Akwasi Mensah-Bonsu

Profile

Akwasi Mensah-Bonsu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Agribusiness, University of Ghana, Legon. He holds a PhD in Development Economics from Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, awarded in 2003. His areas of research include development economics and policy analysis for agriculture, modelling of the agricultural sector resources use and production efficiency analysis, benefit cost analysis, project managing (including monitoring and evaluation). He has undertaken a number of research as well as other extension works for both local and international agencies, including Ghana’s Ministry of Food and Agriculture, FAO, DANIDA, UNDP, NEPAD and icipe.

Academic Qualifications
1. PhD Development Economics (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam, 2003)
2. MPhil. Agricultural Economics (University of Ghana, 1998)
3. BSc. Agriculture (Agricultural Economics) (University of Ghana, 1992)

Research interest 
Areas of research interest include development economics and policy analysis, modelling of the agricultural sector resources (farm inputs) use and production (food crops, cash crops and livestock, particularly poultry) efficiency, benefit cost analysis, project management (including monitoring and evaluation), and environmental issues. Current Research Focus: Value chain study; agricultural investment study; farm production analysis.

Current research/project(s)

• Team Leader: Palm Oil Investment Case Study, Ghana for Tropical Forest Alliance (TFA) and Proforest, Ghana, September – December, 2022.
• Associate Consultant: an external evaluation of NORAD supported project entitled Combating Arthropod Pest for Better Health, Food and Climate Resilience (CAP-Africa) Programme, implemented by icipe, Nairobi, Kenya. June – August 2022.
• Co-Researcher: Institutional framework to enhance the agri-innovation ecosystem within the University of Ghana (IFEA-Eco). 2020-2022, PASET RSIF, icipe, Nairobi Kenya.
• Co-Researcher: Building Resilient Agribusiness Practitioners through Design Thinking Approach (BRADeTA), 2020-2023, PASET RSIF, icipe, Nairobi Kenya
• Technical Partner: Creating Competitive Livestock Entrepreneurs in Agribusiness - Agri-Business Incubator (CCLEAr ABI), A Universities, Business and Research in Agricultural Innovation (UniBRAIN) Agribusiness Incubation Consortium, funded by (DANIDA). 2012 to date. Part of the Research Scientists that put the wining CCLEAr proposal together.

