Stakeholders in the agriculture sector have urged to be innovative to solve the challenges related to the sector.

Dr Roger Kanton, Coordinator for Partnership for Agricultural Research, Education and Development (PAIRED) Project at the Centre for Scientific and Industrial Research – Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), said policymakers needed to consider innovations during the implementation of agriculture policies to promote food safety and security.

Dr Kanton said this during a three-day PAIRED Project national training for farmers and researchers on innovative platforms in West Africa, in Tamale.

He noted that innovation in the agriculture sector would provide opportunities for agricultural producers to increase productivity and also build their capacities to better manage natural resources.

Dr Kanton called on the government and the private sector to work in collaboration to strengthen agricultural innovation systems to foster good farm practices among farmers to produce quality products that would meet world market standards.

Dr Jonas Osei-Adu, the Lead Facilitator for PAIRD Project, stated that innovation was key in improving food production, and called on farmers to be practical and innovative to increase food supply to drive the economic development of the country.

Mr Kouame Kouadio, Programme Assistant for West-Central Africa Council for Agricultural Research and Development (CORAF), advised farmers to be innovative to address the critical challenges on food security in West and Central Africa in this era of COVID -19.

He highlighted the PAIRED Project and said the project sought to strengthen Africa's largest Sub-regional research organisation to facilitate technology upscaling, and increase the production and availability of quality agric-inputs to farmers in West Africa.

Mr Kouadio added that the project would also enhance crop varieties, integrated soil fertility, and integrated pests management practices to reduce challenges in the agriculture sector in West and Central Africa.