The University of Cape Coast and the Institute for Global Food Security, Queens University Belfast (QUB) in Ireland are undertaking a joint research project to boost the production of quality palm oil production for local consumption and export.

The 15-months project which is being funded through the Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme of the United Kingdom Research and Innovation aims at developing a novel, rapid, non-destructive, handheld test to determine the integrity and quality of palm oil and palm cream concentrate.

Among other things, the project is expected to provide technical support to Praise Export Services, a local export company at Pokuase in the Greater Accra Region, to solve palm oil adulteration and the determination of palm cream quality before the products are exported outside Ghana.

The project focuses on traceability and fraud management of palm oil; providing Praise Export with world class affordable, onsite system to ensure the integrity of their palm oil and other potential products; and to develop digital and a cloud-based link to obtain rapid testing results at a very low cost.

In connection with the project, the Programme Manager of KTP, Mr. Richard Lamp and, KTP Advisor, Mr. John Clayton visited Ghana to familiarise themselves with progress of work since the inception of the project.

Hosting the delegation at the premises of Praise Export Services in Accra, Prof. Ernest Teye of  Department of Agricultural Engineering, UCC briefed them about activities carried so far. 

Prof. Teye who is the Principlal Investigator for the project indicated that the team had made significant feat as far as the objectives of the project was concerned. He mentioned that the team was working towards making great impact with the project to improve the palm tree value chain to produce healthy and standard products for local consumption and export.

Prof. Ernest Teye with a carton of packaged palm product for export

A postgraduate student of UCC, Ms. Regina Nyorkeh, was sponsored as part of the project to build her capacity and  to undertake laboratory tests at QUB.

Briefing the team about her activities at QUB, Ms. Nyorkeh who is an associate of the project said she was taken through Creativity and Innovation, Change Management, Strategic Thinking, Competitive Advantage, Cash flow and break-even analysis and Final Accounts and Ratio Analysis.

Ms Nyorkeh reported that she  undertook preparation of laboratory protocol for methodologies of Sudan dyes adulteration; different nanoparticles SERS method of analysis; and laboratory practices and safety measures.

The team with the Chief Executive of Praise Export Services, Mr. Godwin Edem Adordie (2nd from left)

In order to transfer the knowledge acquired at QUB, Ms Nyorkeh said there were plans to build the capacity of postgraduate students and industry players on Food Safety and Quality Standards and demonstration of the handheld methodology of the analytical tests for Sudan dye detection at PESL inviting key stakeholders in Ghana’s crude palm oil value chain.

The team were later taken on a tour of the factory of Export Services Limited.

A team from QUB also joined the meeting via virtual.