Dr. Benjamin Aboagye Danso is a highly qualified and experienced professional in the field of agriculture, with a particular focus on precision agriculture, agronomy, breeding, genetics, biotechnology, and statistics. He holds a PhD in Plant Breeding and Genetics from the University of Ghana, as well as an MPhil in Crop Science and a BSc in Botany from the same institution. In addition, he has completed Diploma programs in Education and Competency-Based Training at Akenten Appiah-Menka University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (AAMUSTED).
Dr. Danso has also undergone additional trainings in areas such as climate-smart agriculture, precision agriculture, monitoring and evaluation systems, gender-responsive pedagogy, demand-led research, proposal writing, and project management. He is fluent in English, French, Twi, and Guan, and possesses a range of other skills including ICT, driving, gender advocacy, proficiency in statistical packages, and musical abilities.
In terms of professional experience, Dr. Danso currently works as a lecturer at AAMUSTED where he teaches plant breeding, biotechnology and precision agriculture. He doubles as Examination Coordinator for DCSSE and course advisor for BSc L300 class. He is also an external verifier and assessor for the Commission for Technical and Vocational Training and Education (CTVET). He is the business owner of Adom Seeds and Agricultural Services, a firm that produces foundation seeds and climate-smart agricultural solutions to farmers. He served as a monitoring and evaluation officer for Agrigrowth Africa Association from 2018 to 2021 where he successfully supported 11 major projects. His previous roles also include being a project coordinator for the AGRA-Ghana Inclusive Agricultural Transformation Programme from 2019 – 2021, monitoring and evaluation officer/facilitator at the Kumasi Institute of Tropical Agriculture (2017 – 2019), and research assistant at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute of Ghana (2015 – 2017) where he contributed to the development and release of 6 crop varieties in Ghana.
In recognition of his outstanding work, Dr. Danso has received several prestigious fellowships and awards, including the FAO World Food Forum Recognition Award, DAAD Fellowship Award, Australia Fellowship Award for Africans, and A.G. Leventis Fellowship Award. He was also named the Best Graduating Student in the School of Biological Sciences at the University of Ghana in 2013.
Academic Qualifications
-
- PhD Plant Breeding
- MPhil Crop Science
- BSc Botany
- Diploma in Education
Professional Affiliations/ Memberships
-
- African Plant Breeders Association Ghana
- Plant Breeders Association
- Ghana Science Association
- DAAD Alumni Association
- Australia Awards Alumni Association
- US-Ghana Academic Exchange Alumni Association
- Yali Alumni Association
- University of Ghana Alumni Association
Teaching Interests
-
- Plant breeding
- Genetics
- Statistics
- Biotechnology
- Crop physiology
- Project management
Research Interests and Supervision
-
- Plant breeding
- Genetics
- Biotechnology
- Agronomy
- Precision Agriculture
- Climate Smart Agriculture
- Food science
Selected Publications
Danso B.A., Dzidzienyo, D.K., Ofori, K., Eleblu, J.S, Cann R. and Asibuo, J.Y. (2023). Farmers’ preferred traits and constraints to groundnut production in Ghana. International Journal of Agricultural Science and Research. 13: 25-32. ISSN (P): 2250-0057; ISSN (E): 2321-0087
Danso Y., Danso B.A., Armooh B. and Abugri B. (2023). Molecular detection of root-knot nematodes (Nematoda: Meloidogynidae) infecting okra in Ghana. Journal of Agricultural, Food Science & Biotechnology. 1(3), 219-233. https://doi.org/10.58985/jafsb.2023.v01i03.26
Danso Y., Adomako J., Prempeh R., Danso B.A., Amoabeng W.B., Abugri B. and Mochiah B. M. (2023). Molecular identification of Metarhabditis ranai (Nematoda: Rhabditidae) infecting fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on maize in Ghana. Journal of Entomology and Nematology. In press
Danso B. A. and Owusu-Fordjour E. (2022). Learning material on Quality Standards for Cowpea. Ghana Inclusive Agricultural Transformation Program (GIAT). Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YhBg3rLc9J6Bt9hE2H22r5ekbCNO96RO/view?usp=share_link
Danso B. A. and Owusu-Fordjour E. (2022). Learning material on Quality Standards for Soybean. Ghana Inclusive Agricultural Transformation Program (GIAT). Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YhBg3rLc9J6Bt9hE2H22r5ekbCNO96RO/view?usp=share_link
Danso B. A. and Owusu-Fordjour E. (2022). Learning material on Quality Standards for Groundnut. Ghana Inclusive Agricultural Transformation Program (GIAT). Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA). https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iWEW6U-x3EIuVG6dsGb7xYA64XlEd_k3/view?usp=share_link
Danso B.A., Dzidzienyo, D.K., Asibuo, J.Y., Prempeh, R.N.A., Quain, M.D., (2018). DNA fingerprinting and assessment of genetic diversity among 22 cowpea [Vigna unguiculata (l.) Walp] varieties grown in Ghana. Open Access Library Journal, 5: e4938. https://doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1104938
Danso B.A., Cann R, Tsindi A and Ayenan MAT.(2018). Feeding Africa: Role of neglected and underutilized crops species (NUS). F1000Research 2018, 7:1611 https://doi.org/10.7490/f1000research.1116191.1
Ayenan MAT, Danso B.A., Okwu UQ and Biratu KS. (2018). Meta QTLs for resistance to early blight in tomato. F1000Research 2018, 7:1613 https://doi.org/10.7490/f1000research.1116192.1