Step inside RPI,
where science transforms lives

  • Vision

To become a leading institution in Ghana that provides sustainable solutions to challenges in agriculture, health, industry, and the environment through nuclear science and biotechnology innovations.

  • Mission

To conduct research into the development of sustainable solutions by exploiting biotechnology, nuclear, and related techniques for the enhancement of food and nutrition security, health and well-being, industrialisation, and poverty alleviation.

  • Core Values
  • Diligence: Inspired by the Adinkra symbol Akuafopa, we are committed to diligence, hard work, and entrepreneurship. This value drives us to give our very best in everything we do.
  • Organisational integrity: We maintain the highest standards of organisational and academic integrity in all our work. As a research institution, we operate ethically, guided by truth, professionalism, and a strong sense of responsibility.
  • Quality product and service delivery: We are committed to excellence in all our products and services. Through rigorous quality control systems, we ensure that our work creates lasting impact for our clients and stakeholders. Quality is our hallmark.
  • Equal Opportunities and Impartiality: We foster an inclusive work environment that provides equal opportunities for all, especially women and persons with disabilities. We ensure fairness in all our processes, free from bias or favouritism.
  • Teamwork and collaboration: Inspired by global partnerships, including the principles of SDG 17, we recognise that meaningful impact is achieved through collaboration. We actively build strategic partnerships and promote teamwork within and beyond the Institute.
  • Effective communication: We prioritise clear and purposeful communication in the transfer of knowledge and technology. We present research outputs in simple, accessible language to meet the needs of diverse audiences, from smallholder farmers to policymakers.
  • Core Functions
  • Apply nuclear and related technologies, including neutron probes, cosmic ray neutron sensors, and isotopes such as ¹⁵N and ¹³C, to improve soil fertility, crop water management, and nutrient use efficiency.
  • Promote sustainable fertiliser application, biological nitrogen fixation, composting, black soldier fly technology, and biochar-based soil amendment and enhanced productivity.
  • Integrate mutation breeding, tissue culture, and molecular tools with conventional breeding to develop high-yielding, pest- and disease-resistant, climate-resilient, and nutritionally improved staple and food security crops.
  • Deploy the sterile insect technique (SIT) and biological control within area-wide integrated pest management systems, in collaboration with relevant centres and partners, to safeguard harvests and meet market standards.
  • Use irradiation technologies, including electron beam and X-ray systems, to reduce post-harvest losses, enhance food safety, sterilise medical and pharmaceutical products, and support traceability through stable isotope techniques in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
  • Utilise CRISPR-Cas9 and related biotechnology tools to develop climate-resilient varieties of rice, yam, soybean, tomato, and other priority crops.
  • History

The Biotechnology and Nuclear Agriculture Research Institute (BNARI) was established in 1993 as one of the research, development, and technology transfer institutes of the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC).

Its establishment has strengthened GAEC’s mandate to expand research and development in biotechnology and nuclear agriculture, significantly contributing to agricultural development through the peaceful application of nuclear energy.

As part of its main objective, it explores and applies isotopes, ionising radiation, and biotechnologies to enhance agricultural productivity and drive economic development in Ghana and across Africa. BNARI supports national efforts to improve food security, nutrition, and reduce malnutrition, hunger, and poverty through science-driven innovation.

 

Engage with BNARI to drive science-based innovation for sustainable agriculture