Recent Developments in Public Agricultural
Research in Ghana
By Kathleen Flaherty, George Owusu Essegbey and
Roland Asare
1
Outline of Presentation
• Background
• Objectives of Study
• Methodology and Scope
• Main Agric Research Institute
• Institutional Structure and Public Agric R&D
• Researcher Staff Qualification
• Public Agric R&D Spending
• Research Funding
• Full Time Equivalent
• Conclusion
2
Background of the Study
• Largest sector 33.6% of GDP in
2008.
• Earnings US$1.999 billion in
2008 from US$1.549 billion in
2007.
• Agricultural sector growth
from 2.7% in 2007 to 5.1% in
2008.
• National Vision- Middle income
status.
• The need for R&D
3
Objectives of the Study
• To make available internationally comparable information on
agricultural research capacity, investments and institutional
changes.
• To improve the efficiency and impact of agric R&D systems.
• Assist policymakers and donors in making informed decisions
on funding and operation of public and private agric agencies.
• Enhance productivity growth of the agricultural sector.
4
Methodology and Scope
• Structured questionnaire to collect both qualitative
and quantitative data.
• Target institutions: 9 CSIR institutes, 15 departments
Public Universities, 3 Governmental Agric Agencies.
• 29 questionnaires administered.
• Response Rate of 72%(21 Returned)
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Methodology and Scope
• In addition to survey data was collected from
websites and annual reports.
• Data collected 2001 to 2008.
• Indicators covered were Agriculture human resource,
financial resources, thematic and emerging critical
research theme.
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Main Agric Research Institutes in Ghana
Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)
Other Non CSIR Government Agencies
a) Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG)
b) Biotechnology and Nuclear Agricultural Research Institute
(BNARI)
c)
Marine Fisheries Research Division (MFRD)
d) Agric Dept/ Faculty of Public Universities in Ghana.
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INSTITUTIONAL STRUCTURE AND PUBLIC AGRICULTURAL R&D
MINISTRY OF
ENVIRONMENT SCIENCE
AND TECHNOLOGY(MEST)
CSIR & BNARI
•
•
•
MINISTRY OF FINANCE
AND ECONOMIC
PLANNING (MOFEP)
CRIG
MINISTRY OF FOOD AND
AGRICULTURE (MOFA)
MINISTRY OF
EDUCATION (MOE)
MFRD
HIGHER EDUCATION
MOFA is responsible for overall Agric policy formulation in the country (incl. R&D).
Strong connections exist between MEST and MOFA. Representatives from MOFA
serve on boards of CSIR, BNARI, CRIG and Higher Educational Institution.
MOFA Supports Agric R&D activities in all the agencies despite falling under
different ministry.
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Shares of FTE researchers (%)
Findings: Research Staff Qualification
100
80
60
40
20
0
2001 2008
--- CSIR (9)----
2001
2008
Other government (3)
BSc
MSc
2001
2008
Higher education (14)
PhD
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Findings: Research Staff Qualification
• There has been a slight increase in the number of Agric researchers over
the period.
• Majority of Agric Research staff were trained to the postgraduate level in
2008.
• 35 and 46 %of Researchers have PhD and MSc degrees in 2008 compared
with 35 and 50% respectively for 2001.
• The number of female researchers with PhD from 8 FTEs in 2001 to 16 in
2008.
• Of the 9 CSIR institutes in the study, 29 and 48% of researchers had PhD
and MSc respectively in 2008, though there are variation among the
institutes.
• BNARI and CRIG have a higher share of PhD researchers of 44 and 46%
respectively.
• 52% of Universities FTE researchers have PhD and 37 percent have MSc in
2008.
• Majority of Technicians had diploma and few with BSc degree in 2008. 10
Findings: Training Initiatives
•
World Bank AgSSIP has sponsored 17 and 15 CSIR scientists
to obtain Agric related PhD and MSc respectively within
2001-2007.
• Dutch Government Sponsored 9 CSIR Scientists to obtain
various degrees in Universities in the Netherlands.
• Through CSIR Training initiatives, 30 staff received various
degrees under different sponsorship from 2001 to 2008.
