Dr. Seth D. Boateng (BSc (Agric) MPhil (Ghana), PhD Agric. Extension (Reading) )

Academic Qualifications

• 2003-2007          University of Reading                  PhD (International & Rural Development)
• 1992-1994          University of Ghana, Legon         M.Phil. Agricultural Extension.
• 1989-1991          University of Ghana, Legon         BSc. Agriculture

Research Interest 
1. Decentralization and agricultural extension delivery in Ghana.
2. Curriculum development for pre-tertiary education.
Name of research group: Science team for national Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NACCA)

Current Research
2020 to date:  Lead investigator, The effects of Decentralization on Agricultural Extension Delivery in Ghana. An empirical study to assess whether the anticipated benefits of decentralisation have been realised especially in terms of effective agricultural extension delivery. The purpose of this research is to review existing evidence on agricultural extension service delivery within the context of decentralised governance system, which involves the establishment of local governments (LGs) at various regional, municipal and district levels with attendant powers and responsibilities. The focus is on agricultural advisory or extension services delivery, staff motivation, farmer participation and agricultural innovation generation and dissemination.
The project aims at

• Analyzing the relationship between decentralization and agricultural service delivery.
• Analyzing the extent to which decentralization has affected participation and grassroot engagement?
• Assessing how decentralization has affected availability of financial resources for extension
• Assessing the effect of decentralization on Agricultural Extension Agents job performance, satisfaction and motivation
• Examining the relationship between the various departments within the District Assemblies and central government and how such relationships impact on extension delivery.

2. 2021 to date: Assessment of the contribution of Planting for Food and Jobs Programme towards increasing farmer participation, on-farm productivity, and adoption of new technologies.
The project aims at

• Assessing farmers’ awareness and levels of adoption of subsidized inputs (seeds and fertilizers) under the PFJ program and its implication on crop productivity.
• Analysing the impact of extension component of the PFJ program on increasing farmer participation, productivity, and adoption of new technologies.
• Assessing the implication of PFJ interventions on on-farm and off-farm job creation.
• Assessing the use of ICT platforms in the implementation of PFJ interventions and its implication on efficient governance and management of the outputs of the program.
• Identifying consensus on practical policy solutions for improved design and implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs program.

3. 2015 - 2020: Project Management Team Member, USAID Feed the Future Institutional Capacity Building for Agricultural Productivity Project. University of Ghana, School of Agriculture, Legon. The overallgoal of the project is to improve sustainable agricultural productivity and food security through the training of scientists in plant breeding, biotechnology, crop and soil science, economic policy management, and business capacity building in response to the need for augmenting the human and institutional capacities of targeted Ghanaian institutions for improving service delivery to enhance economic growth.

Past Research

1. National multi-stakeholder agricultural education project 2017 funded by ESRC Impact Acceleration Account Program 2016-2017.

2. Developing vocational pedagogy to improve the teaching and learning in African schools and reduce youth unemployment. Funded by CAPREx (Cambridge Africa Program in Research Excellence) and the Alborada Fund 2016-2017

3. Development of training modules and conducting training for Fisheries Commission workers in Microenterprise development (December 2015). Funded by Fisheries Department.

Recent publications

1. Aidoo, D. C., Boateng, S. D., Freeman, C. K., Anaglo, J. N. (2021) The effect of smallholder maize farmers’ perceptions of climate change on their adaptation strategies: the case of two agro-ecological zones in Ghana. Heliyon, Elsevier Ltd. Vol 7, issue 11, E08307.

2. Ankrah, D.  A., Kwapong, N.  A., Boateng, S. D. (2021) Indigenous knowledge and science-based predictors reliability and its implication for climate adaptation in Ghana. African Journal of Science, Technology, innovation and Development, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. DOI:10.1080/20421338.2021.1923394

3. Boateng, S. D. & Agbe, K. K.  (2018) The contribution of enterprise establishment factors to the employment growth of the pineapple industry in the Nsawam Adoagyiri District in the  Eastern Region of Ghana. Science and Development. Vol. 2 No. 1, 19-27

4. Manteaw, S. A., Anaglo, J. N.,  Boateng S. D.,  Folitse, B. Y. (2018) How the Policy Environment Influences Value Chain Linkage: A Comparative Study of Cocoa and Pineapple in Ghana. Pelita Perkebunan 34 (1) 2018, 66—78

5. Boateng, S. D., Amoah, I. A. & Anaglo, J. N. (2016) The influence of demographic factors, products and service characteristics of microfinance institutions on repayment performances of farmers in the Eastern region of Ghana. Journal of Ghana Science Association. Vol 16. No. 2, 2016, 19-26

6. Boateng, S. D., C. A. Boateng & Anaglo, J. N (2014) Preferred agricultural information sources among crop farmers in the Central Tongu District. Researchjournali’s Journal of Sociology. Vol 2, No. 3, March 2014.

7. Anaglo, J. N.   S. D Boateng & C. A. Boateng (2014) Gender and access to agricultural resources by smallholder farmers in the Upper West Region of Ghana.  Journal of Education and Practice. ISSN 2222-1735. Vol 5, No. 5,  2014: 13-19

8. Manteaw, S. A., J. N. Anaglo & S. D. Boateng (2015) The dynamics of linkages and innovativeness in publicly and privately driven agricultural value chains. Journal of Agricultural Extension. Vol. 19 (1) June 2015: 1-23

Professional Membership(s)

• Ghana Science Association
• Ghana Forum of Agricultural Advisory Support and Services

Awards

• Commonwealth Scholarship to pursue PhD from 2003 to 2007