Dr Peter Bilson Obour

Contact info pbobour@ug.edu.gh

About

Dr Peter Bilson Obour is a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana, Legon. He draws on multi-disciplinary approaches in soil science and social science to examine human-environment interactions at different scales. Some of the courses he teaches include:

GEOD 102: Introduction to Physical Geography

GEOD 202: Geomorphological Processes and Landforms

GEOD 203: Weather and Climate

GEOG 321: Soils and Biogeography

GEOG 342: Climatology

GEOG 477: Pedology

GEOG 488: Soil Survey

CCSD 701: Advanced Qualitative and Mixed Methods Research

CCSD 706: Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security

Education

2019: PhD, Agroecology-Soil Physics and Hydropedology, Aarhus University, Denmark.

2015: MSc, Agro-Environmental Management, Aarhus University, Denmark.

2012: MPhil, Environmental Science: Human and Socio-Economic Dimensions, Complutense University of Madrid, Spain.

2009: BA, Geography and Resource Development with Political Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana

Research Interest

Dr Peter Bilson Obour is a geographer and soil scientist with a range of research interests which focus on:

  • Soil management and soil structure, 
  • Soil fragmentation and friability,
  • Soil quality and soil health, 
  • Soil compaction, 
  • Soil organic matter,
  • Use of soil amendments in agriculture, 
  • Climate change and adaptation, 
  • Smallholder agriculture and food security, 
  • Water resources development

Current projects

Past projects

  • 2021– 2022    Principal Investigator: Long-term effect of rice straw biochar on soil quality for vegetable production (BioVeg). Seed Research Grant, Building a New Generation of Academics in Africa (BANGA-Africa) II.
  • 2018 – 2022   Team Member: FutureDAMS in collaboration with the University of Manchester, funded by the UK Research and Innovation–Economic and Social Research Council
  • 2019 – 2020    Principal Investigator: John Deere and Company Research Project on a literature review of soil compaction impact on soil physical properties and crop yield.
  • 2016 – 2017    Principal Investigator: Farmers’ assessment of soil quality for vegetable production in Sunyani Municipality, Ghana, Oticon Fonden research travel grant.
  • 2015 – 2016    Principal Investigator: Farmers’ knowledge and use of fertilizer in Sunyani Municipality, Ghana, Oticon Fonden research travel grant.

