Biography
Professor Felix Ankomah Asante, Pro Vice-Chancellor for Research, Innovation and Development (ORID) at the University of Ghana (UG) assumed office on August 3rd, 2020.
An alumnus of the University, he gained admission in 1990 to study Agriculture Economics, and thereafter, pursued an MPhil in Agriculture Economics, graduating in 1995. He was appointed Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), University of Ghana in January 1996. He won a German Academic Exchange Programme (DAAD) scholarship to pursue a PhD in Agriculture Science (Agriculture Economics) at the Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Germany, from August 1999 to July 2002.
In 2007, he became the first Ghanaian to be inducted into the DAAD sponsored “African Good Governance Network”, under the patronage of the former President of the Federal Republic of Germany, H.E Horst Köhler. He was instrumental in working with the Center for Development Research (ZEF) of the University of Bonn in securing DAAD sponsorship for ISSER’s PhD programme for the past 10 years.
Professor Asante was the Director of ISSER from 2013 to 2019, having previously served in various capacities at the Institute; Deputy Director from 2011 to 2013; Head of the Economics Division from 2007 to 2011; Coordinator of the Graduate programme. With decades of research experience, Professor Asante has raised funds with support from Research Fellows at ISSER, where funding for research exceeded US$20 million during his tenure at the Institute.
His research interest include; development economics relating to poverty and household food security; decentralisation, provision of public goods and services, and health related dynamics. He has been involved in projects sponsored by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), the World Bank, Danish Research Council, the United Nations System and the German Government, among others. He has worked as a consultant for UNAIDS where he supported African countries namely; Mozambique, Eritrea, Gambia, Malawi, Namibia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Liberia and Ghana.
Professor Asante has an extensive list of publications consisting of books, book chapters, peer reviewed journals and technical papers. He has authored numerous research and technical consultancy reports.
At the University of Ghana, Professor Asante served on the Business Executive Committee (BEC); Management Board of the Office of Research, Innovation and Development (RID); Ethics Committee for the Humanities; College of Humanities Academic Quality Assurance Committee; chairperson of the College of Humanities Research Board; and Assessor for Humanities, Appointments and Promotion Board.
On the international front, he is a member of the Grant Review Committee of the Board of Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) based in Kenya, and a Thematic Resource Person for the Partnership for Economic Policy (PEP). He is a board member of the International Center for Evaluation Development (ICED) based in Kenya.
Professor Asante serves as chair of the Council of the Ghana Chamber of Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), President of the Ghana Association of Agricultural Economics, member of the Africa Association of Agricultural Economics, and the Ghana Science Association.
Location
Accra, Greater Accra, Ghana
