Eric Yirenkyi Danquah is a globally recognised plant geneticist, science leader, and Professor of Plant Molecular Genetics at the University of Ghana. He is the Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), established in 2007, which has become a leading hub for postgraduate training and research in plant breeding, genetics, and seed science in Africa. Under his leadership, WACCI has enrolled more than 160 PhD students from 19 countries and graduated over 120, many now driving agricultural innovation across the continent. He led the development of WACCI maize and tomato hybrids currently under commercialisation in Ghana.
Professor Danquah has mobilised over US$40 million to build world-class infrastructure and advance research for food and nutrition security. He has published more than 180 peer-reviewed articles and contributed to books and policy documents on crop improvement, biotechnology, and food systems. His work focuses on identifying genes and traits in staple crops and has shaped national and continental conversations on agricultural transformation through science and innovation.
He has served in several leadership roles at the University of Ghana, including Dean of International Programmes, Director of the Biotechnology Centre, and Head of Crop Science. He is Founder and CEO of the Eric Danquah Foundation and has chaired major national boards, including the Governing Council of the University of Mines and Technology. Internationally, he is an Adjunct Professor at Cornell University and Murdoch University, and was the inaugural President of the African Plant Breeders Association.
A Cambridge-trained scientist, he holds an MPhil in Plant Breeding and a PhD in Genetics. His recognitions include the Africa Food Prize (2022) and the GCHERA World Agriculture Prize (2018). He is Chairman of the Governing Board of the Ghana National Research Fund and a Fellow of the African Academy of Sciences.
