Brief background

I am a dynamic young person with great passion to promote agricultural development and environmental sustainability. I have Bachelor of Science in Botany, MPhil in Environmental Science and currently undertaking PhD in Crop Science (Agronomy option), all from the University of Ghana. I have good research and teaching experience in Biodiversity Conservation and Carbon Sequestration, Climate Change and Agricultural Sustainability and Forest Management.

The eight shade trees Alstona boonei (Nyamedua), Cedrela odorata (Cedrela), Cola nitida (Bissi), Khaya ivorensis (Mahogany), Milicia excelsa (Odum), Terminalia ivorensis (Emere), Terminalia superba (Ofram) and Triplochiton scleroxylon (Wawa). The research was undertaken in seven (7) cocoa communities made up of Asankragua, Achichire, Pebease, Nkrankrom, and Yebrebrenenyi in the Western region and Anyinakrom and Akumadan in the Ashanti regions of Ghana.  

Bismark’s PhD Thesis titled, “Effects of Agroforestry and Climate on Cocoa Yield, Pests and Diseases” was supervised by a team of researchers from both academia and industry. They included Prof. Vincent Yao Eziah (UG), Prof. Hans Peter Ravn (KU), Dr. Richard Asare (International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, IITA) and Dr. Philippe Vaast (Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche, Agronomique Pour le Développement, CIRAD). Publications from Work Package 2 and other supporting work packages are below. 

Research Stay in Denmark (PhD Student)

The three months study stay (Experiential Research Learning) in Denmark was aimed at providing the requisite preparations for the thesis phase of the PhD programme while contributing to the fulfilment of conditions for the double PhD degree from the University of Ghana and the University of Copenhagen. The stay facilitated the completion of the final PhD work plan as demanded by the University of Copenhagen as well as the participation in a mandatory PhD course (Responsible Conduct of Research) and a recommended statistics course (Statistics for the Biosciences). The two courses contributed to the cumulative ECTS required for the merit of the PhD degree from the University of Copenhagen.

The stay however, promoted acquaintance between PhD student and the supervisory team as well as the provision of a change in scientific environment. The period was also marked with an experimentation involving insect identification and sampling which is important, as major components of the main thesis work or project relates to insect ecology and cocoa yield. Sections of journal club together with day to day activities of literature reading and review, provided the platform for understanding the concept of agroforestry and cocoa systems, and how they relate with climate conditions, pest and diseases. Finally, the stay provided the opportunity for deliberations on the types of equipment and the acquisition of such equipment to enhance data acquisition in Ghana.

Lessons

• Good scientific research ethics and conducts involving the management of authorship related issues, data management, research planning, referencing and ‘student-supervisor’ relationship management etc.
• How to choose and use specific statistical tools or modules to enhance the right outcome of data analysis as well as correct interpretation of research data outputs.
• How to identify and sample insects in different experimentations.
• How to access and utilize literature material via the University of Copenhagen Library both within and outside Denmark

The study stay achieved its main purpose of providing direction for the accomplishment of the PhD thesis or research work. It further provided measured that will help meet both the CLIMCOCOA project objectives as well as the conditions for the double PhD degrees from both the University of Ghana and the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. The study stay also provided us (the PhD candidates) with the requisite statistical tools, research ethics and attitudes towards good and responsible research conducts.

Publications 

1. Asitoakor, B.K., Asare, R., Ræbild, A., Ravn, H.P., Eziah, Y.V., Owusu, K., Mensah, E.O. and Vaast, P. (2022). Influences of climate variability on cocoa health and productivity in agroforestry systems in Ghana. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 327 (109199). 1 – 13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2022.109199   
2. Asitoakor, B.K., Ræbild, A., Ravn, H.P., Vaast, P, Eziah, Y.V., Owusu, K., Mensah, E.O. and Asare, R. (2022). Selected shade tree species improved cocoa yields in low-input agroforestry systems in Ghana.  Agricultural Systems. 202 (103476). 1 – 9.  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2022.103476  
3. Mensah, E.O., Asare, R., Vaast, P., Amoatey, C.A., Markussen, B., Owusu, K., Asitoakor, B.K., and Ræbild, A. (2022). Limited effects of shade on physiological performances of cocoa (Theobroma cacao L.) under elevated temperature. Environmental and Experimental Botany. 201 (104983), 1 – 11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envexpbot.2022.104983  
4. Asitoakor, B.K., Vaast, P., Asare, R., Ræbild, A., Eziah, Y.V., Owusu, K., Mensah, E.O. and Ravn, H.P. Exploring the potential of different shade tree species in managing mirid infestation and black pod disease in cocoa agroforestry systems. (Manuscript under development).  
5. Mensah, E.O., Ræbild, A., Asare, R., Amoatey, C.A., Markussen, B. Owusu, K., Asitoakor, B.K., and Vaast, P., Shade improves physiological responses of 12-year cocoa plants to rainwater suppression. (Manuscript under development).  

Book Chapters

6. Asitoakor, B.K., Ræbild, A., Vaast, P., Ravn, H.P., Owusu, K., Mensah, E.O., & Asare, R.  Chapter 3: Shade tree species matter for sustainable cocoa agroforestry management (Manuscript under development).  
7. Mensah, E.O., Vaast, P., Asare, R., Amoatey, C.A., Owusu, K., Asitoakor, B.K., & Ræbild, A. Chapter 2: Ecophysiology of cocoa under heat and drought stress (Manuscript under development).  

Conference Presentations

8. Oral paper presentation:  “Influences of climate variability on cocoa health and productivity in agroforestry systems in Ghana” at the 5th World Congress on Agroforestry, Quebec City, Canada, (17 – 21 July 2022).  
9. Oral paper presentation:  “Shade tree species influence soil fertility and yields differently in cocoa systems” at CocoaSoil Workshop “Reconciling Different Objectives in Cocoa Landscapes from National to Local Levels: Identifying Research Needs”, Accra – Ghana, (26 – 27 April 2022). 
10. Oral paper presentation:  “Exploring the potential of different shade tree species in influencing mirid infestation and black pod disease management in cocoa-agroforestry systems" at the Annual Meeting of American Association of Geographers (AAG), (8 – 11 April 2021).