Professor of Post-Harvest Technology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ibok Oduro, has called on African countries to harness the potential of indigenous food crops to strengthen food security, create sustainable jobs, and generate wealth across the continent.
She made the call during her inaugural lecture on the theme, “Hidden Harvests: Reclaiming Africa’s Plate,” held at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences. The event brought together journalists, students from various senior high schools, members of the KNUST community, Fellows of the Academy, and the general public.
Addressing participants on Friday, June 11, 2026, Professor Oduro stressed that Africa’s food future should not depend on imports but rather on investments in technologies and systems that add value to locally produced crops.
According to her, the continent possesses abundant food resources and sustainable agricultural practices, but continues to lag behind due to inadequate investment in modern technologies that can transform staple crops into a wide range of innovative food products and industrial raw materials.
“On this golden continent of ours, we are not lacking in food resources or sustainable agricultural practices. What we lack is investment in modern technologies that can transform our crops from basic staples into innovative food products and industrial inputs that drive growth and create employment opportunities for the many young people being trained in our universities,” she said.
Professor Oduro further urged African leaders to move beyond rhetoric and implement practical policies that address challenges within the agricultural sector while leveraging the continent’s favourable conditions to achieve food security.
She expressed concern over Africa’s growing dependence on imported food products despite the economic potential of indigenous crops such as yam, cassava, cocoa, and sweet potato.
“Despite the vast potential of our crops, Africa spent nearly $97 billion on food imports between 2021 and 2023, representing a significant increase over the previous decade. Much of this expenditure benefits already advanced economies when those resources could have been invested in building innovative agro-processing industries on the continent,” she noted.
Professor Oduro argued that increased investment in value addition and food processing would not only improve farmers’ livelihoods and create jobs but also generate foreign exchange earnings and reduce health risks associated with excessive consumption of highly processed imported foods.
Also, Chairperson for the occasion, Emerita Professor Isabella Akyinbah Quakyi, echoed the call for greater investment in research and innovation.
She urged government to provide sustainable funding for universities and research institutions to enable them to translate scientific discoveries into practical solutions for national development.
“Professor Oduro’s presentation has been insightful and evidence-based. It demonstrates how greater investment in university research can help reduce inequality, strengthen food security, and support economic transformation across Africa,” she said.
Professor Quakyi further emphasised that policies in critical sectors such as agriculture must be informed by rigorous research if African countries are to reduce dependence on imports and achieve long-term self-sufficiency.
The lecture concluded with a strong call for policymakers to re-examine the agricultural sector and adopt innovative approaches that can tackle youth unemployment, hunger, and poverty while positioning Africa’s indigenous crops as drivers of sustainable development.
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Story by Sika Togoh | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Erica Odeenyin Odoom
