India and Ghana Expand Agricultural Partnership Through New ICAR–CSIR-CRI Agreement

India and Ghana have strengthened their agricultural partnership with a new five-year agreement focused on research, education, technology transfer and commercialisation of farm technologies.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed between the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Ghana’s Crops Research Institute under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI). The agreement expands India’s agricultural cooperation with Africa and places greater emphasis on practical research, crop improvement and value-chain development.

The signing ceremony was attended by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Ghana’s Foreign Affairs Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, underlining the wider diplomatic importance of the partnership.

Five-Year Framework for Agricultural Cooperation

The agreement establishes a structured framework for joint agricultural research, scientific exchange, capacity building and the commercial application of technologies developed by the two sides.

It will support collaborative research projects, institutional linkages and the exchange of technical knowledge between Indian and Ghanaian agricultural institutions.

The partnership also reflects India’s broader focus on South-South cooperation, particularly in areas where Indian agricultural experience can support productivity improvements and local value addition in partner countries.

Tomato Research to Lead the First Phase

The first phase of cooperation will focus on vegetable crops, with particular attention to tomato research and development.

ICAR will support the introduction and scaling up of suitable high-yielding tomato lines and proven agricultural technologies for Ghanaian conditions.

The objective is to strengthen domestic tomato production by improving productivity, crop quality and access to better planting material.

This area of cooperation could also help reduce dependence on imports and improve returns for farmers by raising local production efficiency.

Cassava and Yam Processing to Receive Attention

The agreement extends beyond crop production to the processing and value addition of major tuber crops.

India and Ghana will cooperate in developing technologies for cassava, yam and other tubers, with the aim of strengthening agricultural value chains and improving the commercial use of locally produced crops.

Processing technologies can increase shelf life, reduce waste and create higher-value products, allowing farmers and rural enterprises to capture a larger share of the value generated from agricultural production.

Post-Harvest Losses Become a Major Focus

A significant part of the partnership will address post-harvest management.

India will provide technical support and capacity building in areas such as cold storage, refrigerated transportation, sorting, grading and food processing.

These systems are important in reducing losses after harvest, particularly for perishable commodities such as fruits and vegetables.

Improved post-harvest infrastructure can also help stabilise farmer incomes, strengthen market access and improve the quality of agricultural produce reaching consumers.

Scientists and Germplasm Will Be Exchanged

The MoU provides for the exchange of scientists, technologists, germplasm, breeding material, scientific information and research methodologies.

Such exchanges will allow institutions in both countries to work more closely on crop improvement and technology adaptation.

The arrangement is designed to move beyond one-time technical assistance and create longer-term scientific collaboration between research institutes in India and Ghana.

Commercialisation Forms Part of the Partnership

The agreement also places emphasis on translating research into commercial application.

Arima Farms Ltd. of Ghana has been recognised as a commercial partner to CSIR-CRI for specific research and commercialisation activities under the framework.

This gives the partnership a direct industry link and creates a pathway for successful technologies to move from laboratories and research stations into actual farm and market use.

Joint Working Group to Oversee Implementation

Implementation of the agreement will be monitored through a Joint Working Group comprising representatives from ICAR and CSIR-CRI.

The group will periodically review progress, identify priority areas and guide implementation of joint programmes.

Meetings will be held in both New Delhi and Accra, providing a regular institutional mechanism to sustain cooperation over the five-year period.

India–Africa Agricultural Cooperation Gains Depth

The agreement adds another layer to India’s growing agricultural engagement with African countries.

India has accumulated extensive experience in crop breeding, irrigation, agricultural mechanisation, post-harvest management and farmer-oriented extension systems.

Partnerships such as the ICAR–CSIR-CRI agreement allow this experience to be adapted to local conditions while also creating opportunities for joint research and commercial collaboration.

The focus on practical technologies gives the partnership a stronger development dimension, particularly in areas where productivity and post-harvest losses continue to affect agricultural incomes.

Research, Technology and Trade Come Together

The India-Ghana agreement is notable because it links agricultural science with processing, infrastructure and commercialisation.

Rather than limiting cooperation to research institutions, the framework connects crop development with cold chains, value addition and market adoption.

This integrated approach can help ensure that improvements in agricultural productivity are matched by better storage, processing and distribution systems.

India and Ghana Build a Long-Term Agricultural Partnership

The new MoU strengthens the institutional relationship between India and Ghana while giving both countries a practical framework for cooperation in agriculture.

For Ghana, the partnership brings access to Indian research expertise, improved crop varieties and post-harvest technologies. For India, it expands agricultural cooperation in Africa and creates new opportunities for scientific and commercial engagement.

By combining research, capacity building, technology transfer and commercial application, the agreement establishes a broader platform for agricultural development and reinforces the growing India-Ghana partnership.

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References

1. Press Information Bureau, Government of India — India and Ghana Sign Historic MoU to Advance Agricultural Research, Education, and Technology Transfer, October 7, 2026.
2. Indian Council of Agricultural Research — Official institutional information and international cooperation framework.
3. CSIR-Crops Research Institute, Ghana — Official institutional information and agricultural research mandate.

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