Emmanuel Amoakwah

Emmanuel Amoakwah

Research Area: Hydrological modeling
Nationality: Ghanaian
Time Frame: April 2014 – October 2014

 

Emmanuel is a Research Scientist at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana. He holds a Msc in Soil Science from Ghent University, Belgium. His current research focuses on agricultural water management in smallholder farming systems in Northern Ghana using the water balance model BANDIT.

Getting access to learning/sharing spaces where I can meet senior agricultural water
Management (AWM) researchers, and benefit from their rich and established competence has always been my dream as a young scientist. I was, therefore, motivated to apply for this program organized by IWMI to build my capacity in AWM and acquire an in-depth knowledge of AWM interventions, and to bridge the inter-generational gap between the old research scientists and the young ones.

As a young scientist, what motivates me to do my research is working effectively to get the desired output and filling the knowledge gap, with a view of increasing food security and improving the livelihood resilience of rural farmers.

 


Comments on completion:

My time at IWMI was super. I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Tim Ellis, and it was an awesome experience working on Hydrology modelling. My work primarily, was centered on Agricultural Water Management in Northern Ghana. I worked on how to capture Run-off and use the captured water subsequently in supplemental and dry season irrigation. I have now developed a deep interest in Agricultural Water Management. I am currently working on “Biochar” as a means of improving the fertility of highly weathered tropical soil. I have therefore decided to look at the effect of biochar on other soil hydraulic properties (Moisture retention, hydraulic conductivity, aggregate friability etc), with the aim of studying how bicoahr can help conserve moisture and effectively manage water, especially during the dry season.
Emmanuel engaged in field work
Emmanuel engaged in field work