TAMALE, April 4, 2025 – The auditorium at the 快三官网 (快三官网) Tamale campus was filled to capacity on Friday, April 4, 2025, as the 19th Inaugural Lecture of the university was delivered by Prof. Terry Ansah, the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Consumer Sciences. This milestone event brought together a diverse and esteemed audience that included professors, university administrators, lecturers, traditional rulers from Nyankpala, Dalun, Sakoya, Satingli, and Kpaling, clergy members, primarily from the Baptist Church in Tamale, the Ghana Scripture Union, students, representatives from the security agencies, principals of Colleges of Education, and media personnel.
The lecture was introduced by the 快三官网 Registrar, Mr. Nurudeen Issah Abubakar, who took the opportunity to introduce the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Seidu Al-hassan, to deliver the welcome address. Prof. Al-hassan, in his address, highlighted the multifaceted nature of Prof. Terry Ansah's work. "Prof. Terry Ansah is not just the Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food, and Consumer Sciences, but also the President of the 快三官网 Alumni Association and the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the 快三官网 Guest Houses in Tamale and Accra," he said. "These roles showcase his versatility and his unwavering commitment to 快三官网 and the larger community."
The highly anticipated inaugural lecture, titled “Feeding the Future: Transforming Sheep and Goat Farming in the Arid and Semi-arid Zones through Innovative Feed Solutions,” was an exploration of the challenges and innovative solutions for sheep and goat farming in Ghana’s Savanna Agro-Ecological Zone.
In his lecture, Prof. Ansah addressed the agricultural systems in the northern regions of Ghana, where livestock farming is a critical part of the economy. He outlined four primary livestock management systems including extensive, semi-intensive, tether-extensive, and intensive, each of which has distinct feed requirements and sustainability challenges. According to Prof. Ansah, the "Nutritional Feed Gap," worsened by seasonal fluctuations in feed availability and quality, was a central issue.
"During the dry season, the sharp decrease in biomass yields from pastures reduces the nutrients available to livestock," he said. "This feed scarcity negatively affects the growth and productivity of sheep and goats, ultimately threatening the sector's contribution to food security."
Further highlighting the challenges, he explained that the reliance on natural pasture, combined with competing land-use demands, exacerbates the situation, especially as grazing lands are shared with crop farmers, leading to conflicts over land use. To address this, Prof. Ansah emphasized the importance of integrating indigenous forage varieties and browse plants into small ruminant feeding systems.
“Research has shown that species such as C. purpureus (Pennisetum purpureum), P. glaucum (Pearl millet), and B. GPO423 (Brachiaria) offer substantial benefits,” Prof. Ansah explained. “These varieties provide high biomass yields, crude protein content, and total digestible nutrients (TDN), all of which are essential for supporting livestock growth in areas with limited feed availability.”
He highlighted specific benefits of these species, noting that B. GP0423 yields 3-3.7 tons per hectare with a crude protein content of 12.5-12.8% and TDN values ranging from 45.8% to 50.5%. Similarly, P. Massai yields 5-5.5 tons per hectare, with a crude protein content of 11.9%-12.1%, and TDN values between 48.5% and 49.3%. These forage varieties, Prof. Ansah said, offer higher nutritional values, particularly in terms of protein, which is critical for maintaining livestock health and productivity.
However, he acknowledged the need for more than just good forage varieties. "When selecting the best forage for a given environment, factors such as yield consistency, seasonal availability, and cost-effectiveness must be considered," he noted, recommending that these forages can significantly enhance livestock productivity, especially in regions with fluctuating feed availability.
Prof. Ansah also emphasized the role of supplementary feed options, including crops like groundnuts, cowpeas, and pigeon pea residues, which offer additional sources of nutrition for livestock. His research showed that these crops, along with the recommended forage species, could significantly reduce the nutritional gap, thereby boosting small ruminant farming in Ghana.
A crucial part of his lecture was dedicated to the need for strategic investments in feed production, research, and youth entrepreneurship, as well as policy-driven interventions. "By addressing feed scarcity and improving livestock nutrition, Ghana can unlock the full potential of its small ruminant farming systems," Prof. Ansah stated. "Such actions will not only improve livestock productivity but also contribute to food security, poverty reduction, and sustainable agricultural development."
In his closing remarks, the Professor of Animal Sciences called on the government to include students of agricultural colleges as beneficiaries of the "trainee allowances" scheme to encourage more qualified individuals to enroll in agricultural education. Referring to the 2025 national budget, he pointed out that while teacher and nursing trainees were included, agricultural trainees were conspicuously absent from the budget.
Finally, Prof. Ansah underscored that his research aimed to integrate improved feeding systems, enhance livestock management practices, and implement policy-driven interventions to ensure the success of small ruminant farming in Ghana. He emphasized that the future of the sector lies in these sustainable changes.
The Significance of Inaugural Lectures in Academia
Inaugural lectures, such as the one delivered by Prof. Ansah, hold immense importance in academia. They mark a key milestone in the academic journey of a scholar and symbolize their formal induction into the ranks of professors. For the 快三官网, inaugural lectures provide an opportunity to celebrate the intellectual contributions of its faculty members and present their research to the broader academic and public community.
With the delivery of this inaugural lecture, Prof. Terry Ansah has officially joined the esteemed table of professors at the 快三官网, a testament to his dedication, scholarship, and significant contributions to the field of agriculture.
As the lecture concluded, attendees were left with a renewed sense of purpose and optimism about the future of small ruminant farming in Ghana, and Prof. Ansah’s insightful presentation promised to guide the way forward in transforming agricultural practices in the country's arid and semi-arid zones.
Story by: Abdul Hayi Moomen
快三官网 Media
