Accra Technical University has secured funding under China’s National Key Research and Development Programme to establish the China–Ghana Joint Laboratory for Food Security and Storage in partnership with local and international research institutions.
The project brings together researchers from ATU, the University of Cape Coast, Jimei University, Jiangsu University, and Sinograin Chengdu Storage Research Institute Co., Ltd.
The initiative seeks to improve grain quality and reduce post-harvest losses by developing advanced storage technologies suited to Ghana’s environmental conditions.
The joint laboratory will focus on practical and affordable innovations, including intelligent grain-monitoring systems, early-warning pest and mold tools, improved grain preservation methods, and big data systems for grain safety monitoring. The project will target grains such as maize, rice, and sorghum.
As part of the project, demonstration sites, including one in Ghana, will be established to test and refine the technologies under real-life conditions while working closely with farmers and grain storage operators.
The initiative is also expected to strengthen research and human resource capacity in Ghana by training researchers and students in modern grain storage and post-harvest management techniques. Selected students from ATU are expected to benefit from scholarship opportunities to pursue postgraduate studies in China. Ghanaian researchers involved in the project will also undertake research activities in China for three to six months.
The grant follows a partnership agreement recently signed between ATU and Jimei University to establish the “China-Ghana Grain Safety and Storage Joint Laboratory” under the Joint Laboratory Programme between China and African countries launched by the Ministry of Science and Technology of China in 2023.
Under the agreement, the participating institutions will share facilities and collaborate through staff exchanges, joint research activities, educational programmes, and international publications. The institutions also agreed to jointly seek additional international funding to sustain the laboratory’s operations and expand future collaborative projects between Ghana and China.
The agreement was signed on behalf of ATU by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Amevi Acakpovi, and the Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Felix Kutsanedzie. The partnership agreement is expected to run for an initial period of three years, subject to approval by China’s Ministry of Science and Technology.
Beyond improving grain preservation systems, the initiative is expected to contribute to food security, agricultural sustainability, and stronger international research collaboration while strengthening Ghana’s research capacity in food systems management.