Past research projects

• Lead Researcher:  Socio-Economic Study of Biochar and Compost Use by Farmers. Research Study under USAID/UG Institutional Capacity Building for Agriculture Productivity Project.  2020-2021
• Project Management Team Member: Feed the future project UG/USAID Agriculture institutional capacity building to improve agricultural productivity and food security 2015-2021, United States Agency for International Development.
• Team Member, Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness, a baseline survey for Palladium International, LLC Ghana, on Feed the Future Ghana Mobilizing Finance in Agriculture (MFA) in 2021.
• Research Collaborator: Modeling the Effect of Private Sector Investment on Ghana’s Agriculture GDP Growth. Ministry of Finance, Ghana. 2017 – 2018
• Team Member: Assessment of the Profitability of Aquaculture in Ghana.  Ministry of Finance, Ghana. 2017 – 2018.
• Member: Independent Monitors of the Ghana Census of Agriculture data collection exercise. 2018. Led a Team of Two to undertake 10 days monitoring of the Ghana Census of Agriculture (GCA) in the Western region, June 28 – July 6, 2018 and submitted a preliminary report from the field and subsequently a final report Ghana Statistical Services at the end of the independent monitoring.
• Team Member: Department of Agricultural Economics & Agribusiness, Legon and Centre for Development Innovation, Wageningen Baseline Survey for Cocoa Rehabilitation and Intensification Programme, coordinated by Solidaridad West Africa, 2015. Developing baseline indicators to follow during annual field surveys and studies as part of the MELI framework.
• Member: the National Livestock Policy Hub, a multidisciplinary group formed to ensure broad stakeholder participation in Livestock policy process in Ghana. The Hub operates as a network of stakeholders interested in and committed to improving the institutional environment at the national and regional levels to provide effective and efficient livestock services in the country. Sept 2013 to Jan 2017. Hosted by Veterinary Services Department, Head Office, Accra and Supported by FAO, Accra.
•  Member, working group for reviewing animal health and production legislation in Ghana. Review completed
• Lead Researcher: Livestock Value Chain Study, 2015 – 2016, under the CCLEAr ABI partnership.
• Researcher Consultant: Cases Studies of Value Chain Development in Ghana, GSSP – IFPRI, February 2013 – January 2014.
• Research Partner: Post Harvest losses in Africa – Analytical Review and Synthesis: Ghana Study. icipe/IDRC. 2012 – 2013.
• Co-Researcher: Study of Ghana’s Seed Sector Development, GSSP – IFPRI: 2012.
• Researcher Collaborator: Value Chain Analysis of the Poultry sector: Impact of HPAI (Bird Flu) outbreak (Collaborative Research with Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI): 2009 – 2011.
• Researcher Collaborator: Role of poultry and Impact of HPAI on livelihoods in Ghana (Collaborative Research with Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI): 2009 – 2011.
• Researcher Collaborator: Benefit Cost Analysis of HPAI Control Measures: Household Survey (Collaborative Research with Markets, Trade and Institutions Division, IFPRI): 2009 – 2011.
• Investigator: Evaluation of the Implementation and Management of Fertilizer Subsidy Program in Africa, Ghana Study for NEPAD, November – December 2010.
• Team Member: Baseline Study for Ghana Agricultural Development and Value Chain Enhancement (ADVANCE) Project, A Study for ACDI-VOCA and Partners, 2010.
• Team Member/Development Economists: Study for the Production of District Human Development Reports by Department for UNDP. Responsible for the Preparation of the Human Development Report for the Kassena-Nankana District, Upper East Region, 2008/09.
• Investigator: Socio-Economic Impact Study of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Outbreaks on the Economy of the Avian Influenza Affected Communities, undertaken in collaboration with Ghana Veterinary Services Department for FAO/UNDP in 2008.
• Team Member: Root and Tuber Products Market Identification Survey undertaken by Department for RTIMP, MOFA, 2007/08.
• Co-Researcher: Linking Farmers to Market. Research in support of the Ghana Strategy Support Programme of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 2007.
• Co-Researcher. ISSER Land Tenure and Policy Reform Research Project. 2007.
• Researcher: Development of the Livestock and Poultry Industries in Ghana: Challenges and Prospects, A Research Paper developed for Ghana Veterinary Medical Association as Part of the Veterinary Week Celebration, April, 2006,.
• Researcher: The Livestock and Poultry Industry: Challenges in the Liberalised Economy, Research Paper prepared for the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association, under the Theme of the 31st Annual General Meeting of the Ghana Veterinary Medical Association. 2005
• Team Member: Poverty and Social Impact Analysis (PSIA) Studies Ghana: Economic Transformation of the Agricultural Sector, undertaken for the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC)/Ministry of Food and Agriculture  (MoFA), Ghana and DFID, for the Economic Transformation of the Agricultural Sector Study, 2004.
• Team Member/Socio-Economist: Study on Cocoa Replanting and Improved Technology Use in Ashanti Region: An Action Based Research Programme, under the SCCS project, 2003 – 2006.
• Team Member: CIDA/MOFA Food Security Programme in the Eastern Corridor of the Northern Region of Ghana, Baseline Measurement Study undertaken for CIDA/MOFA, 2002.
• Team Member: Cross-sectional Planning Group (CSPG) on Production Technology & Competitiveness, National Development Planning Commission, 2000-2001.
• Team Member/Socio-Economist: Integrated Crop Management Strategies for Plantain Production in Ghana, 1998, West African Plantain Project (funded by GTZ/IITA).

