Yaw Agyeman BOAFO (Ph.D)

Profile

Dr. Yaw Agyeman Boafo is a Senior Research Fellow in Climate Change and Sustainability Studies at the Centre for Climate Change and Sustainability Studies, University of Ghana. With a Ph.D. in Sustainability Science focusing on Climate Change and Sustainability Assessments, he draws on both conceptual and practical approaches to examine the implications of human-nature interactions. His current research and teaching interests include climate change adaptation and mitigation, nature-based solutions (biodiversity and ecosystem services), disaster risk reduction and resilience, food, and farming systems. Over the past 10 years, Yaw has been active in undertaking and contributing to multi-level and multi-stakeholder climate change and biodiversity assessments (national, regional, and district) including serving as a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) and Lead Reviewer for Ghana’s Fourth National Communication to the UNFCC. Yaw is passionate about using participatory methodologies to undertake solution-oriented research to generate outcomes, which challenge stakeholders to design and apply practical transformative resilience strategies.

    Senior Research Fellow
    Email: yboafo@ug.edu.gh

      Presently my teaching and research focus on:

      • Sustainability Science and Sustainable Development (Theory and Practice)
      • Integrated Climate and Ecosystem Change Assessment
      • Food systems (Food Security, Food Loss and Waste)
      • Environmental Management and Socio-Ecological Landscape Resilience

       

      Teaching Overview

      CCSD 609: Climate Change and Biodiversity

      CCSD 611: Population, Climate Change and Food Security

      CCSD 612: Ecosystem-Based Adaptation

       

