Ing. Dr. Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah
Ing. Dr. Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah
Phone: +233 244 978 797
Email: patamankwaa@yahoo.com
Nationality: Ghanaian
Station: Fumesua, Kumasi (Ghana)
Current Position: Principal Research Scientist and Head of the Agricultural Engineering and Transport Division
Qualifications: Ph.D. in Soil and Water Engineering, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST); M.Sc. in Soil and Water Engineering, KNUST; B.Sc. in Agricultural Engineering, KNUST; Professional Engineer, Ghana Institution of Engineering (Best Candidate in Engineering Professional Examination—Mech/Agric/Marine Division, 2018)
Areas of Specialization: Agricultural Engineering, Soil and Water Engineering, Systems Agronomy
Research Interests
Enhancing resource use efficiency (water, nutrients, labour, energy) in crop production, Sustainable agricultural mechanization and soil health, Climate-smart agriculture, Agricultural water management, including irrigation and drainage
Research Experience
Ing. Dr. Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah has led and contributed to multiple national, international, and donor-funded projects aimed at improving water and nutrient use efficiency, promoting sustainable agricultural practices, and enhancing climate adaptation in crop production. Some key projects include:
- AUSAID (DFAT)-funded initiatives on sustainable crop-livestock integration into smallholder farming systems.
- GCRF RECIRCULATE Project: A collaborative research initiative involving Lancaster University and African institutions to develop innovative solutions for sustainable water use under the Water for Food work package.
- The USAID/NAS/PEER Agrivoltaic Project, which aimed to investigate the potential of agrivoltaics (the integration of solar energy systems with agriculture) in enhancing the productivity of high-value vegetable crops in Ghana’s dryland ecologies. This project investigated the impact of shading from solar panels on crop growth and water use efficiency, aiming to develop climate-smart farming systems that optimize both energy generation and agricultural productivity.
- EU-funded DIVAGRI Project: Aimed at diversifying agroecological systems in Africa, this project focuses on sustainable intensification strategies, including the evaluation and scaling of the self-regulating, low-energy, clay-based irrigation (SLECI) system to Ghanaian smallholder farmers.
- Short-Term Consultant, World Bank: Led the piloting of the Go Smart Mechanization initiative, which aimed to increase access to agricultural mechanization services in Ghana. This project, led by the African Conservation Tillage Network, was funded through the World Bank by the Korean Green Growth Trust Fund and supported by AICCRA.
- Short-Term Consultant, CIAT: Provided consultancy services for several CIAT initiatives, including the Mixed Farming Systems and the Excellence in Agronomy Initiatives. These initiatives focused on optimizing integrated farming approaches, improving soil and water management, and enhancing agronomic best practices for smallholder farmers.
Brief Biography
Ing. Dr. Patricia Amankwaa-Yeboah is a Principal Research Scientist and Head of the Agricultural Engineering and Transport Division at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute. She holds a PhD and MSc in Soil and Water Engineering from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, Ghana. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Agricultural Engineering, also from KNUST, Kumasi, Ghana. She completed her secondary education at the St Louis Senior High School in Kumasi, Ghana. She is a registered professional engineer with the Ghana Institution of Engineering.
Dr Amankwaa-Yeboah has played a pivotal role in refining the partial root-zone drying technology for tomato production, optimizing nutrient and water management for maize, and scaling alternate wetting and drying (AWD) technology for rice farming in Ghana. Her work, in collaboration with institutions such as Lancaster University and the International Water Management Institute, led to the development of an automated water monitoring device to enhance irrigation efficiency in rice paddies. She has also been instrumental in benchmarking crop water needs in Ghana, developing aeroponics and hydroponics for root and tuber crops, and investigating the role of phytohormones in plant responses to AWD irrigation in rice and furrow irrigation in tomato. Additionally, she manages the irrigation facility at CSIR-Crops Research Institute.
Dr. Amankwaa-Yeboah’s expertise has earned her prestigious fellowships, including an Australia Awards Africa scholarship for Water Harvesting and Small-Scale Irrigation and a Netherlands Fellowship for specialized agricultural training key among them being Market access for food security and agriculture in transition. Dr. Amankwaa-Yeboah has published over 80 peer-reviewed research papers in national and international journals and has extensive experience in project management and grant proposal writing. She is also a reviewer for several national and international scientific journals.
Beyond research, she is an entrepreneur and a strong advocate for women in STEM. She is a 2018 AWARD fellow and currently serves as the 2nd National Vice President of the Ghana Society for Agricultural Engineering.
Professional Memberships and Affiliations
- Ghana Institution of Engineering – Member
- Ghana Science Association – Member
- African Crop Science Society – Member
- Young Professionals in Agricultural Research and Development – Member
- Australia Awards Africa – Alumna
- Netherlands Fellowship Programme – Alumna
- CSIR-Research Staff Association – Member
