University of Ghana Elevates Prof. (Mrs.) Dilys Sefakor MacCarthy to Professor of Plant Nutrition

Prof. (Mrs.) Dilys Sefakor MacCarthy, an alumna of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, has been promoted to the rank of Professor of Plant Nutrition at the University of Ghana.

Her elevation is also a significant milestone for the University of Ghana’s School of Agriculture, where she becomes the first female professor, in recognition of her extensive contributions to agricultural research, teaching, and policy development.

Prof. (Mrs.) MacCarthy is currently the Head of the Soil and Irrigation Research Centre under the College of Basic and Applied Sciences.

She had her secondary education at Mawuli School before pursuing higher education at KNUST, where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Natural Resources Management in 1999.

She further advanced her studies at the University of Bonn, earning an MPhil in Agricultural Science in 2003 and a PhD in 2007 through the Centre for Development Research.

Her academic work focuses on plant nutrition, soil fertility management, agronomy, and climate-smart agriculture, with particular emphasis on improving nutrient efficiency in cereal-based systems for smallholder farmers across West Africa.

She is also active in agricultural systems modelling and integrated nutrient management, and contributes to teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Over the years, Prof. (Mrs.) MacCarthy has participated in major international research and policy platforms, including the Agricultural Model Intercomparison and Improvement Project, and has collaborated with leading institutions such as the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics and the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture.

She has also played a key role in African Union climate-related technical work, contributing to the CAADP Strategy and Action Plan (2026–2035) and the Kampala CAADP Declaration launched in 2025.

Her international engagements include participation in United Nations discussions on global food security, and she serves on the editorial boards of several respected scientific journals.

Prof. (Mrs.) MacCarthy has secured over $2 million in research funding and continues to support graduate training and agricultural innovation in Ghana and beyond.