      Selected Academic Publications

      Articles in refereed journals

      1. Akanwake JB, Atinga RA, Boafo YA (2022) Effect of climate change on cerebrospinal meningitis morbidities and mortalities: A longitudinal and community-based study in Ghana. PLOS Clim 1(8): e0000067. doi:10.1371/journal.pclm.0000067
      2. Puplampu, D.A. & Boafo, Y.A. (2021). Exploring the impacts of urban expansion on green spaces availability and delivery of ecosystem services in the Accra Metropolis. Environmental Challenges. 5(12), 100283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envc.2021.100283
      3. Browne, A, N., K., Owusu, K., & Boafo, Y.A. (2020). Projected temperature increases over northern Ghana. SN Applied Sciences, (June). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42452-020-3095-3
      4. Jarzebski, M.P., Ahmed, A., Boafo, Y.A. et al (2020). Food security impacts of industrial crop production in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the impact mechanisms. Food Security. 12 (1), 105-135.  doi:10.1007/s12571-019-00988-x
      5. Owusu, K., Asiedu, A.B., Yankson, P.W.K. & Boafo, Y.A. (2019). Impacts of Ghana’s Bui dam hydroelectricity project on the livelihood of downstream non-resettled communities. Sustainability Science., 14 (2) 487-499. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-018-0588-8, Springer
      6. Boafo, Y. A. Balde, B.S., Saito, O., Gasparatos, A., Lam, R.D., Ouedraogo, N., Chamba, E., & Moussa, Z.P. (2018). Stakeholder perceptions of the outcomes of reforms on the performance and sustainability of the cotton sector in Ghana and Burkina Faso: A tale of two countries. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 4 (1), 1477541. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2018.1477541, Taylor and Francis
      7. Nsioh, M.N., Saito. O., Sato, A. Boafo, Y.A., & Jasaw, G.S. (2018). Traditional and Local Knowledge Practices for Disaster Risk Reduction in Northern Ghana.  Sustainability, 10 (3), 825. https://doi:10.3390/su10030825, MDPI
      8. Owusu, V., & Boafo, Y. A. (2018). Opportunities and Challenges for Multi-Level-Stakeholder Participation in Community-Based Ecotourism Development: The Case of the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary, Ghana. Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea, 21(1), 53–68. https://doi.org/10.23841/egsk.2018.21.1.53
      9. Jasaw, G. S., Saito, O., Gasparatos, A., Shoyama, K., Boafo, Y. A., & Takeuchi, K. (2017). Ecosystem services trade-offs from high fuelwood use for traditional shea butter processing in semi-arid Ghana. Ecosystem Services, 27, Part A, 127–138.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.09.003, Elsevier
      10. Lam, R.D., Boafo, Y.A., Degefa, S. Gasparatos, A., and Saito. O. (2017). ‘Assessing the food security outcomes of industrial crop expansion in smallholder settings: insights from cotton production in Northern Ghana and sugarcane production in Central Ethiopia’. Sustainability Science (2017), 1-17.  https://doi: 10.1007/s11625-017-0449-x. , Springer
      11. Oteng-Yeboah A., Dunbar W., Boafo Y.A & Ichikawa K. (2016). ‘Securing biodiversity and ecosystem services in Africa: Notes from the 2015 Satoyama Initiative Regional Workshop in Accra, Ghana’, Bothalia 46 (1), 2030. http://dx.doi.org/10.4102/abc.v46i1.2030. AOSIS Publishing 
      12. Boafo Y.A., Saito, O., Jasaw, G.S., Otsuki, K.& Takeuchi, K. (2016). Provisioning ecosystem services-sharing as a coping and adaptation strategy among rural communities in Ghana's semi-arid ecosystem. Ecosystem Services, 19, 92-102, ISSN 2212-0416, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoser.2016.05.002.  Elsevier
      13. Boafo Y.A., Saito O., Kato, s., Kamiyama C., Takeuchi K., & Nakahara M. (2015). The role of traditional ecological knowledge in ecosystem services management: the case of four rural communities in Northern Ghana. International Journal of Biodiversity Science, Ecosystem Services & Management. 12 (1-2), pp.24-38. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/21513732.2015.1124454.  Taylor and Francis
      14. Antwi, E.K., Boakye-Danquah, J., Owusu, A.B. Loh, S.K., Mensah, R.  Boafo Y.A. &, Apronti, P.T. (2015). Community vulnerability assessment index for flood prone savannah agro-ecological zone: A case study of Wa West District, Ghana. Weather and Climate Extremes, 10 (2015), 56-69.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.wace.2015.10.008. Elsevier
      15. Antwi, K, Otsuki K; Saito, O; Obeng, F; Gyekye, A.G, Boakye-Danquah J; Boafo Y.A. et al. (2014).  Developing a Community-Based Resilience Assessment Model with Reference to Northern Ghana. Journal of Integrated Disaster Risk Management, Vol. 4 (1): 73-92. http://idrimjournal.com/index.php/idrim/article/view/101. Integrated Disaster Risk Management 
      16. Boafo Y.A., Saito O., & Takeuchi K., (2014). Provisioning Ecosystem Services in Rural Savanna Landscapes of Northern Ghana. Assessment of Supply, Utilization and Drivers of Change.  Journal of Disaster Research, Vol. 9 (4), 501-515. Available at https://www.fujipress.jp/jdr/dr/dsstr000900040501/. Fuji Press
      17. Boafo Y.A, Asiedu A. B, Addo-Appeaning K., Antwi E.K., & Boakye-Danquah J. (2014). Assessing Landcover Changes from Coastal Tourism Development in Ghana: Evidence from the Kokrobite-Bortianor Coastline, Accra. Journal of Civil and Environment Research. Vol. 6 (6), 9-19. Available online at http://www.iiste.org/Journals/index.php/CER/article/view/13435

