The IFRO – KNUST partnership: Strengthening higher education and research capacity

The Department of Food and Resource Economics (IFRO) at University of Copenhagen maintains several long-term research partnerships with African universities. Recently, DDRN had the opportunity to interview two visiting faculty members from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi (KNUST), Ghana: Dr. Lawrence Kwabena Brobbey, Department of Silviculture and Forest Management, and Dr. Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum, Department of Agricultural Economics, Agribusiness and Extension.

Joining the conversation were Dr. Tseganesh Wubale Tamirat, Postdoc at Department of Food and Resource Economics, Section for Production, Markets and Policy, and the host Søren Marcus Pedersen, who is an Associate Professor at IFRO. Søren explains that he only got involved with doing research in Ghana as part of the five-year Climate-Smart Cocoa Agroforestry Research in Ghana (CLIMCARG) project, which was launched in 2020 and led by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Ghana, with partner institutions Aarhus University (AU), Denmark, University of Copenhagen (UCPH), Denmark, and Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana (CRIG), Ghana. Søren elaborates that the project is focusing on two areas in Ghana: One in Offinso Municipal area and one in Adansi North District of Ghana. We have done some experiments there and investigated what farmers’ perceptions of resilience are in these areas, he says.  

However, starting a year ago, we have had a partnership where we look into the collaboration between Ghana and Denmark, which includes a capacity building aspect. I will be going to Kumasi both for the CLIMCARG project and for teaching a course called ‘Technology Assessment’ under the Ghana Climate University Network (GCUN) Project. GCUN is coordinated by University of Eastern Finland and involves KNUST and UCC (University of Cape Coast in Ghana. GCUN is a capacity building project where we also have guests coming from Kumasi to Denmark. Lawrence and Enoch are our first guests, they have been staying here at IFRO for nearly two months.

Q: Can you explain a bit about how the project came about. In Denmark, there is a debate about inequalities in research partnerships between North and South researchers.

Søren: The experience which I have so far with the CLIMCARG project is that it is coordinated by KNUST and Associate  Professor Victor Rex Barnesis the coordinator. So, they have been very much involved in the whole proposal writing, thus having had the leading role. It is mainly Aarhus University who had connections to KNUST, and they initiated the proposal. Our university was invited to contribute to economics and adoption aspects.

Strengthening higher education

Q: Dr. Tseganesh Wubale Tamirat, you have been here for quite a few years. What is your story? How did that come about?

I came to Denmark 13 years ago in 2011. I did my master’s degree and continued to do a PhD. Now, I am a post doc working in the area of socioeconomics and environmental aspects of technology adoption in agriculture. Currently, I am involved in European projects on robotics. I got invited by Søren to participate in the GCUN project. During the proposal development, there was a need for analyses by physically going to the place in Ghana and discussing with the staff about what is really needed. That was done by the project coordinator Professor Frank Berninger of University of Eastern Finland.

The GCUN project is a partnership involving University of Eastern Finland, University of Copenhagen and KNUST and UCC in Ghana. It focuses on three elements of higher education: 1) curriculum, 2) mentoring of junior faculty, and 3) students.

First, we did an analysis of what is being offered, then 6-8 courses were selected, then ways of mainstreaming indigenous knowledge into the university teaching and education were developed. That is one of the most interesting aspects of the project, when it comes to capacity building, making the curriculum ready to be adapted to the local capacity focusing on climate change. I think the most important part of curriculum development is integration of indigenous knowledge which is being facilitated by a local NGO called Center for Indigenous Knowledge for Organizational Development (CIKOD). Using the concept of an Africa Learning Institute, CIKOD brings together several stakeholders including traditional leaders, policy makers and educational leaders in a workshop to discuss problems and find solutions. Some of the courses under GCUN are offered as in-person intensive courses while some are distance education type courses.

Second, focusing on the junior faculty, the objective is partly to increase their visibility and professional network and to create ways of future collaboration in joint grant proposal writing and co-authorship of publications. Besides that, we also have training in research and communication methods to equip junior faculty members with research and pedagogical competences.

Third, to improve employability of graduates, we facilitate internships through partnerships with the private sector. The idea is to have clearly defined objectives of internship for students with the expectation that this will increase their opportunity of employment after graduation.

We also train the students to develop entrepreneurial mentality. For example, business training is provided by a Dutch contractor and in collaboration with the Incubation Centers at KNUST and UCC. Based upon competition among applications, we have selected some startups who get leadership training and receive a small grant to develop their ideas into businesses.

Impact of research

Q: The findings you develop in your research, to what extent do they translate into advice to farmers, to what extent are they used in terms of changing practices of farmers?

Lawrence: I can cite an example from my postdoc – also supported by DANIDA – concerning the conflict between farmers and cattle herders. Originally, the Ghanaian State used to drive away the herders, they would push them to a certain area, in the dry season – from colonial period to about 10 years ago – to regulate herding activities so that the herders do not end up destroying farmland. In doing this research, all the actors were involved in addressing the conflict of livelihood between farmers and cattle herders.

We did the work and then went to share our findings at districts, regional and national for a. Before, the herders were antagonistic, they did not want to participate in meetings. That is one good thing about sharing our analysis. We developed policy briefs which we shared with State actors and regulators.

