Bio-pesticide Best Bets in Ghana gets a boost
1 September 2010

The Real IPM Company's programme in Ghana, which is supported by RIU Best Bets, got a boost this week with the announcement that the Ghanaian Environmental Protection Agency's technical committee has recommended provisional clearance for the bio-pesticides products. This enables efficacy trials to go ahead.

Henry Wainwright Joint Managing Director of The Real IPM Company, said:

"This is another important hurdle cleared and it means that the University of Ghana can progress with the efficacy trials. The first two trials could be completed by the New Year paving the way for legal sale and use of these green products."

Of the four products being put up for registration, three have already been delivered to the University of Ghana as a result of special export approval from the Kenyan authorities and import permission from Ghana. Field trials on baculovirus (Helicoverpa on tomato) and Metarhizium (Mealy bug in papaya) will be completed in around four months. The trials for Trichoderma (Phytophthora in pineapple) will take 6 - 8 months. Trials on baculovirus for diamondback moth will be arranged once some technical production issues are resolved.

Ian Maudlin Director of RIU said:

"it is really encouraging to see steady progress being made by this Best Bet in Ghana. This was the last project to be funded under the RIU Best Bets call but it seems to be working hard to catch up with the other six programmes. RIU has a strong portfolio of bio-pesticides and other approaches which should lead to dramatic reductions in the use of chemicals - which has to be a more sustainable and healthier option.

Given that this is the first biotech registration in Ghana we hope we are opening the door for other research outputs in the future. I congratulate Henry Wainwright and his team and partners for their work to date."