Prof. Benedicta Fosu-Mensah


An IESS Faculty Member

 

 

Associate Professor

Professor Benedicta Yayra Fosu-Mensah is an Associate Professor in Environmental Assessment with the Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies (IESS), University of Ghana. She is a distinguished scientist specialized in Ecology and Natural Resources Management. With expertise in applying advanced research methods and tools, she focuses on environmental modeling, environmental quality analysis, including the assessment of heavy metals and pesticide residue pollution, as well as food crop production. She holds a Ph.D. degree in Ecology and Natural Resources Management (Soil Science) from the University of Bonn, Germany, and KNUST. She has over 20 years of experience in research, teaching at the graduate level, workshop facilitation, student supervision, and mentoring. Prof. Fosu-Mensah has authored several peer-reviewed journal articles and co-authored several book chapters. Her research interest areas are climate change impact assessment and adaptation, environmental quality assessment (pesticide residues, heavy metals, and microplastics pollution), site-specific nutrient management, Land-use/land-cover change, and sanitation. She has worked on several community-based and regional research projects, some with local and International Institutions. 

Research Areas

  • Environmental quality assessment: including the monitoring and modeling of heavy metals, pesticide residues, and microplastics pollution in soils, water, and food systems to inform risk management and policy interventions.  
  • Climate change impact assessment and adaptation: focusing on the effects of climate variability on agriculture, ecosystems, and livelihoods, and developing sustainable adaptation strategies for vulnerable communities.
  • Soil fertility and site-specific nutrient management: emphasizing precision soil fertility evaluation, organic resource utilization, and nutrient cycling to enhance sustainable crop productivity.
  • Land-use and land-cover change analysis: examining human–environment interactions, land degradation, and ecosystem responses using geospatial tools and environmental modeling.
  • Ecology and natural resources management: exploring ecosystem dynamics, conservation practices, and sustainable resource use to support livelihood security. 

Recent Publications

  1. Fosu-Mensah, B.Y*., Mutaru, D., MacCarthy, D.S., Mensah, M. (2025). Assessing the Effect of Organic and Inorganic Resources on Carbon Fractions in Soggy Sodic Soil at Sege in Ada West District, Ghana. Soil Syst. 2025, 9, 62. https://doi.org/10.3390/soilsystems9020062 

  2.  Doe, E. K., Attua, E. M., Obour, P. B., Amon-Armah, F., Mensah, M.,  Adjei-Boadi, D.  Fosu-Mensah, B. Y*., Baah, F. (2025). Assessing gender and geospatial factors impacting cocoa productivity in Ghana’s organic and conventional agroforestry systems. West African Journal of Applied Ecology , vol. 33(1), 2025: 66 – 84.  

  3. Fosu-Mensah, B. Y*., Armah, N. A., Fening, J. O.,  Annang, T. Y., Mensah, M., Doe, E. K. (2025). Environmental and health risks of potentially toxic element concentrations in soil and foodstuffs from Abuakwa South Municipality, Ghana. Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 17 (3).  https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v17i3.6576  

  4. Kumah, J., Doe, E.K., Fosu-Mensah, B.Y*., Ofori, B.D., Kwawu, M.A.S., Boahen, E., Lartey, D.L., Dordaa, S.D.D.P., Gordon, C. (2025). The Impact of High Urban Temperatures on Pesticide Residue Accumulation in Vegetables Grown in the Greater Accra Metropolitan Area of Ghana. J. Xenobiot. 2025, 15, 103. https://doi.org/10.3390/jox15040103 

  5. Fosu-Mensah, B.Y*., Laryea, N. N. D., Darko, D. A., and Mensah, M. (2024). Assessing Microplastic contamination and characteristics in organic soil amendments in the Greater Accra Metropolitan area of Ghana. Heliyon 10 (23). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e40882  

