Scientific researchers in the Centre Region are celebrating strides made in course of the year in research and innovation. This is within the framework of a two-day days of excellence of scientific research and innovation which rumbled off in the courtyard of the Yaounde Town Hall on wednesday.
The aim of the two-day event, the Regional Delegate of Scientific Research and Innovation for the Centre, Dr Kouonmenioc Jean, said is to put the research results, through the various products displayed, at the disposal of the public and decision makers. Results, he stressed, could be used to speed up the socio-economic development of the country, through job creation, ensuring food sufficiency and in so doing stepping up the living standards of the population.
The occasion offered research institutes to explain to the public and showcase what they have achieved over the time. The Research Institute for Agronomic Development (IRAD) drew crowds with innovations in food crop seedlings. This was through disease-resistant and high-yielding tree crops or seedlings like pair, mango and oranges which bear fruits at tender ages compared with those that existed before. According to Dr Mimbimi Ngbwa Maurice, Chief of the IRAD Ambam antenna, the new species can bear fruits in two to three years contrary to the traditional species which take over ten years to yield. There were rice species like Nerical-L-56 which matures in 120 days and produces about 7-9 tonnes per hectare, beans seeds that bear in 80 days and yield 3.2 tonnes per hectare as well as Ecbebil maize seeds that mature in 110 -120 days, producing between 9 10 tonnes per hectare. Research products in solar energy, food complements as well as medicinal plants were also on display.
Speaker after speaker saluted the decision to publish the research results, through public exhibition, stating that at a time food security and safety are starring the country in the face, research could help decision-makers to step up national production and the save the country the shame of almost always importing, even food items, in which the country has enormous potentials to produce is large quantities.
The Scientific research and innovation excellence days was launched by government, through the Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation in 2007 to valorise research and contribute to the country’s development. The regional exhibitions precede national exhibitions billed for next year.
