They were taken round the facility and introduced to some of the technologies and improved seed varieties developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI) to boost agricultural production in the country.

Mr Lansah Haruna, Programmes Director, Movement for Youth Development, speaking during the visit, said it was to have firsthand information about the available technologies and seed varieties to guide the students as they ventured into farming as business.

The CSIR-SARI Technology Park, located in the Tolon District of the Northern Region, is a demonstration hub, which showcases advanced farming solutions and other good agronomic innovations developed by the research institution.

The Park has been established under the West Africa Food System Resilience Programme, CORAF, Innovation Research Extension and Advisory Coordination Hub Consortium.

It has so far developed about 74 technologies covering 10 crops, 69 other varieties and five agronomic innovations. The students were introduced to some of the approved seed varieties planted in the park including maize, soybean, groundnut, cowpea rice, millet and technologies such as integrated soil management innovations, planting using the right method in terms of spacing, seed multiplication strategies amongst others.

Dr Francis Kusi, Director, CSIR-SARI, urged the youth, who intended to go into farming, to take advantage of the technologies at the park to ensure increased production to contribute to addressing food security challenges in the country.

He said there had been significant improvement in agriculture through innovations, adding with access to the right information, offered by the CSIR-SARI, the youth could make huge fortune out of agriculture.

Dr Charles Nilimor, Manager, CSIR-SARI Technology Park, urged farmers to adopt locally developed hybrids to revolutionise the agricultural sector, enhance production and resilience of farmers.
He said this would encourage young people to embrace agriculture as a business to create sustainable employment opportunities in the country.

Mr Sulemana Alhassan, a level 400 student of the University for Development Studies, acknowledged the importance Innovation in farming and said the visit had exposed him to new technologies and varieties, and appealed to young people in agriculture to adopt the available climate-resilient seed varieties to improve yields.