Dr. (h.c) Daniel Fahene Acquaye, Founder and CEO of Agri-Impact Group, has been appointed Chairman of the CSIR–Crops Research Institute (CRI) Management Board. He was officially inducted into office on Thursday, February 19, 2026, in Kumasi.
In his new role, Dr. Acquaye will lead an eight-member board, providing strategic direction and governance oversight to one of Ghana’s leading agricultural research institutions.
The board is tasked with setting research priorities, approving policies, managing budgets, promoting applied research and commercialization, fostering private sector partnerships, and enhancing the national and international profile of the institute.
The Management Board comprises:
- Dr. Daniel Fahene Acquaye – CEO, Agri-Impact Group; Agribusiness Expert (Chairperson)
- Dr. Baffour Asafo-Agyei – Retired Crops Research Scientist and Plant Breeder (Member)
- Mr. Kojo Akoto Boateng – Consultant, Farmer, and Media Personality (Member)
- Dr. Solomon Ansah – Director of Crop Services, MoFA (Member)
- Prof. Marian Quain – Deputy Director-General, CSIR (Member)
- Dr. Collins Tay – Director, CSIR–Soil Research Institute (Member)
- Prof. Maxwell Darko Asante – Director, CSIR–CRI (Member)
- Mr. Emmanuel Afriyie – Lawyer and Head of Administration, CSIR–CRI (Secretary)
About Dr. Daniel Fahene Acquaye
A distinguished agribusiness and value chain expert, Dr. Acquaye brings over 30 years of experience in enterprise development, youth empowerment, and agricultural transformation across Africa and the Caribbean.
He has consulted for leading global institutions including the Mastercard Foundation, Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), USAID, ECOWAS, GIZ, AGRA, IFAD, UNDP, the African Development Bank, and the African Union.
Dr. Acquaye has played a key role in advancing Ghana’s medicinal and natural plant products globally through partnerships with institutions like Rutgers University, Stellenbosch University, and KNUST.
His work includes ethnobotanical research, establishing a Genebank at KNUST, and commercializing products such as kombo butter, Lippia herbal tea, grains of paradise, Xylopia, miracle berries, and Artemisia annua. Under his leadership, exports of medicinal plants increased from $3 million to $25 million within four years.
He also pioneered greenhouse farming models, introducing climate-smart agriculture that supports women, youth, and persons with disabilities while supplying high-quality vegetables to domestic and international markets.
Agri-Impact Group currently manages greenhouse farms under its Fresh Logistics subsidiary, promoting technology adoption, year-round production, and youth employment.
In recognition of his exceptional contribution to agribusiness and youth empowerment, Dr. Acquaye was awarded a Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) degree by Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST).
Agri-Impact Group has mobilized over $100 million in agricultural project funding over the past five years, employs more than 150 staff, and is leading transformative programs, including a Mastercard Foundation initiative to create over 300,000 jobs for youth in Ghana, and a World Bank–supported SME growth initiative in Jamaica.
Dr. Acquaye’s new role at CSIR–Crops Research Institute positions him to further strengthen research–industry collaboration, drive innovation, and advance Ghana’s green growth and agricultural transformation agenda.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
