INSTI 2020 Annual Report

2020

English

Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic which took a toll across the board on activities in all sectors, 2020 turned out to be quite a productive year for the Institute with various research and development projects being carried out, software and applications developed and training programmes held both physically and virtually. Divisions worked hand-in-hand with each other to make the year a fairly productive one. A summary of the Institute’s undertakings reported on is as follows: Setup of Digital Agricultural Innovation Hub - Four digital platforms; CSIR Technologies portal, Kuafo Agritech Advisor (Q&A platform), CSIR Space (online repository) and Kuafo Marketplace (online marketplace), were developed and officially launched for use by clients. This programme was implemented and sponsored under the Modernising Agriculture in Ghana (MAG). The four portals which are designed to modernise and introduce efficiency in agricultural extension and advisory services are accessible on https://mag-csir.com. CSIR-MAG Project on Documentation of CSIR Agricultural Technologies - Inputs (Technologies) from the various MAG Institutes of the CSIR were compiled and validated and have been developed into a manual titled Manual of Agricultural Technologies Developed by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research. The manual has been printed and distributed. In all, two hundred and sixty-three (263) technologies were entered into the manual, which is expected to publicise these technologies and create a lot more awareness among actors of the agricultural commodity value chain and other stakeholders. Production and Development of Fuel Cell/Biogas - Results from the experiment show that, when cassava peels and yam peels act as co-digestates to cow dung, a higher yield of the flammable gas, methane, is produced. This is about operating the biodigester with a single feedstock such as cow dung or cassava peels or yam peels alone. Evaluation of the Impact of Reintroducing the CSIR Newsletter to the Council and Clients - Answers to open-ended questions put to respondents stated that respondents would be interested in a new CSIR newsletter if it displayed CSIR flagship products, research outputs and services as well as if it had quality packaging. Impact of COVID-19 on the Printing Industry; Case of INSTI Press – For the study duration which was during the ban on all gatherings by the Government of Ghana as a measure to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus, three clients expressed interest in CSIR-INSTI PRESS producing activity brochures, event posters, programmes, invitation cards, etc. for their events. However, due to the ban, all three programmes were cancelled. These three social events would have brought in a total of Gh₵13,700.00 as revenue to CSIR-INSTI, thus, because of the COVID-19 restrictions, the Institute lost that amount in revenue. CSIR Online Grants Management Software - An online software was developed for the management of the CSIR Grants System. The staff of CSIR Head Office were trained on its usage and application. CSIR Promotions Management System Software - A software and an accompanying manual for managing the promotions of Research Scientists of CSIR were developed. The software would eventually replace the manual application system for CSIR Research Scientists with effect from January 2021. Nationwide training was held for all thirteen (13) Institutes of the CSIR as well as the Head Office. CSIR Profiles Management System - The system, a Senior Members Profile Directory, provides professional and academic details on all Senior Members of the CSIR. Current Designation, Institute of affiliation, Division as well as field of specialisation are some of the information on the System. It is accessible via the link profiles.csirgh.com. Launch of CSIR-INSTI Makerspace - The CSIR-INSTI Makerspace was launched on 30th October 2020. The Makerspace is a co-innovative space where like-minded persons gather to work on personal projects, share tools and expertise as well as learn from each other. It was meant to establish a solution hub based on applying research into accelerating technologies in electronics and telecommunications and to provide actionable recommendations targeted at creating new businesses from innovations. Robotics Training Programmes - The training programme which evolved into a club, is a monthly subscription session for students who want to constantly undergo training and also team up as a group to participate in National and International Robotics competitions. Club membership is Gh₵350.00 monthly and includes, tuition, use of equipment and competition subscription fees. Training happens at the CSIR-INSTI on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm with an optional 2-hour slot for practice within the Makerspace facility on Wednesdays between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm. Additionally, the YouTube video training channel currently has 984 views, 55 subscribers and over 36 hours of watch-time as of 15th December 2020. Pesticide Verification App for Conservation Alliance - A prototype Pesticide Verification App for the Conservation Alliance is being developed in collaboration with the Conservation Alliance. The App would allow farmers to scan a QR code on a pesticide to know whether it is a Highly Hazardous Pesticide (HHP) or not. COVID-19 Pandemic Digital Solutions - As part of a working group led by Innovate Ghana and the African Health Innovation Centre, CSIR-INSTI and MiPH Consult deployed a crowd-sourced web app to encourage citizens in Ghana to report suspected cases. The objective was to allow epidemiologists and health service officers to gain access to a larger volume of reports for follow-up, contact tracing and confirmation. The application offers the government the opportunity to leverage citizen reporting to complement existing contact tracing methods. The application is currently a web-based application accessible online at https://covid19gh.miphconsult.ml/views/map. 3D Modeling and Additive Manufacturing - In partnership with CTN Technologies, a 2-day intensive 3D Modeling and Additive manufacturing workshop was organised on 23rd and 24th October 2020 to expose young Ghanaians skills in 3D manufacturing. Participants learnt how to design and produce 3D models for various applications. The participants designed sample phone cases among other items. The Gh₵300.00 training package included; training materials, practical sessions, a certificate and technical support from the tutors beyond the duration of the workshop. Development of Human Resource Management Software – A software system that digitises day-to-day Human Resource Activities, making them less tedious and simpler for the end-user is being designed. The software has several systems and processes combined to ensure easy management of human resources, business processes and data. The project seeks to develop a Prototype of Human Resource Management Software that will help the HR department at CSIR-INSTI run its administrative activities. Spatial Database Development on the Resources in Ghana - Maps for nine (9) regions were designed and composed. A geospatial database for existing Dams and Reservoirs in the country is also being developed. Fifteen (15) maps were produced for WINMAT Publishers to be inserted as illustrations in historical books of Ghana for primary schools. Printing Services - Call cards, Letterheads, Files, Books and Manuals are some of the items printed out by the Institute for various Institutes of the CSIR, the Head Office and other external organisations. Ghana Journal of Science & Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science - GJS and GJAS, the two leading science journals in the Country are published by the Institute. During the year, Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science Vol. 55(1) and (2) (2020) were published, eight (8) and ten (10) articles were featured respectively. Similarly, Ghana Journal of Science Vol. 61(1) and (2) (2020) were published. Eighteen (18) and twenty-two (22) articles were published respectively. Information Resources - The information resources collected by the Scientific Information Management Section for 2020 stood at six hundred and eleven (611). These included journals, annual reports, and newspapers, which were acquired through exchanges, donations and data collection. Staff Strength - The staff strength of CSIR-INSTI stood at 68 as at 31st December 2020, comprising twenty-six (26) senior members, twenty-six (26) senior staff and sixteen (16) junior staff. Dr. Albert Nii Moi Allotey was appointed as the Acting Deputy Director of the Institute. Two (2) staff members retired during the year. Income Generated - Total receipt for the year under review amounted GH₵3,994,209.79 and payments totaled GH₵4,030,515.41 with a negative net receipt of GH₵36,305.62. The receipts are made up of salaries paid by GOG from the Consolidated Fund amounting to GH₵3,442,313.45. Internal Generated Fund (IGF) amounted to GH₵425,429.84 and Donor Funds of GH₵126,466.50. The IGF activities included Printing, Hiring of Facilities and Consultancy.

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