News Editors and Senior Journalists in the Ashanti Region have been schooled on Biotechnology and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs).
The training was to enable them to contribute significantly to demystify the misconception and mystery surrounding the adoption of the intervention.
The training, organized by the Open Forum on Agriculture Biotechnology (OFAB) Ghana, in collaboration with the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) was aimed at equipping the journalists with the knowledge and understanding of biotechnology in farming and agriculture.
Biotechnology in its simplistic form, involves the exploitation of the biological processes for industrial and other purposes, particularly the genetic manipulation of micro-organisms for the production of antibiotics and hormones among others.
The program according to authorities would equip media practitioners to help effectively educate the general public to adopt the technology to ensure sustainable national food security and improved livelihoods of farmers.
Due to the misconception thwarting the adoption of the GMO technology, OFAB believed that the training would enable journalists to significantly influence policy decisions making on issues of agriculture through the provision of expert knowledge and facts for the consumption of the public.
The program was held at Golden Tulip-Kumasi City yesterday.
Facilitators included Jerry Nboyine(PhD),CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute,Nyankpala.
Dr. Richard Ampadu- Ameyaw, National Coordinator for Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology(OFAB) and
Dr. Daniel Osei Fosu, National Coordinator program for Biosafety System
Source: Broadcastergh.com/Ayisah Foster