      Refereed Book Chapters

      1. Boafo Y.A., Saito, O., Jasaw. G.S., Yiran G.A.B., Dam R.L., Mohan, G.& Kranjac-Berisavljevic G. (2020) Perceived Community Resilience to Floods and Droughts Induced by Climate Change in Semi-arid Ghana. In: Gasparatos A. et al. (eds) Sustainability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa I. Science for Sustainable Societies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4458-3_6
      2. Jarzebski M.P. Ahmed A. Boafo, Y.A.et al. (2020) Linking Industrial Crop Production and Food Security in Sub-Saharan Africa: Local, National and Continental Perspectives. In: Gasparatos A. et al. (eds) Sustainability Challenges in Sub-Saharan Africa I. Science for Sustainable Societies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-4458-3_3
      3. Saito O., Boafo Y.A., Abe M. (2020) Synthesis: Can Sharing Enhance the Sustainability and Resilience of Our Society? In: Saito O. (eds) Sharing Ecosystem Services. Science for Sustainable Societies. Springer, Singapore
      4. Boafo, Y.A., Lam, D.R., Denabo B, J, & Saito, O., (2019) The role of sustainability science in addressing Africa’s sustainable development challenges and priorities: A bibliometric survey. In C. Aguirre-Bastos, J. Chaves-Chaparro and S. Aricò, (eds) Co-Designing Science in Africa: First steps in assessing the sustainability science approach on the ground. Paris, UNESCO. ISBN:978-92-3-100319-6Available here: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000368900?posInSet=1&queryId=1985b200-cde3-4d10-87f9-1707638a1ff6
      5. Saito O., Boafo Y.A., Jasaw G.S. (2018). Toward Enhancing Resilience to Climate and Ecosystem Changes in Semi-Arid Africa: Evidence from Northern Ghana. In: Saito O., Kranjac-Berisavljevic G., Takeuchi K., A. Gyasi E. (eds) Strategies for Building Resilience against Climate and Ecosystem Changes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Science for Sustainable Societies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4796-1_1
      6. Saito O. Boafo Y.A., Jasaw G.S et al.  (2018). The Ghana Model for Resilience Enhancement in Semiarid Ghana: Conceptualization and Social Implementation. In: Saito O., Kranjac-Berisavljevic G., Takeuchi K., A. Gyasi E. (eds) Strategies for Building Resilience against Climate and Ecosystem Changes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Science for Sustainable Societies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4796-1_2
      7. Saito O., Boafo Y.A. et al. (2018). Internationalization and Localization of the Ghana Model: Lessons Learned, Opportunities for Upscaling, and Future Directions. In: Saito O., Kranjac-Berisavljevic G., Takeuchi K., A. Gyasi E. (eds) Strategies for Building Resilience against Climate and Ecosystem Changes in Sub-Saharan Africa. Science for Sustainable Societies. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-4796-1_18
      8. Boafo Y.A, Ichikawa, K. Dunbar, W., & Manago, C. (2016). Understanding current status, trends and efforts at revitalization of socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes in Africa. Chapter 1 in Yaw Agyeman Boafo & Kaoru Ichikawa, (eds), Socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) in Africa, United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Tokyo, ISBN (Hardcopy) 978-92-808-4569-3 (eBook) 978-92-808-4564-8. Pp. 1-11. Available online at http://satoyama-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SEPLS-in-Africa_FINAL_lowres_web.pdf
      9. Boafo, Y.A. Ziem R, & Alhassan, A., (2016). Compound farming systems in semi-arid Ghana: a socio-ecological production landscape in decline. Chapter 6 in Boafo. Y.A. & Ichikawa, K. (eds), Socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes (SEPLS) in Africa, United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Tokyo, ISBN (Hardcopy) 978-92-808-4569-3 (eBook) 978-92-808-4564-8. Pp. 44-51. Available online at http://satoyama-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SEPLS-in-Africa_FINAL_lowres_web.pdf

      Edited Book

      UNU-IAS & IR3S/UTIAS. (2016). Socio-ecological production landscapes and seascapes in Africa (Yaw Agyeman Boafo & Kaoru Ichikawa, eds). United Nations University Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, Tokyo. August 2016 ISBN (Hardcopy) 978-92-808-4569-3; ISBN (eBook): 978-92-808-4564-8. Available online at http://satoyama-initiative.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/SEPLS-in-Africa_FINAL_lowres_web.pdf

      Published Conference Papers

      1. Dam Lam, R., Boafo, Y.A., Degefa, S., and Saito, O., (2016). Food Security and Gender Equality under Industrial Crop Expansion in Ethiopia and Ghana. Environmental System Research Paper Lecture Collection/Civil Engineering Society, 44:2016. 159-164, ISSN 1345-9589

      Others (News, Web, Blogs)

      1. Boafo. Y.A. (2016). Disseminating Research Findings through Community Theatre in Ghana., United Nations University. Available at http://ias.unu.edu/en/news/news/disseminating-research-findings-through-community-theatre-in-ghana.html