A meeting was held at CSIR-Food Research Institute (CSIR-FRI) with a Team of Investors from Lutech Engineering, Ghana, who wanted to discuss issues bordering on value addition and how CSIR-FRI operates, and how collaboration could be achieved between the team and CSIR-FRI.

Prof. Mrs. Mary Obodia, The Director of CSIR-FRI made a presentation on activities of CSIR-FRI and how it goes about adding value to agricultural products and equipment. The Director's presentation dwelled on the history, mission, vision, mandate, organizational structure, research areas, services, technology transfer, laboratory accreditations, achievements, and client base of the Institute.

The team was interested in CSIR-FRI’s Ethanol plant at Pokuase that had been sitting ideal for a while now and if there was a possibility of collaborating to make the plant operational. It was reiterated that the institute had a business plan for the Pokuase plant and that work on the plant was 95% complete however, a total of US$ 675,000 was needed to complete work on the plant for production to start.

The investors wanted to know more about the possibility of jam, honey, rice cake, and cereal production, of which they were made aware that the Institute was in a better position to assist in the development and subsequent production of such products. However, when it comes to honey production, one of the 13 Institutes of CSIR Ghana is responsible for research into honey production and for that matter honey production.

The Team later visited some of the facilities at the Institute to have a practical feel of the activities of the Institutes.