Dr. Allen Oppong
Allen Oppong
Phone number: 020 381 4679, 0244833895
Email: alnopp@yahoo.co.uk
Nationality: Ghanaian
Station: Fumesua
Qualification: PhD, Plant Breeding
Current Grade: Principal Research Scientist
Research Interest: Plant Breeding, Virology
Research Experience: Central and West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) project,
Brief Bio:
Dr. Allen Oppong is a Principal Research Scientist at the CSIR-Crops Research Institute. He obtained both his BSc. (Hons) degree in General Agriculture and MSc. degree in Plant Protection at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, and his PhD in Plant Breeding at the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, Legon.
Currently, he is the Country leader (Ghana) for the Central and West African Virus Epidemiology (WAVE) for root and tuber crops project, which is a Sub-regional project aimed at among others, to manage the incidence of viral diseases of Root and Tuber crops for improved food security. He was also the Principal Investigator for the development of “Aflatoxin resistant maize hybrids for improved nutrition and health in Ghana” which until recently was sponsored by USAID through the National Academy of Science, Washington, USA under the programme “Partnership for Enhanced Engagement in Research” (PEER). Other responsibilities of Dr. Oppong include serving as Plant Virologist for the breeding of Rice yellow mottle virus (RYMV) disease resistant rice varieties, certification of virus-free sweetpotato varieties in Ghana, CSIR – Crops Research Institute’s Focal person for the Government of Ghana’s flagship agricultural programme “Planting for Food and Jobs”, responsible for the coordination of early generation (breeder and foundation) seed production (2017 – 2021). His maize breeding programme has released three new hybrid maize varieties, and three proprietary varieties for international commercial maize seed production companies namely, Africa Seed Company Limited (formally SEED Co) and Longping Biotechnologia Ltda of Brazil.
Dr. Oppong has headed the Plant Health Division on two occasions; between March 2019 – February 2021 and March 2023 – February 2025.
Dr. Oppong has undertaken several training courses in the area of plant virus detection, biotechnology, plant disease resistance breeding, leadership and financial management, scientific writing and advocacy locally and abroad in reputable institutions such as the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) Ibadan, Nigeria, International centre for wheat and maize improvement (CIMMYT) Mexico city, Mexico, International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) Cali, Colombia, Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) New Delhi, India, Corn Host Plant Resistance Research Unit (CHPRRU), USDA-ARS, Starkville, Mississippi State, USA, San Diego, California, USA, London, UK, University of Felix Houphouet Boigny, Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, etc. He has organized several training workshops and has served as a resource person for several training courses for farmers, Agric extension agents/officers, research technicians and Peace Corp volunteers in Ghana.
Dr. Oppong has won about a dozen competitive grants as lead Scientist and has collaborated in the execution of other projects as a project team member. Dr. Oppong has contributed to over 38 refereed journal articles published in reputable Local and International journals, 28 conference posters/abstracts, six book chapters, four training manuals, two newspaper articles and five extension flyers. He is a member of the editorial team of the Agricultural and Food Crops Journal of Ghana. He has contributed to the development of product profiles for maize and cassava breeding in Ghana. He has also contributed to the release and registration of over 50 varieties of maize, rice, cassava, sweetpotato and taro in Ghana. Dr. Oppong has mentored/mentoring young Scientists and Technicians in the institute as well as serve as internal examiner for the CCST, external examiner for Universities and a Part-time Senior Lecturer (in Plant Virology) at the Department of Crop and Soil Sciences Education, AAMUSTED, Mampong Campus. He has successfully co-supervised PhD and MPhil graduates and is currently co-supervising two PhD and five MPhil. students. Currently, Dr. Oppong is the RELC Coordinator for the Ahafo region. Dr. Oppong has won awards including the “ CSIR – CRI Best Research Scientist of the year” in 2019, Highest resource builder award 2023 and 1st Runner up resource builder award in 2024, as well as WACCI outstanding Alumni awarded in 2023. He also won the best poster award at the 2007 Annual General meeting of the Generation Challenge Programme (GCP) held in Johannesburg, South Africa.