In a different project on charcoal production and livelihood that was also funded by DANIDA, we invited farmers, charcoal producers, practitioners and policy makers to a workshop. A translator translated everything to the understanding of the farmers and charcoal producers. Not only did we make publications, but we also went back to them and told them about the information we got from them. We made a charcoal documentary and showed it to them. We also ended up with an international wood fuel conference in Ghana.

Q: You are making policy briefs, what is your assessment of the impact at the political level of your findings – is the government taking some of your advice.

Lawrence and Enoch explain: For charcoal, the government is taking advice. Through our study, we proved to them that it is a source of livelihood contributing so much even in an area that was known for food production. It was the food basket of the country. Charcoal was the second source of income.

We suggested to the government to find other means of regulating the charcoal sector. And because most of the charcoal producers double as farmers, they can also practice agroforestry – i.e. they intercrop – crops with trees. If they plant the trees in their farms, they can use the same trees to produce the charcoal.

In one of the policy briefs, we recommended that the government should give priority to agroforestry at the community level, where small sized communities were to establish maybe 2-5 acres of wood lots.

If charcoal production is established as a form of plantation, you would deny people food. You see, the government suspended that idea. That was something they had planned; they had announced it. They had to back off and suspend their decision.

We convinced the State officials that agriculture comprises food crops and animals. So, if you want to favor just one, in terms of food crops, then the State will suffer. In some way, the State understood us and implemented some of our recommendations. The politicians will not tell you that: I am doing that because of what this person said to me. But we normally involve them in all our activities: Inception, during the project, and then we end up with the policy brief.

Strengthening research capacity

Q: Do you have proposals to improve the exchange of researchers

Søren: I have one recommendation, a more practical one. I think it is too difficult to find accommodation. Lawrence, you found your accommodation yourself, because you have been here before. It is always a problem to find available rooms in Copenhagen.

Lawrence: As a beneficiary, I think it is a good thing. I had an opportunity to do a PhD, and it was a joint PhD. When I returned to Ghana, I realized the difference between me and the other students, because the cross-culture experience is something you cannot get in Ghana.

You come here and have access to all the articles. I had initially cited from textbooks; you do not have easy access to journal articles in Ghana. I came to Denmark, and I could access any article I want, instead of asking our colleagues to download and send it to you. That alone, for me, it improves you.

It is a requirement for Danish PhDs to attend conferences. In Ghana, we do not have that. So, it was later that University of Ghana did a policy which the other universities adopted. At first, we were focused on the monograph theses, you become a lecturer and as a PhD you still have challenges writing papers. But then Universities in Ghana have changed – and that was also part of the Building Stronger Universities project that they did with Denmark – to article writing.

“Ghana – a middle-income country? You don’t feel it!”

Now, it is also mandatory to publish even before appointment. So, you can see, from Denmark, we are improving the university. About 5-6 years ago, DFC decided to take Ghana out. The only window we are allowed is when it is water related.

Søren: That was because you were entering a middle-income status. Lawrence: Middle income on paper! You don’t feel it!

Q: Concerning the DFC research grant scheme – the two-step process: Pitching the project idea, then full proposal if selected, and the terms and conditions attached – what is your assessment.

Søren: I like the grant system. It is relatively simple compared to other ways of getting funding compared to the EU and other bureaucratic schemes. I am not a big fan of the two-step process – because you must restart anyway. Although the first one is short, you still must consider the budget and an overview of the whole proposal even though you only have 5% chance of getting the final funding. I prefer a one-step application procedure. It is important also to consider the balance…there used to be a rule that about 50% of the budget should go to the South. I think DFC could be more flexible because of the balance of salaries among different institutions. Also, it may sometimes be a strength – e.g. the CLIMCARG project – we are two universities involved – Aarhus University and University of Copenhagen. We have a minor share. Sometimes, it can be good to have two Danish institutions involved because there can be some competences you need from different partners. In that regard, the budget can be quite small in my view.

“If only we had that opportunity to learn among ourselves in the South”

Q: Do you have ideas how to improve the research cooperation between Denmark and Ghana? Any proposals for reform?

Lawrence and Enoch explain: I hope there can be some small grants because DFC grants are for big projects. But at times, we need a small grant to study a particular issue, but that is something which DFC does not have. When it comes to wildlife conservation, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia has some funds that they give 2.000 – 3.000 – 5.000. Master students are applying to conduct their study. If it is published, they top it up for you. If DFC also would give such small grants.

Tseganesh: In my opinion, the first phase of DANIDA proposal assessment could be shortened. Currently, applicants have to wait a long time to know whether their proposal has been selected for the next stage. If it could be shortened, they could have more time to work on the second stage of the application. I would also add that DANIDA could improve the provision of feedback with detailed explanation of proposal internal assessment including precise scores.

Lawrence: If DFC was to allow some form of South-South cooperation, there are certain issues that cut across within the South like farmer-herder conflicts. Maybe Nigeria – it is worse there. If only we had that opportunity to learn among ourselves in the South.

Dr. Tseganesh Wubale Tamirat
Søren Marcus Pedersen
Dr. Lawrence Kwabena Brobbey
Dr. Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum
Cocoa farm in Ashanti region, Ghana
Cocoa farm in Ashanti region, Ghana
Drying cocoa, Ashanti region, Ghana
Shade tree nursery, Ashanti region, Ghana