Kwadwo Asenso-Okyere, a native of Ghana took up an appointment with IFPRI on November 6, 2006 after a long career with University of Ghana, Legon where he rose to become full professor in 1997 and vice-chancellor (chief executive) in 2002. He also served as the director of the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) of University of Ghana from 1997 to 2002. He has worked with the World Bank, Ghana Ministry of Food and Agriculture and Ghana Cocoa Board.

He has researched widely on economic development issues and policies and published extensively in the areas of agriculture, international trade, health and nutrition. He has participated in the development of various agricultural and poverty reduction strategies in Ghana. From 1992, he participated in the research-capacity-building-dialogue activities of SADAOC (sustainable food security in central west Africa) Foundation and became the chairman of its management board from 1996 to 2006. He has collaborated with the Centre for World Food Studies at the Free University of Amsterdam, the Centre for Development Research of University of Bonn and the Institute of Development Studies of University of Sussex on various research activities.

He has been active in the International Association of Agricultural Economists of which he was associate editor of its journal, Agricultural Economics for eight years. He has served on many boards and committees in Ghana including the central bank and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research; and internationally including the UN University (Institute of Environment and Human Security), the Sustainability Innovation Council of Switzerland, Building Africa’s Scientific and Institutional Capacity for Agriculture and Natural Resource Management (BASIC), and the Global Open Food and Agriculture University.

He has won many awards for his contribution to development research and community development. He is a fellow of the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, and the Ghana Association of Certified Entrepreneurs. He holds a BSc (Honours) degree from University of Ghana, an MSc from University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada, and PhD from University of Missouri-Columbia, USA.