Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah, Founding Director of the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), University of Ghana, has been elected a Fellow of the Liberia Academy of Sciences (LAS), a distinction conferred in recognition of his outstanding contributions to plant genetics, crop improvement, institution building and postgraduate education in Africa.
In its citation, the Liberia Academy of Sciences noted that Professor Danquah's leadership in plant genetics, crop improvement and doctoral training through WACCI "has shown how African science can respond directly to food security challenges." The Academy further observed that the combination of rigorous scientific research, institution building and the mentoring of plant breeders is especially relevant to West Africa.
Established to bring together distinguished scholars, researchers and professionals, the Liberia Academy of Sciences promotes scientific excellence, interdisciplinary collaboration and partnerships that advance Liberia's scientific, educational and technological development. As the Academy expands its network of Fellows across Africa, it recognised Professor Danquah's expertise as an important bridge for strengthening regional scientific collaboration, promoting knowledge exchange and fostering partnerships in agricultural research and postgraduate education across West Africa.
The Academy also recognised Liberia's need for stronger links with regional crop improvement networks to accelerate agricultural research, develop locally adapted crop varieties, strengthen research capacity and train the next generation of agricultural scientists. It expressed confidence that Professor Danquah's experience would help connect Liberian institutions with centres of excellence across West Africa.
Professor Danquah has formally accepted the distinction, expressing his commitment to supporting the Academy's mission of advancing scientific research, institutional partnerships, postgraduate education and agricultural innovation. In welcoming him to the Academy, LAS stated that it looks forward to meaningful collaboration in plant genetics, crop improvement, postgraduate education, food security and the strengthening of scientific capacity in Liberia and across Africa.
Professor Danquah's election reflects his longstanding commitment to advancing scientific excellence through education, mentorship and institutional partnerships. It also reinforces the growing international recognition of African leadership in science and the importance of regional collaboration in addressing the continent's food security and sustainable development challenges.
The WACCI community warmly congratulates Professor Eric Yirenkyi Danquah on this distinguished recognition and celebrates his continued contributions to advancing scientific excellence, innovation and human capital development across Africa and beyond.
About the West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI)
The West Africa Centre for Crop Improvement (WACCI), based at the University of Ghana, is a leading African centre of excellence for postgraduate education, research and innovation in crop improvement. Since its establishment in 2007, WACCI has graduated 133 PhD and 73 MPhil students from 19 African countries, many of whom now serve in leadership positions across universities, national agricultural research systems, government agencies, international organisations and the private sector. WACCI and its alumni have contributed to the development and release of more than 400 improved crop varieties, helping to strengthen food and nutrition security, agricultural resilience and sustainable development across Africa.