Publications

Refereed Journals

  1. Koranteng, A. F., Obour, P. B., & Owusu K. (2024). Government rainwater harvesting initiative in northern Ghana and its impacts on local livelihoods and work-life balance: Evidence from Savelugu Municipality, Local Environment. https://doi.org/10.1080/13549839.2024.2368526.
  2. Owusu, K., Obour, P. B., Asiedu, A. B., & Dye, B. J. (2023). Post-dam construction and livelihood revitalization of affected communities at Ghana’s Bui dam. Natural Resources Forum. doi: 10.1111/1477-8947.12365
  3. Kumi, F., Obour, P.B., Arthur, E., Moore, S.E. Asare, P. A., Asiedu, J., Angnuureng, D.B., Atiah, K., Amoah, K.K. Amponsah S.K., Dorvlo, S.Y., Banafo, S., Adu, M. O. (2023). Quantifying root-induced soil strength, measured as soil penetration resistance, from different crop plants and soil types. Soil & Tillage Research, 233, 105811. doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2023.105811
  4. Doe, E. K., Attua, E. M., Obour, P. B., Quaye, A. K., Fosu-Mensah, B.Y. (2023). Soil health and synergy of ecological determinants of green cocoa productivity in different soil ecotypes in Ghana. Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems, 7:1169015. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1169015
  5. Obour, P. B., Danso, E. O., Dorvlo, S. Y., & Arthur, E. (2023). Soil aggregate stability quantified by different methods is unaffected by rice straw biochar in the long-term. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 87: 1018-1028. https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20556
  6. Mak-Mensah, E., Zhou, X., Zhang, D., Zhao, W., Wang, Q., & Obour, P.B. (2023). Impact of maize straw biochar and tied-ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting on soil erosion and soil quality in a semi-arid region. Soil Use and Management, 39: 1304-1320. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12880
  7. Zhang, D., Mak-Mensah, E., Zhou, X., Wang, Q., & Obour, P.B. (2022). Impact of plastic film with wheat straw mulching on maize water use efficiency, evapotranspiration, and grain yield in northern China: A meta-analysis. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 23: 867–880. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-022-01089-z
  8. Mak-Mensah, E., Zhao, W., Zhou, X., Zhang, D., Zhao, X., Wang, Q., & Obour, P. B. (2022). Influence of tied-ridge with maize straw biochar on alfalfa fodder yield, nutritional quality and production economics. Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition, 23: 339–350.https://doi.org/10.1007/s42729-022-00939-0
  9. Mak-Mensah, E., Zhao, W., Zhou, X., Zhang, D., Zhao, X., Wang, Q., & Obour, P. B. (2022). Effects of ridge-furrow rainwater harvesting with maize straw biochar on fodder yield and water use efficiency of alfalfa in semiarid regions of China. Journal of Soils and Sediments, 22: 2750–2764. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-022-03262-4
  10. Mak-Mensah, E., Yeboah, F. K., Obour, P. B., Usman, S., Essel, E., Bakpa, E. P., Zhang, D., Zhou, X., Wang, X., Zhao, X., Zhao, W., Wang, Q., Adingo, S., & Ahiakpa, J. K., (2022). Integration of ridge and furrow rainwater harvesting systems and soil amendments improve crop yield under semi-arid conditions. Paddy and Water Environment, 20: 287–302. doi.org/10.1007/s10333-022-00900-y
  11. Obour, P. B., Arthur, I. K., & Owusu, K. (2022). The 2020 maize production failure in Ghana: A case study of Ejura-Sekyedumase Municipality. Sustainability, 14, 3514. https://doi.org/10.3390/ su14063514
  12. Adu, M. O., Atia, K., Arthur, E., Asare, P. A., Obour, P. B., Danso, E. O., Frimpong, K. A, Sanleri, A., Asare-Larbi, S., Adjei, R., Mensah, G., & Andersen, M. N. (2022). The use of oil palm empty fruit bunches as a soil amendment to improve growth and yield of crops. A meta-analysis. Agronomy for Sustainable Development,42,13. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-022-00753-z
  13. Obour, P. B., & Ugarte, M. C. (2021). A meta-analysis of the impact of traffic-induced compaction on soil physical properties and grain yield. Soil & Tillage Research, 211, 105019, doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2021.105019.
  14. Mak-Mensah, E., Obour, P. B., Usman, & Wang, Q. (2021). Influence of tied-ridge-furrow with inorganic fertilizer on grain yield across semiarid regions of Asia and Africa: a meta-analysis. PeerJ 9:e11904. Doi:10.7717/peerj.11904.
  15. Mak-Mensah, E., Obour, P. B., Essel, E., Wang, Q., & Ahiakpa, J. K. (2021). Influence of plastic film mulch with biochar application on crop yield, evapotranspiration, and water use efficiency in northern China: A meta-analysis. PeerJ, 9: e10967. Doi.org/10.7717/peerj.10967.
  16. Obour, P. B., Danso, E. O., Pouladi, N., Abenney-Mickson, S., Sabi, E. B., Monnie, F., & Arthur, E. (2020). Soil structure characteristics, functional properties and consistency limits response to rice straw biochar particle size and application rates in 36-month pot experiment. Soil Research, 58, 488-497.https://doi.org/10.1071/SR19296
  17. Barbosa, L. A. P., Munkholm, L. J., Obour, P. B., & Keller, T. (2020). Impact of compaction and post-compaction vegetation management on aggregate properties, Weibull modulus, and interactions with intra-aggregate pore structure. Geoderma, 374, 114430. Doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114430.
  18. Owusu, K., Obour, P. B., Boadi, S. A., & Oppong, R. (2020). Climate change impacts on staple root and tuber crops production: implications for smallholder farmers’ livelihoods in rural Ghana. International Journal of Sustainable Society, 12, 253-265. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSSOC.2020.109771
  19. Obour, P. B., Dadzie, F. A., Arthur, E., Munkholm, L. J., Saba, C. K. S., Rubæk, G. H., & Owusu, K. (2020). Integration of farmers’ knowledge and science-based assessment of soil quality for peri-urban vegetable production in Ghana. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. 35, 128–139.  https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170518000340
  20. Jensen, J. L., Schjønning, P. Watts, C. W., Christensen, B. T., Obour, P. B., & Munkholm, L. J. (2020). Soil degradation and recovery – changes in organic matter and structural stability. Geoderma. 364,114181. Doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114181.
  21. Razzaghi, F., Obour, P. B., & Arthur, E. (2020). Does biochar improve soil water retention? A systematic review and meta-analysis. Geoderma. 361, 114055. Doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.114055.
  22. Obour, P. B., Razzaghi, F., & Arthur, E. (2019). Data for: Does biochar improve soil water retention? A systematic review and meta-analysis, Mendeley Data, v1. Doi.org/10.17632/pk3gf5f77n.1
  23. Obour, P. B., Danso, E. O., Yakubu, A., Abenney-Mickson, S., Sabi, E. B., Darrah, Y. K., & Arthur, E. (2019). Water retention, air exchange and pore structure characteristics after 3 years of rice straw biochar application to an Acrisol. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 83, 1664–1671. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2019.07.0230
  24. Obour, P. B., Keller, T., Jensen, J. L., Edwards, G., Lamandé, M., Watts, C. W., Sørensen, C. G., & Munkholm, L. J. (2019). Soil water contents for tillage: a comparison of approaches and consequences for the number of workable days. Soil & Tillage Research. 195, 104384. Doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2019.104384.
  25. Daraghmeh, O., Petersen, C., Munkholm, L. J., Znova, L., Obour, P. B., Nielsen, S. K., & Green, O. (2019). Impact of tillage intensity on clay loam soil structure. Soil Use and Management. 35, 388–399. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12501
  26. Obour, P. B., Keller, T., Lamandé, M., & Munkholm, L. J. (2019). Pore structure characteristics and soil workability along a clay gradient. Geoderma. 337, 1186-1195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2018.11.032
  27. Obour, P. B., Kolberg, D., Lamandé, M., Børresen, T., Edwards, G., Sørensen, C. G., & Munkholm, L. J. (2018). Compaction and sowing date change soil physical properties and crop yield in a loamy temperate soil. Soil & Tillage Research. 184, 153–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.07.014
  28. Obour, P. B., Jensen, J. L., Lamandé, M., Watts, C. W., & Munkholm, L. J. (2018). Soil organic matter widens the range of water contents for tillage. Soil & Tillage Research. 182, 57–65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.05.001
  29. Obour, P. B., Lamandé, M., Edwards, G., Sørensen, C. G., & Munkholm, L. J. (2017). Predicting soil workability and fragmentation in tillage: a review. Soil Use and  Management. 33, 288–298. https://doi.org/10.1111/sum.12340
  30. Obour, P. B., Schjønning, P., Peng, Y., & Munkholm L. J. (2017). Subsoil compaction assessed by visual evaluation and laboratory methods. Soil & Tillage Research. 173, 4–14. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2016.08.015
  31. Schjønning, P., McBride, R., Keller, T., & Obour, P. B. (2017). Predicting soil particle density from clay and soil organic matter contents. Geoderma. 286, 83–87. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2016.10.020
  32. Owusu, K., Yankson, P. W. K., Asiedu, A. B., & Obour, P. B. (2017). Resource utilization conflict in downstream non-resettled communities of the Bui Dam in Ghana. Natural Resources Forum. 41, 234–243. https://doi.org/10.1111/1477-8947.12139
  33. Owusu, K., Obour, P. B., & Nkansah, M. A. (2016). Downstream effects of dams on livelihoods of river-dependent communities: the case of Ghana’s Kpong Dam. Geografisk Tidsskrift-Danish Journal of Geography. 117, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1080/00167223.2016.1258318
  34. Obour, P. B., Owusu, K., Agyeman, A. E., Ahenkan, A., & Madrid, N. À. (2016). The impacts of dams on local livelihoods: a study of the Bui Hydroelectric Project in Ghana. International Journal of Water Resources Development. 32, 286–300. https://doi.org/10.1080/07900627.2015.1022892
  35. Obour, P. B., Dadzie, A. F., Kristensen, L. H., Rubæk, H. G., Kjeldsen, C., & Saba, K. S. C. (2015). Assessment of farmers’ knowledge on fertilizer usage for peri-urban vegetable production in the Sunyani Municipality, Ghana. Resources, Conservation and Recycling. 103, 77–84. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2015.07.018

