AAKTP Principal Investigator Pays Visits to College of Science and Department of Food Science and Technology
Prof. Gordon Morris, Principal Investigator of the African Agrifood Knowledge Transfer Partnership (AAKTP) project from the University of Huddersfield, United Kingdom, undertook a working visit to the College of Science and the Department of Food Science and Technology at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) from January 12 to 16, 2026.
The visit was hosted by Prof. Jacob K. Agbenorhevi, Head of the Department of Food Science and Technology and Knowledge Base Academic Lead of the AAKTP project at KNUST.
The AAKTP project is a collaborative initiative involving KNUST, the University of Health and Allied Sciences (UHAS), the University of Huddersfield, and the Cocoa Processing Company (CPC), with funding support from Innovate UK.
The project explores the use of okra pectin as a sustainable alternative to lecithin in chocolate production, aimed at driving innovation and sustainability in the agrifood and cocoa processing sectors.
As part of the visit to the College of Science, Prof. Morris and team paid a courtesy call on the Provost of the College of Science, Prof. Philip Antwi-Agyei.
He was also formally introduced to staff of the Department of Food Science and Technology, where engagements focused on the project’s progress and its relevance to applied research and industry collaboration.
Other project team members includes Prof. Fidelis Kpodo (Academic Supervisor, UHAS), Ms. Genevieve Pawar (Company Supervisor, CPC), and Ms. Belinda Ntow, the KTP Associate.
Prof. Morris and the project team further engaged with senior management of the Cocoa Processing Company, the project’s industry partner, to review progress made, assess ongoing industrial activities, and outline planned future work.
The discussions reaffirmed the value of strong academia–industry collaboration in translating research outputs into practical industrial solutions.
The working visit concluded with a joint meeting between the AAKTP project team and representatives of the British High Commission in Accra.
At the meeting, Prof. Agbenorhevi presented updates on the project’s progress, followed by discussions on sustainability strategies, future funding needs, and the project’s long-term vision and impact.
