Facilitator onboarding and training for the Rural Innovation Network Ghana (RING) - RISA BRIInG Project Phase 3.

The RISA Bridging the Research Innovation-Industry Assimilation Gap through Technology Capacity Building in Rural Ghana( BRIInG ) project has made remarkable progress since its second phase. On Monday ,14th April 2025, the UGBS Innovation and Incubation Hub hosted a hybrid session which marked the third phase of the BRIIng project . The session which focused on onboarding and training facilitators of the RING project brought together a distinguished gathering of lecturers and experts and professionals from various universities across Ghana.

Mr. Jackson Appiagyei, Manager of the UGBS Innovation and Incubation Hub, delivered a warm welcome address. He also gave an insightful overview of the BRIING project, shedding light on its vision, ongoing progress, and notable community-level achievements in a few of the communities namely, Kade, Atimpoku, and Tuobodom (Techiman).

Miss Yvonne Eyram Buame, a Senior project assistant at the hub presented on the RING Framework, emphasizing a number of objectives such as obtaining a Food and Drugs Authority certification for the products, assisting communities to gain access to market and matching them with investors, as well as building market maker spaces. Miss Eyram also highlighted the need for collaboration among various stakeholders, researchers and financial institutions to support rural enterprises and enhance technology transfer from academic institutions to communities.

After Eyram’s presentation, Professor George Acheampong spoke about the role of the higher educational institutions in driving rural innovation. He underscored the roles that these institutions could play in making the BRIInG project a success through research, mentorship and resource mobilization.

An interactive questions and answer session took place after Professor Acheampong’s presentation and the first part of the session was wrapped up with an official onboarding of the new members to the RING by Miss Buame.

The second session which took place after a short coffee break commenced with an introduction to the Innovation Clinics by Mr. Appiagyei, accompanied by some video highlights with of the BRIIng project so far.

Mr. Ekow Kwoffie, a trainer and consultant at MDF West Africa, continued with an insightful and interactive training session for the various facilitators for the RING where he educated them on drafting training plans and how to embark on an effective training session by taking into consideration their audience, the temperaments of their audience the most suitable methodologies for their training.

The facilitators present , were placed in groups and given projects to practicalize what they had learnt, and the virtual participants were not excluded from these group activities.

Phase 3 of the BRIIng project marks a progress toward connecting academic research with rural innovation. By equipping facilitators, enhancing collaboration, and building technological capacity, the initiative is primed to make a lasting impact in rural communities in Ghana.