Book Chapters

  1. Arthur, I. K., Owusu, K., Obour, P. B. & Egyir, S. (2023). Climate Change, urban heat island effect, and adaptation strategies of vegetable farmers in Accra. In W. Leal Filho, G. J. Nagy & D. Ayal (Eds.), Handbook of Nature-Based Solutions to Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change. Springer, Cham (pp. 1-22). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98067-2_35-1.
  2. Owusu, K. & Obour, P. B. (2023). An evaluation of government’s rainwater harvesting program in dryland area of northern Ghana. In W. Leal Filho, G. J. Nagy & D. Ayal (Eds.), Handbook of Nature-Based Solutions to Mitigation and Adaptation to Climate Change (pp. 1-22). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-98067-2_4-1
  3. Obour, P. B. & Owusu, K. (2021). Climate change adaptation and transformation of smallholder farming system in mid-Ghana. In W. Leal Filho, J. Luetz, & D. Ayal (Eds.), Handbook of Climate Change Management (pp. 251-263).  Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-22759-3_257-1.
  4. Owusu, K., & Obour, P. B. (2021). Urban flooding, adaptation strategies, and resilience: Case study of Accra, Ghana. In W. Leal Filho, N. Ogugu, L. Adelake, D. Ayal, I. da Silva (Eds.), African Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation (pp. 2387-2403). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42091-8_249-1.
  5. Obour, P. B., Owusu, K., & Teye, J.K. (2017). From seasonal migrants to settlers: climate change and permanent migration to the transitional zone of Ghana. In S. Tonah, M. B., Setrana, & J. A., Arthur (Eds.), Migration and Development in Africa: Trends, Challenges, and Policy Implications (pp. 147–164) Lexington Books: London.
  6. Owusu, K, Obour, P. B., & Asare-Baffour, S. (2014). Climate variability and climate change impact on smallholder farmers in the Akuapem North District, Ghana. In W. L. Filho (Ed.), Handbook of Climate Change Adaptation (pp. 1791–1806). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-38670-1_111
  7. Munkholm, L. J., Pulido-Moncada, M., & Obour, P. B. (2019). Soil tilth and management. In Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Environmental Science (pp. 1-30). Oxford University Press. https://doi: 10.1093/acrefore/9780199389414.013.241.