This volunteer team brings together three complementary strengths:
Dr. Samuel Adjei-Nsiah, a soil scientist recognized throughout Africa for his work in soil fertility and sustainable agriculture;
Dr. Michael Kermah, an agricultural researcher experienced in farming systems and community-based implementation;
and Isaac Ampem, a specialist in rural livelihoods, women’s economic participation, and the socioeconomic impacts of agricultural innovation.
Together, their expertise spans the technical, practical, and community dimensions needed to restore degraded savannah lands and improve rural livelihoods.
With public support, their volunteer efforts can be transformed into lasting benefits for communities across the region. Contribute/Learn More
Dr. SAMUEL ADJEI-NSIAH
Professor of Agronomy – University of Ghana
Forest & Horticultural Crops Research Centre (FOHCREC)
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OVERVIEW
Samuel Adjei-Nsiah is a senior Ghanaian soil and agronomy scientist with more than two decades of experience in tropical agriculture research and teaching. He is widely recognized for his work on soil fertility management, sustainable cropping systems, and biological nitrogen fixation in legumes.
He is based at the University of Ghana and has held leadership roles within agricultural research centers focused on field crops and smallholder farming systems.
• PhD: Production Ecology and Resource Conservation (Agronomy, Integrated soil fertility management, Cropping systems management)- Wageningen University, Netherlands (2006)
• Master of Philosophy (Crop Science) – University of Ghana, Legon (1996)
• BSc. (Hon) Agriculture (Crop Science) – Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (1991)
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RESEARCH FOCUS
• Agronomist: Plant Nutrition, Participatory Action Research, Biological Nitrogen Fixation, Yield Gap Analysis
• Soil health: Integrated Soil Fertility Management
• Climate change adaptation: Facilitating Multi-stakeholder Processes for Climate Change Adaption
• Agricultural Innovation Systems: Facilitating innovation platforms for institutional change
• Agricultural Innovation Systems
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RELEVANCE TO TERRADESIC AFRICA
• Digestate use in soil fertility systems
• Legume integration into low-input farming systems
• Organic nutrient cycling
• Soil regeneration strategies for degraded lands
• Smallholder adoption of sustainable soil technologies
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Dr. MICHAEL KERMAH
Agricultural Scientist – Sustainable Cropping Systems & Climate-Smart Agriculture
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OVERVIEW
Michael Kermah is an agricultural systems researcher focused on sustainable intensification of smallholder farming in West Africa. His work bridges soil fertility, climate adaptation, and practical on-farm adoption of legume-based cropping systems.
He has extensive field experience in Ghana and has also worked internationally on climate-smart agriculture and greenhouse gas research.
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RESEARCH FOCUS
• Soil Fertility Improvement in Low-Input Systems
• Grain-Legume Intercropping Systems
• Biological Nitrogen Fixation
• Climate-Smart Agriculture
• Sustainable Intensification
• Smallholder Farming System Resilience
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RELEVANCE TO TERRADESIC AFRICA
• Practical deployment of soil fertility strategies
• Field implementation of legume-based systems
• Integration of organic nutrient cycling (digestate + cropping systems)
• Farmer adoption pathways for low-cost innovations
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ISAAC AMPEM NDEJIPO
Agribusiness & Rural Livelihood Specialist
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OVERVIEW
Isaac Ampem is an agribusiness and agricultural development researcher whose focus is less on soil science and more on rural livelihoods and economic empowerment, agricultural value chains and market systems, and the socioeconomic impact of agricultural innovation in Ghana.
His work is centered on how agricultural systems affect income, gender participation, and community development outcomes across agricultural value chains.
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RESEARCH FOCUS
•Rural Livelihood Development
• Agricultural Value Chains
• Women’s Economic Empowerment
• Organic Agriculture Systems
• Smallholder Income Generation
• Community-Based Agricultural Enterprises Development & Strengthening
• Agricultural Adoption & Impact Studies
• Agribusiness Development & Enterprise Strengthening
• Gender and Youth Inclusion in Agricultural Value Chains
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NOTABLE WORK
• Study on women’s participation in organic shea butter processing in northern Ghana
• Household income impacts of agricultural value-added processing
• Rural enterprise development and livelihood diversification
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RELEVANCE TO TERRADESIC AFRICA
• Community adoption of biodigester systems
• Household economic impact assessment
• Gender participation in rural energy/agriculture systems
• Social acceptance of new agricultural technologies
• Donor reporting and impact evaluation frameworks
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