The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has officially launched the West Africa Climate Change and Health Policy Consortium (WACH), an African-led initiative aimed at generating evidence to inform policy and address the health and food challenges associated with climate change. The launch and inception meeting, held on Tuesday, 25th August 2026 at the Impact Building, KNUST, brought together researchers, institutions, and partners from Ghana, Senegal, and other parts of West Africa.
At the meeting, the Director of the Office of Grants and Research (OGR), Prof. Jerry John Kponyo, who was unable to attend due to official engagements outside the country, conveyed his remarks through Mrs. Hannah Adom Eyison, Grants and Research Manager at the College of Science. In his message, Prof. Kponyo congratulated the Consortium Director, Prof. Philip Antwi-Agyei, the project team, and all collaborating partners on securing the grant. He described the award as a reflection of strong ideas, effective partnerships, and a commitment to addressing challenges that are important to communities across West Africa.
Prof. Kponyo expressed particular satisfaction with the leadership of the Consortium, noting that Prof. Antwi-Agyei was his immediate predecessor as Director of the Office of Grants and Research. He described the development as a positive reflection of the University's continued investment in research and its researchers. He further emphasized that the significance of the grant should extend beyond securing funding, urging the team to remain focused on the outcomes and impact that the project can deliver.
According to the Director, the value of the WACH grant will ultimately be demonstrated through the quality of evidence generated, the capacity and skills developed among researchers, and tangible improvements in areas such as health, food systems, and climate resilience across West Africa. He encouraged the Consortium to approach the project with a strong focus on translating research findings into outcomes that can contribute to addressing real challenges facing communities and policymakers.
Prof. Kponyo also assured the Consortium of the full support of the College of Science's Office of Grants and Research throughout the implementation of the project. He indicated that the Office would support the team in areas including project management, compliance monitoring, and timely reporting to the funder. This support, he noted, is intended to help ensure that the project is implemented effectively and that its commitments to the funder are met.
A key message from the Director was his reminder that “grants must give birth to grants.” He explained that a successful grant should not be viewed as an endpoint, but as an opportunity to generate strong results, new knowledge, research capacity, and ideas that can lead to further funding. In this regard, he described the Wellcome Trust-supported WACH grant as a seed from which greater opportunities and impacts could grow.
The WACH Consortium, led by Prof. Philip Antwi-Agyei as Western Africa Consortium Lead, is supported by the Wellcome Trust and forms part of its wider investment in climate and health research across Africa. With the College of Science serving as the host and its Office of Grants and Research providing support, the initiative represents an opportunity for KNUST and its partners to strengthen research that connects climate change with health, food systems, and resilience in West Africa.
The Office of Grants and Research's commitment to supporting WACH reflects its broader role in ensuring that externally funded research at KNUST is effectively managed and positioned for meaningful impact. Through continued institutional support, capacity building, and attention to research outcomes, the Office seeks to help transform successful grants into lasting research programmes and further opportunities for the University and its researchers.