Awards

• Conference Organization Award, ORID, UG, 2019.
• Conference Grant Award by ORID, UG, 2018.
• Development Research Uptake in Sub-Saharan Africa (DRUSSA) Fellowship funded by DFID, UK, 2016.
• Brookings Institute Conference Travel Award, 2011.
• IFPRI Conference Travel Award, 2011.
• IDRI Travel Grant, 2010
• IFPRI Collaborative Research Travel Award 2009

Recent publications
Journal Articles

1. Selorm, A., Sarpong, D.B.S., Egyir, I.S., Mensah Bonsu, A., An, H. (2023). Does contract farming affect technical efficiency? Evidence from soybean farmers in Northern Ghana. Agricultural and Food Economics, 2023, 11(1), 9.

2. Kolog, J. D., Elikplim Asem, F. and Mensah-Bonsu, A. (2023). The state of food security and its determinants in Ghana: an ordered probit analysis of the household hunger scale and household food insecurity access scale, Scientific African, 19, doi.org/10.1016/j.sciaf.2023.e01579.

3. Ninson, J., Egyir, I.S., Mensah-Bonsu, A., Onumah, E.E. (2022). Financial Analysis of the Use of Land: Agriculture or Woodlot. Land, 11(5), 642. https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050642.
4. Amegnaglo, C. J., Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Anaman, K. A. (2022). Use and economic benefits of indigenous seasonal climate forecasts: evidence from Benin, West Africa. Climate and Development, DOI: 10.1080/17565529.2022.2027740.
5. Kodua, T. T., Onumah, E. E. & Mensah-Bonsu, A. (2022). Technical efficiency of improved and local variety seed maize farms in Ghana: A meta-frontier analysis. Cogent Economics & Finance, 10:1, 2022858, DOI: 10.1080/23322039.2021.2022858.
6. Atta Oppong, B., Onumah, E. E., Al-Hassan, R. M., & Mensah-Bonsu, A. (2021). Impact of Crop Productivity on Poverty among Farm Households in Ghana.  Acta Economica, 19(35), 77–94.
7. Boimah, M., Mensah-Bonsu, A., Osei-Asare, Y. and Sarpong, D. B. (2020). Measuring sustainability of conservation and conventional practices in maize production in Ghana, Journal of Agriculture and Environment for International Development, 114(2), 21 – 40.
8. Zanmassou, Y. C., Al-Hassan, R. M., Mensah-Bonsu, A., Osei-Asare, Y. B., & Igue, C. B. (2020). Assessment of smallholder farmers’ adaptive capacity to climate change: Use of a mixed weighting scheme. Journal of Environmental Management, 276, 1-8.
9. Mensah-Bonsu, A., Kpabitey, S., & Kuwornu, J. K. M. (2020). Perceived Governance Structure and Constraints in the Pig Supply Chain in Ghana. Science & Development, 4 (1), pp. 1 - 11.
10. Affedzie-Obresi, S., Adu-Aboagye, G., Nkegbe, E. K. Asuming Bediako, N., Ansah, K. O., Mensah-Bonsu, A., Sarpong, D.B., Amegashie, D.P.K., Kwadzo, G.T-M., Wallace, P.A. & Clottey, V. A. (2020). Black Soldier Fly (Hermitia illucens) Larvae Meal as Alternative Protein in Broiler Production in Ghana. Ghana Jnl Agric. Sci. 55 (1), 1 – 13.
11. Ameleke, G. Y., Haagsma, R., Karbo, N., & Mensah-Bonsu, A. (2020). The nature and drivers of contracts in cattle herding and management: The case of Ghana. Pastoralism, 10, 13. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00172-3.
12. Mensah-Bonsu, A., Lartey, N. N., & Kuwornu, J. K. M. (2019). Gender-segregated analysis of the poultry value chain in Ghana, Gender. Technology and Development, 23:2, 130-164.
13. Mensah-Bonsu, A., Owusu, C., Amegashie, D. P. K., & Kuwornu, J.K.M. (2019). Determinants of marketing channel choice among smallholder beef cattle farmers in Ghana’s forest-savannah transitional zone. Int. J. Value Chain Management, 10, No. 3, pp.238–257.
14. Osei-Asare, Y. B., Ansah, M. O., Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Kuwornu, J. K. M. (2018). Effect of gold mining on total factor productivity of farmers: Evidence from Ghana. Acta Agriculturae Slovenica, 111(2), 327 – 340.
15. Tinta, A. A., Sarpong, D. B., Ouedraogo, I. M., Al-Hassan, R., Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Onumah, E. E (2018). The effect of integration, global value chains and international trade on economic growth and food security in ECOWAS. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 4(1), 1465327.
16. Amegnaglo, C.J., Anaman, K. A., Mensah-Bonsu, A., Onumah, E. E. and Gero, F. A. (2017). Contingent valuation study of the benefits of seasonal climate forecasts for maize farmers in the Republic of Benin, West Africa. Climate Services, 6: 1 – 11.
17. Mensah-Bonsu, A., Sarpong, D. B.; Al-Hassan, R.; Asuming-Brempong, S.; Egyir, I. S.; Kuwornu, J. K. M.; and Osei-Asare, Y. B. (2017). Intensity of and Factors Affecting Land and Water Management Practices among Maize Farmers in Ghana. African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 12 (2) 142 - 157.
18. Baah, P. A., Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Jatoe, J. B. D. (2016). Compliance with GLOBALGAP Standards among Smallholder Pineapple Farmers in Akuapim – South, Ghana. Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 6(1): 21 – 38.
19. Birol, E., Asare-Marfo, D., Ayele, G., Mensah-Bonsu, A., Ndirangu, L., Okpukpara, B., Roy, D. and Yakhshilikov, Y. (2013). The Impact of Avian Flu on Livelihoods Outcomes in Africa: Evidence from Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria. African Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, 8(4) 275 - 288.
20. Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Tsiboe, F. (2012), Analysis of the Constraints and their Effects on the Marketing of Cassava by Farmers in the Ajumaku-Enyan-Essiam District of Ghana. Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science, 45: 95 - 108.
21. Mensah-Bonsu, A., Sarpong, D. B., & Asuming-Brempong, S. (2012). Analysis of Root and Tuber Crops Supply in Ghana: Simplified Nerlovian Supply Response Model, Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science, 45: 79 – 94.
22. Fousseni Barres, N., Mensah-Bonsu, A., & Sarpong, D. B. (2012). Avian Influenza Shock and Performance of the Chicken Markets in Benin. World's Poultry Science Journal, 68(3), 529 - 542.

