CSIR-Food Research Institute: annual report 2002

Abstract

The Food Research Institute (FRI) is one of the affiliate institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). The CSIR is striving to become a Centre of Excellence in R&D by generating appropriate technologies that are responsive to demands of the Private Sector and socioeconomic development. The mission of Corporate CSIR is to generate and apply innovative technologies, which efficiently and effectively exploit S&T for socio-economic development in critical areas of agriculture, industry, health and the environment and improve scientific culture of the civil society. Technologies developed will be commercialised for Private Sector Development in Ghana and abroad. The Food Research Institute's vision is to be recognized, nationally and internationally, as an S&T Institution that is playing a key role in the transformation of the food processing industry to be internationally competitive with particular reference to product safety, quality and preservation. The FRI's mission is primarily, to conduct market oriented applied research and provides technical services and products profitably to the Private Sector and other stakeholders. The overall goal of the Institute is to assist in poverty alleviation through the creation of opportunities for generating and increasing incomes within the micro, small, medium and large scale food industry; contribute to food security, foreign exchange earnings and the application of cost-effective food processing technologies that are environmentally friendly. In spite of the multidisciplinary approach, FRl presently operates under Seven Divisions - Food Chemistry, Food Microbiology, Food Processing & Engineering, Nutrition & Socioeconomics, Commercialisation & Information, Administration, and Accounts. The Nutrition and Socioeconomics Division was created during the year under review. This was in line with the Institute's objective of strengthening its core competence in Nutrition and Socioeconomics studies. The Administration Division caters for the secretarial, personnel, establishment, estate and transport matters of the lnstitute. The Accounts Division controls expenditure and caters for an financial transaction of the FRl. It prepares the annual estimates, annual accounts and financial statements, and maintains books and documents involved in all these activities. The Microbiology and Chemistry Divisions continued with their task of providing analytical support to both research and industry. The Food Processing & Engineering Division continued with its functions of conducting applied research into the processing, preservation, packaging and storage of food as well as the development of new products from available raw materials. The Pilot Plant Unit of the Division conducted pilot scale studies into products developed by the FRI. The Commercial and Information Division coordinates the commercial activities of all the other divisions of the Institute in order to raise the income of the Institute. The Commercialisation process of the Institute continued and the following areas were the major sources of income: Consultancies, Collaborative Research, Equipment fabrication & Hire of Facilities, Sale of Research By-Products, Technical and Analytical Services and Training. The percentage of Internally Generated Fund (IGF) as percentage of subvention was 3.57%. Although Collaborative Research does not directly contribute to the calculated IGF it was the mainstay of the Institute and was 38% of subvention. The year under review so the appointment of Dr. Wisdom K. A Amoa-Awua as the Deputy Director of the Institute on a two-year rotational basis. Several other appointments were made including three Assistant Research Scientists. The total staff strength at the end of the year stood at 167. In line with its mandate, the main programmes of the Institute during the year were centred on R&D activities for the solution of postharvest problems. Scientists in the National Agricultural Research Systems (NARS) are undertaking the Agro-processing Programme under the research component of the 1st phase of the Agricultural Subsector Improvement Project. This Agroprocessing component is being coordinated by the FRI. Most activities began in June 2002 after an initial delay with the disbursement of funds for the project. Activities in preparation for the accreditation of 14 Microbiological methods to ISO 17025 Quality System continued throughout the year. The year under review saw a high number of participation in local and international conferences by staff The Institute played host to very important visitors