CSIR-Crops Research Institute (CSIR-CRI) is one of the thirteen research institutes under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research in Ghana. Established in 1964 and headquartered at Fumesua near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region, the institute is Ghana’s leading public agricultural research institution dedicated to the development of improved food and industrial crop technologies. Its mission is to develop and disseminate demand-driven technologies and build capacity for sustainable crop productivity in order to enhance food security, livelihoods, and agricultural development. 

The institute conducts multidisciplinary research on major crop groups including cereals (e.g., maize and rice), legumes (e.g., cowpea and soybean), roots and tubers (e.g., cassava and yam), vegetables (e.g., tomato, pepper, and onion), fruits, and industrial crops. Research activities cover crop improvement and breeding, biotechnology, plant health, crop management, seed systems, post-harvest technologies, and climate-smart agriculture. 

CSIR-Crops Research Institute contributes significantly to biosafety through research in plant biotechnology, molecular diagnostics, and genetic improvement of crops. The institute supports the safe development, testing, and evaluation of modern agricultural technologies, including genetically improved crops, while ensuring compliance with national and international biosafety regulations.

In addition, the institute conducts routine GMO testing and molecular detection of living modified organisms (LMOs) in grains, seeds, and processed food products using molecular techniques such as PCR and qPCR. These activities contribute to biosafety monitoring, regulatory compliance, and evidence-based decision-making in Ghana. The institute works closely with the National Biosafety Authority by providing laboratory testing and technical expertise to clients to support biosafety regulation and surveillance related to the safe use and management of biotechnology products.