunity, but a call to action.
Agri Eye Consult recognises that research should not be confined to the academic realm—it must be harnessed to drive national development, job creation, and food system resilience. There is a rich trove of Ghanaian research that has the potential to revolutionise seed systems, improve soil health, enhance postharvest value chains, optimise irrigation, and promote climate-smart farming. What is missing is a structured, intentional platform that connects researchers with investors—individuals and institutions who are ready to fund, scale, and support the deployment of these innovations.
The Researchers-Investors Summit emerges as a timely intervention. It is designed to break down silos, build bridges, and foster a new ecosystem where ideas are transformed into action, and where science is translated into sustainable enterprise. This summit seeks to catalyse a new era of investment-driven research utilisation in Ghana.
The two-day event is under the Theme: Bridging Innovation and Investment for a Resilient Agrifuture in Ghana.
The event will take place at the Lecture Theatre (LT), Faculty of Agriculture, KNUST, Kumasi
Why This Summit Matters
In a time when Ghana is grappling with economic uncertainty, rising youth unemployment, and the threat of climate-induced agricultural instability, the need to transform research into tangible, scalable solutions has never been more urgent. The Researchers–Investors Summit is a strategic intervention aimed at unlocking Ghana’s innovation potential and driving inclusive economic growth through agribusiness.
Since this is the maiden edition, a lot of prominent personalities in the agricultural space and well-versed investors have shown their readiness to grace the occasion.
Among them are:
Dr. Amos Rutherford Azinu is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Legacy Crop Improvement Centre (LCIC), headquartered in Legacy Square, Ottareso in the Akuapim North. Dr. Dominic Oduro Antwi, President – Global Africa Trade Advisory Chamber, President- Ghana India Chamber, and Prof. Maxwell Darko Asante, the Director of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research – Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI). Hon. Francis Asenso-Boakye is a Ghanaian politician and businessman, current Member of Parliament for Bantama Constituency, the immediate past Minister of Roads and Highways, former minister for Works and Housing, and a former Deputy Chief of Staff and Political Assistant to Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Robert Aidoo is Professor of Agricultural Economics at the Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness Extension in the Faculty of Agriculture, KNUST-Kumasi, Ing. Kwasi NyamekyeCHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER OF VESTER OIL MILLS Prof. Fred Nimoh, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, knust.
Credit: Oyerepafmonline.com/Richmond Frimpong
