WACCI delegates at the workshop
The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI) came out top of the table of 19 World Bank funded Africa Centres of Excellence (ACEs), in resource mobilization and overall performance at the opening session of the Fourth ACEs project workshop in Cotonou, Benin. This was the outcome of the evaluation of the ACEs, presented by Mrs. Adeline Addy, the Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist of AAU following the first year of implementation of the project. The ACEs in the sectors of Health, Agriculture and Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) were established following a rigorous merit based selection process to deliver regional, demand- driven, quality training and applied research in partnerships with international academic institutions and with relevant employers and industries.
The workshop, organized by the World Bank in collaboration with the Association of African Universities (AAU) from November 17 - 19, 2015 attracted participants from nine countries in West and Central Africa. Opening the workshop, the Minister of Higher Education of the Republic of Benin, Professor François Adebayo Abiola commended the World Bank for prioritizing funding for the project. Ms. Katrina Sharkey, the World Bank Representative of Benin explained that the World Bank prioritized the project because quality tertiary education drives the socio-economic development of nations. Professor Jonathan Mba of the AAU and Mr. Andreas Blom of the World Bank gave updates on the ACEs project.
The Director of WACCI, Prof. Eric Danquah, participated in a panel discussion on resource mobilisation for sustainability of the ACEs. He charged the ACEs to develop the Centres into academic empires and work towards achieving their mandate. Also, he encouraged the Centres to develop communication strategies for resource mobilization to improve the teaching, learning and research environment for the delivery of innovative solutions to the myriad of problems facing Agriculture in the sub-region.
The Coordinator for Research Programmes, Francophone West Africa, Dr. John Eleblu, delivered a talk on the progress and status of the WACCI ACE project in a breakout session of the Agricultural ACEs. The International Relations Consultant at WACCI, Miss Loretta Asare, also presented the framework for the Consortium of Agriculture Education and Innovation Frontrunners in West Africa (CAEIFWA) to the Agricultural ACEs in a breakout session. Mr. Kwadwo Afrifa, Finance Officer at WACCI presented recommendations from discussions in breakout session on working as smart ACEs to a plenary session.
Prof. Danquah in a panel discussion with some representatives of the World Bank and other delegates of the workshop
Other representatives from WACCI at the workshop were Mr. Sampson Addo, the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer and Mr. George Asante, the Procurement Officer who participated in special sessions on Monitoring and Evaluation and Procurement respectively under the ACE project.
