CSIR - Forestry Research Institute Of Ghana

What CSIR - Forestry Research Institute Of Ghana does

CSIR-FORIG is the Forestry Research Institute of Ghana, a government research institute operating under the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Ghana, headquartered in Fumesua, Kumasi, Ashanti Region. Established in 1964 with approximately 125 employees, the institute conducts demand-driven research on sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation, wood science, and ecosystem services, organized across seven research divisions (Forest Economics and Marketing; Wood Industry and Utilization; Forest and Climate Change; Biodiversity Conservation and Ecosystem Services; Forest Policy, Governance and Livelihoods; Forest Improvement and Productivity; and Commercialisation).

The institute's core capabilities span physical laboratory infrastructure and scientific research output. Notable technical assets include the Wood and Furniture Testing Centre (WFTC) — the first of its kind in West Africa and the third in Africa — which tests Ghanaian and imported wood and furniture products against international trade standards, and Ghana's first Wildlife Museum at Fumesua, housing DNA collections and species information for conservation education. Research outputs include the Ghana Journal of Forestry, policy briefs, technical reports, and a Graduate School delivering specialized forestry education. The institute also holds the distinction of originating the Phrynobatrachus afiabirago frog species discovery (2025) by Dr. Caleb Ofori Boateng.

CSIR-FORIG's business model is predominantly public-sector funded: core research operations are financed by the Government of Ghana through CSIR, with supplementary revenue from international donor-funded projects (ITTO, UNIDO, SECO/Switzerland), low-fee skills training workshops (mushroom and snail farming at GH¢500-550 per participant), and ecotourism services at Bobiri Forest and the Wildlife Museum. Primary customers are the Government of Ghana for policy and conservation research, with secondary engagement with cocoa farmers, youth entrepreneurs, and academic partners (e.g., University of Missouri). Commercialization is handled through a dedicated Commercialisation Division, and the institute is led by Director Dr. Kwame Antwi Oduro with Deputy Director Dr. Lucy Amissah (ITTO-recognized).

Name

CSIR - Forestry Research Institute Of Ghana

Legal name

Forestry Research Institute of Ghana

Website

https://csir-forig.org.gh

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

CSIR-FORIG is Ghana's national forestry research institute under CSIR Ghana, conducting demand-driven research on sustainable forest management, biodiversity conservation, and climate change across seven specialized divisions, serving the Government of Ghana, donors, and forest-dependent communities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Forestry Research Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Forestry (1153), Support Activities for Forestry (11531), Administration of Conservation Programs (92412)

SIC

Forestry (800), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAIAMAF

Forestry & Public Lands Administration (State/National Forests)

Business & Public Services/Public Sector & Government Administration/Environmental Protection & Natural Resources Administration

SECONDARYIMAMAAAJ

Forest Carbon Projects & Ecosystem Services (Carbon Credits, Biodiversity)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Paper & Forest Products/Forestry & Logging

SECONDARYAFAMAAAE

Forest Health Management (Pest, Disease & Invasive Species Control)

Agriculture & Food Production/Forestry & Logging/Forest Management & Silviculture

Keywords

• Forestry research services
• Biodiversity conservation
• Wood testing services
• Climate change research
• Wildlife conservation education

Headquarters

HQ city

Kumasi

HQ country

Ghana

HQ region

Africa

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations

Revenue model

1. Government Research Funding: Core funding from Government of Ghana through CSIR for conducting forestry research and development activities.
2. Donor Funded Projects: Research projects funded by international organizations including ITTO, UNIDO, and other development partners.
3. Training Services: Skills training programs including mushroom farming and snail farming workshops offered for fees (GH¢500-550 per participant).
4. Ecotourism: Ecotourism services including visits to Bobiri Forest and the wildlife museum.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

CSIR-FORIG conducts demand-driven forestry research and promotes the application of technologies for sustainable management of Ghana's forest resources. The institute delivers specialized testing services through the Wood and Furniture Testing Centre, wildlife conservation education through the CSIR Wildlife Museum, graduate-level academic programs, and skills training workshops (mushroom and snail farming). Itoperates as a government-mandated research body funded by the Government of Ghana and international donor organizations.