• The training took place in Universities in Ghana, South Africa,
Europe, North American and Asia.
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Full-time equivalent (FTE) researchers
Public agricultural research staff in full-time equivalents, 1981-2008
600
500
400
300
200
100
0
1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008
CSIR (9)
Other government (3)
Higher education (15)
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Findings: Full Time Equivalent (FTE)
• All the 3 categories of organizations surveyed have increased
their FTEs slightly from 2002 to 2008
• Total Agricultural R&D FTE in Ghana for 2008 was 537.
• CSIR employed the highest FTEs of 358 as compared with 323
in 2001.
• CRIG, BNARI, and MFRD together have 76 FTEs in 2008.
• Agric Faculties of Public Universities accounted for 103 FTEs.
• Female researchers constitute 17 percent of total agricultural
research staff in Ghana. The number at CSIR has not changed
much since 2001.
• Support Staff per researcher ratio decrease slightly from 7.5 in
2001 to 6.9 in 2008.
13
400
108
320
86
240
65
160
43
80
22
0
0
Million 2005 PPP dollars
Billion 2005 Ghanaian Cedis
Public Agricultural R&D Spending
1981 1984 1987 1990 1993 1996 1999 2002 2005 2008
CSIR (9)
Other government (3)
Higher education (15)
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Findings: Research Expenditures
• 3 components investigated; Salaries, Operating Cost, and
capital cost.
• Since 2001 75% of the agricultural R&D expenditures have
been spent by the 9 Agric institutes of CSIR on salaries alone.
• Capital and Operating cost been declining from 2001 to 2006
but there was a slight increase in 2007-2008.
• Government directive in October 2009 to CSIR to cut down by
40% of the budget on salaries has been put on hold.
• Donor driven projects often cover some of the capital cost.
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Findings: Research Expenditures
Agric Research Expenditure 2001
22%
6%
Salaries
72%
Capital cost
Operating cost
Agric Research Expenditure 2008
3%
14%
Salaries
Capital cost
83%
Operating Cost
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Findings: Research Funding
Source of funding for CSIR
• Government is the main financer of most Agric R&D in
Ghana (mainly salaries).
• Funds received through loans from World Bank eg. AgSSIP.
• Donor Agencies (mainly operating and capital costs). JICA,
USAID,EU,FAO etc. Been increasing over the past decade.
• Own Sales of goods and services. Oil Palm Research Institute
(OPRI) of CSIR generated 22% of 30% target of it research
funding through sale of germinated oil palm seedlings.
Others around 5%.
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Findings: Research funding
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Other sources of Research Funding
Competitive Agric Research Grant Scheme (CARGS) which
successfully funded 193 research projects.
AgSSIP II has been initiated to support FASDEP II part of which
is to strengthen Agric research and extension.
West Africa Agricultural Productivity Program (WAAPP) by the
world bank and coordinated by CORAF/WECARD has been
supporting tubers and root research.
STREFund managed by CSIR
CRIG is partly financed by Government and also through levy
on Cocoa.
MFRD mainly Financed by government.
Universities: Financed by 4 main sources, GETFund 50% for
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Research (FARF), Student User fees, IGF, Government,
Shares of FTE researchers (%)
Research focus by Major commodity area 2001-2008
100
80
60
40
20
0
CSIR (9)
Crops
Other
government
(3)
Forestry
Higher
education
(15)
Livestock
Total 2008 (27)
Natural resources
Total 2001 (18)
Fisheries
Other
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CONCLUSION
• Public Agric R&D investments have seen great improvement in
Ghana over the period studied.
• The benefits of this trend in Agric R&D investments cuts
across all the organizations.
• While government support mainly finance salaries of
researchers, capital and operating costs are borne mainly by
donor and Development agencies.
• CSIR has not been able to meet the commercialisation target
set by government.
• High numbers of researchers nearing retirement age and the
current ban on recruitment at CSIR is a major setback to Agric
R&D in Ghana.
• Transition into internal generation of income is still a major
challenge.
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END OF PRESENTATION
THANK YOU
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