As part of efforts to bolster international partnerships and deepen academic cooperation in agriculture and related fields, a high-powered delegation from the University for Development Studies (UDS) is currently on a working visit to the People’s Republic of China. The delegation is led by the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Seidu Al-Hassan, and includes Prof. Courage Saba, Director of International Relations and Advancement, and Prof. Abukari Alhassan, Director of the West Africa Centre for Shea Innovation and Research (WACSIR).

As part of the visit, the UDS team engaged in strategic discussions with key academic and research institutions in China, with a special focus on the Chinese Agricultural University (CAU), one of the country’s premier institutions dedicated to agricultural research and innovation. During a high-level meeting held at the CAU campus in Beijing, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Seidu Al-Hassan, on behalf of UDS, initiated a collaboration agreement with the Chinese Agricultural University. This initiative marks a new chapter in UDS’ international engagement and reinforces the University’s long-standing commitment to agriculture and sustainable development.

The collaboration is expected to cover areas such as joint research, staff and student exchange programmes, curriculum development, capacity building, and innovation in agricultural technologies, with particular emphasis on climate-smart agriculture, agribusiness, and food security. Among other areas of the collaboration includes genetic characterization of Shea as well as integrated agroforestry focusing on the shea tree.

Speaking at the meeting, Prof. Al-Hassan highlighted the historical significance of the visit, noting that the Faculty of Agriculture was the very first academic unit established at UDS at its inception in 1992. He explained that UDS was founded with a mission to bring higher education closer to rural and underserved communities in northern Ghana, with agriculture at the heart of its development strategy.

The vision of UDS has always been to blend academic knowledge with practical engagement in communities, and agriculture has remained its strongest pillar, the Vice-Chancellor emphasized that partnering with a globally respected institution like the Chinese Agricultural University is a natural step forward as UDS seeks to expand its research frontiers and improve food systems in West Africa.

Officials at the Chinese Agricultural University expressed their enthusiasm for the partnership, noting that their institution shares a similar mission of promoting agricultural innovation to support rural development. They welcomed the opportunity to engage in collaborative research with UDS, particularly in areas such as tropical agriculture, shea research, dryland farming systems, and rural livelihoods.

According to Prof. Courage Saba, the visit forms part of UDS’ broader internationalization strategy, which aims to establish strong academic and research linkages with global partners, particularly in Africa and Asia. “This partnership is timely and strategic. It will open up opportunities for our faculty and students to gain international exposure and experience,” he stated.

Story by:
Abdul Hayi Moomen
(UDS Media)