Product overview

CSIR-FORIG is a forestry research institute under Ghana's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, operating as a collection of specialized research divisions rather than a unified software product. The institute offers a portfolio of research, training, testing, and educational services organized through its various divisions (Forest Economics and Marketing, Wood Industry and Utilization, Forest and Climate Change, Biodiversity Conservation, Forest Policy and Governance, Forest Improvement and Productivity, and Commercialisation). Supporting services include a Graduate School, Skills Training Programs, the Wood and Furniture Testing Centre (WFTC) for testing services, the CSIR Wildlife Museum for conservation education, and various publications including the Ghana Journal of Forestry and policy briefs. The institute conducts demand-driven research for sustainable forest management.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• CSIR Wildlife Museum A museum at Fumesua featuring collections of parts from rare wildlife species, DNAs, and species information to promote local wildlife conservation, educate visitors, and facilitate scientific discovery. It is the first wildlife museum in Ghana.
• Wood and Furniture Testing Centre (WFTC) A wood and furniture testing laboratory that tests Ghanaian and imported wood and furniture products to ensure they meet required trade standards for consumer use and protection. The first of its kind in West Africa and the third in Africa.
• Skills Training Programs Paid skills training workshops for individuals and small entrepreneurs, including mushroom cultivation (GH¢500 per participant) and snail farming (GH¢550 per participant), hosted at Fumesua-Kumasi and Accra.
• Graduate School Graduate-level academic programs offered by CSIR-FORIG in forestry and related disciplines.
• Bobiri Forest Ecotourism Ecotourism services at the Bobiri Forest heritage site, including visitor visits and conservation education for individuals and groups.

Quantifiable outcome

• First wildlife museum established in Ghana for wildlife conservation education
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Forest Plantation Development Fund Board (FPDFB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2000FPDFB was established by Forest Plantation Development Fund Act, 2000 (Act 583) to accelerate forest plantation establishment. CSIR-FORIG conducts research for youth in plantation programs under this initiative.
• UNIDOcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUnited Nations Industrial Development Organization commissioned the Wood and Furniture Testing Centre at CSIR-FORIG, with support from the Government of Switzerland through SECO. This is the first testing facility of its kind in West Africa.
• University of MissouriminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint research project between University of Missouri's International Programs and CSIR-FORIG on documenting the impact of illegal small-scale artisanal gold mining on cocoa cultivation.
• ITTO (International Tropical Timber Organization)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerITTO provides global recognition to CSIR-FORIG scientists for their contributions to tropical forestry research, including Deputy Director Dr. Lucy Amissah.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• CIRAD (Centre de coopération internationale en recherche agronomique pour le développement): French public research body focused on tropical agriculture, forestry, and biodiversity; comparable in operating model as a publicly funded research institute working on sustainable tropical forestry in developing countries.
• CIFOR-ICRAF (Center for International Forestry Research and World Agroforestry): Global forestry and agroforestry research organization conducting demand-driven tropical forestry and climate research, closely matching CSIR-FORIG's mandate around sustainable forest management, biodiversity, and climate change.
• Forest Research Institute (FRI), India: India's national forestry research institute under ICFRE; runs research, training, and education programs on forestry, wood products, and biodiversity — the most structurally similar national forestry research peer.

Broad incumbents

• Bureau Veritas: International testing, inspection, and certification firm operating wood, furniture, and materials testing labs; competes for trade-standard compliance testing in West Africa.
• TÜV Rheinland: Global testing and certification provider offering furniture and wood product conformity services; comparable to the WFTC's testing-and-certification mandate at international scale.
• SGS Société Générale de Surveillance: Global testing, inspection, and certification company with wood and materials testing services; relevant to CSIR-FORIG's WFTC business as a large-scale commercial testing competitor.
• CSIR-Water Research Institute (CSIR-WRI), Ghana: Another CSIR Ghana institute working on natural resources research with government-funded, multi-division structure analogous to CSIR-FORIG.
• CSIR-Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), Ghana: Sister CSIR institute in Ghana; comparable as a state agricultural/forestry-adjacent research body under the same CSIR Ghana umbrella with shared funding, governance, and capacity-building programs.

Others

• Forest Stewardship Council (FSC): Global forest certification standards body; not a direct competitor but a closely linked ecosystem player whose standards govern the kind of testing and certification work CSIR-FORIG's WFTC supports.

Regional players

• INRAB (Institut National des Recherches Agricoles du Bénin): Benin's national agricultural and forestry research institute; comparable as a West African state research body conducting forestry, agroforestry, and natural resources research with similar funding model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/csir-forestry-research-institute-of-ghana

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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