A consortium led by the Crops Research Institute of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR-CRI) is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to tackle persistent challenges within Ghana’s seed system.
The initiative forms part of the SeedSure Project, funded by the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO). Other consortium partners include MMVSense (UK), Gyre Energy Ltd (UK) and Smart Agri (Brazil).
Dr. Hillary Mireku Botey, a Researcher at CSIR-CRI and Project Lead, explained that the project integrates AI-driven germination monitoring with smart thermal energy storage systems to ensure seed viability, particularly under unstable power conditions.
He said the technology enables near real-time assessment of seed germination rates, while an AI-controlled thermal energy system maintains stable cold-storage temperatures during power outages. This reduces seed deterioration, post-harvest losses, and reliance on diesel generators.
According to Dr. Botey, the project supports climate-smart agriculture by lowering energy consumption, cutting operational costs, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions, while strengthening the country’s seed systems.
At a demonstration meeting for seed producers, regulators and inspectors at Kwadaso near Kumasi, Dr. Botey noted that power fluctuations over the years had made it difficult to maintain stable storage temperatures, resulting in losses of between 60 and 100 per cent of stored seeds in some cases.
He explained that the AI-powered “energy bricks” significantly reduce compressor cycling times from about 22 minutes to between eight and 12 minutes, cutting both energy costs and operational time.
The system is designed to maintain steady cold-room temperatures even during power outages, thereby safeguarding seed quality from foundation and breeder levels through to certified seeds supplied to farmers.
Researchers are also piloting a mobile AI application that automates germination testing, a process previously conducted manually.
The tool is expected to reduce testing time and strengthen seed regulation and certification processes.
Currently, the models are being tested on maize and soybean, with plans to extend the technology to other crops such as rice and tomatoes.
Dr. Botey said the smart application is scalable, and the next phase would involve training seed producers and granting them access to the platform for broader adoption.
Although initial results from the cold storage system have been promising, he indicated that researchers intend to observe its performance over a longer period before rolling it out widely across the seed value chain.
He called for stronger investment in Ghana’s seed infrastructure, particularly cold storage facilities, stressing that a robust seed system is critical to ensuring national food security.
