Forestry Research Institute of Ghana is one of the 13 institutes of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). It is located at Fumesua near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It started as a research unit within the Forestry Department in 1962. It was fully established as a research institute and named FOREST PRODUCTS RESEARCH INSTITUTE (FPRI) under the then Ghana Academy of Sciences in 1964 and in 1968 placed under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).
By Act of Parliament (Act 405) the Institute was transferred from the CSIR to the Forestry Commission in 1980.In 1991, the name of the Institute was changed to Forestry Research Institute of Ghana to reflect the widening scope of its research activities. In 1993, by another Act of Parliament (Act 453) the Institute was reverted to the CSIR.
Vision
To be a centre of excellence and networking hub for forest and forest products research in the humid tropics
Mission Statement
Forestry Research Institute of Ghana's mission is to conduct forest and forest products research for social, economic and environmental benefits of society.
Goals
- Conduct high quality user-focused forestry research that generates scientific knowledge and appropriate technologies.
- Disseminate forestry related information for the improvement of the social, economic and environmental well-being of the Ghanaian people.
- To enhance the sustainable development, conservation and efficient utilisation of Ghana's forest resources.
- To foster stronger linkages through collaborative research across disciplines among its scientists, stakeholders and external Institutions
Objectives
The main objectives determined to help fulfill our mission and accomplish our mandate are as follows:
- Develop technologies for sustainable management of natural forests and biodiversity conservation
- Develop technologies fundamental to the success of plantation forestry
- Generate technological properties and develop appropriate processing techniques for the efficient utilization of forest resources
- Enhance sustainable management and utilization of non-timber forest products (NTFPs)
- Mobilise, process and disseminate information critical to the management of Ghana
- Develop Agroforestry technologies
The Institute's permanent offices and laboratories are located at Fumesua, near Kumasi. It has research centres in 5 research stations strategically located in Kumasi and in one or more ecological zones of the country. These stations are listed below:
|
Location |
Region |
Name of Research Station |
|
Benso |
Western |
Wet/Moist Evergreen |
|
Kubease |
Ashanti |
Moist Semi-Deciduous N/E |
|
Amantia |
Ashanti |
Moist Semi-Deciduous S/E |
|
Abofour |
Ashanti |
Dry Semi-Deciduous |
|
Bolgatanga |
Upper East |
Northern Savanna |
The laboratories of the Institute have a wide range of equipment for research and development. They include Impregnation Plants, Seasoning Kilns, Furniture Testing Machines,