Book

1. Manu, I., Osei-Asare, Y. B. and Mensah-Bonsu, A. (2019). The Cassava Value Chains and Economic Implications on Actors in Ghana. Lambert Academic Publishing.

Book Chapter

1. Manu, I., Mensah-Bonsu, A., Anim-Somuah, H. and Osei-Asare, Y. B. (2019). Trust, Governance, Upgrading and Market Power in the Cassava Value Chain of Southern Ghana. In Aidoo, R., Agbenorhevi, J. K., Wireko-Manu, F. D. and Wangel, A. (ed.). Roots and Tubers in Ghana: Overview and Selected Research Papers. Pg 45 – 79.
2. Kemeze L.S., Mensah-Bonsu A., Egyir I.S., Amegashie D.P.K., Nlom J.H. (2018) Impact of Bioenergy Crop Adoption on Total Crop Incomes of Farmers in Northern Ghana: The Case of Jatropha Curcas. In: Shimeles A., Verdier-Chouchane A., Boly A. (eds) Building a Resilient and Sustainable Agriculture in Sub-Saharan Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. Print ISBN   978-3-319-76221-0; Online ISBN 978-3-319-76222-7.
3. Tuffour, M., Mensah-Bonsu, A. & Osei-Asare, Y. B. (2014). Risk analysis of Broiler Production in the Greater Accra Region of Ghana. In Al-Hassan, W. Seini, Irene S. Egyir and John K. M. Kuwornu (eds), “Developments in Agricultural Economics and Contemporary Issues in Ghana”, pp. 65 – 81, University of Ghana Readers, University of Ghana, ISBN: 978-9988-1-9900-5.

Professional membership(s)
1. Ghana Association of Agricultural Economists
2. African Association of Agricultural Economists
3. Agricultural Economics Society, UK