  6. Boahen, E., Fosu-Mensah B. Y*., Koranteng, S. S., Darko,D. A.,  Obuobi, G., Mensah, M. (2024). Potentially Toxic Elements’ Accumulation and Health Risk of Consuming Vegetables Cultivated along the Accra-Tema Motorway. Journal of Chemistry. Volume 2024, Article ID 6438563, 15 pages https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/6438563 

  7. MacCarthy, D. S., Adamtey, N., Freduah, B. S., Fosu-Mensah, B. Y., Ofosu-Budu, G. K. and Fliessbach, A.  (2023). Modeling the effect of soil fertility management options on maize yield stability under variable climate in a sub-humid zone in Ghana. Frontiers.Sustain. Food Syst. 7:1132732. doi: 10.3389/fsufs.2023.1132732    

  8. Doe, E.K., Attua, E. M., Obour, P. B., Quaye, A. K and Fosu-Mensah, B. Y. (2023). Soil health and synergy of ecological determinants of green cocoa productivity in different soil ecotypes in Ghana. Front. Sustain. Food Syst. 7:1169015. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2023.1169015  

  9. Anuga, S.W., Gordon, C., Nukpezah, D., Fosu-Mensah, B.Y., (2022). Climate-Smart Agriculture: Greenhouse gas mitigation in climate-smart villages of Ghana.  Environmental Sustainability, https://doi.org/10.1007/s42398-022-00243-8   

  10. Acheamponga, J.O., Attuab, E. M., Mensah, M., Fosu-Mensah, B. Y., Roland Akuka Apambilla, R. A., and Doe, K. D. (2022). Livelihood, carbon, and spatiotemporal land-use land-cover change in the Yenku forest reserve of Ghana, 2000–2020.  International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation 112, 102938, 1-9. 

Teaching Programmes

Environmental Science PhD courses 

  • ESCI 701: Environmental Management
  • ESCI 702: Emerging Environmental Issues 

 Environmental Science MPhil 

ESCI 612: Forest Resources Management 

MPhil Sustainability Science 

  • ESSC 602: Development and Sustainability
  • ESSC 609:  Food security and sustainable Agriculture  

MPhil Climate Change and Sustainable Development 

CCSD 603: Climate Change Vulnerability, Impacts and Adaptation 

Recent Research Projects

  1. Cascading Climate and Health Risks in Cities (CASCADE). 
    CASCADE aims to assess and model the cascading impacts of climate change on urban health systems to strengthen climate-resilient planning and policy in African cities. The project integrates climate, health, and socio-economic data to co-develop adaptation pathways that reduce health vulnerabilities under changing climatic conditions. Co-Principal Investigator & Project Coordinator. SFA Sponsored, $554,887, 2023–2027.          
  2. SmartPest-Ghana: Exploring LLM-Driven Mobile Solutions for Climate-Smart Pest Management in Maize Farming. 
    SmartPest-Ghana seeks to enhance climate-resilient maize production in Ghana by adapting and deploying Pezego, an AI-powered mobile application that integrates visual intelligence and large language model (LLM) technology for real-time pest detection and management. PI. University of Ghana, University of Sheffield and NIPE-Unicamp. IUKBC Sponsored, £99,857, 2025–2026.  
  3. Transforming Institutions to Advance Women Leaders in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (SISTARS): Lessons from Ghana and Kenya. 
    SISTARS seeks to promote gender equity and leadership among women in STEM by identifying institutional barriers and developing strategies to enhance inclusivity and career advancement for women scientists in Ghana and Kenya. 
    Co-Lead, Work Package 2. University of Ghana and Partner Institutions in Kenya. IDRC Sponsored, CAD $ 1.25 million, 2023–2026.  
  4. Microplastics and Plastic-Derived Chemical Contaminants in Africa: Implications for Human Health and the Loss of Aquatic Biodiversity. 
    This project investigates the presence, types, and concentrations of microplastics and associated chemical contaminants in African freshwater and marine ecosystems, evaluating their ecological and human health impacts. 
    Principal Investigator, Ghana Team. 
    University of Ghana and Regional Partners. Jennifer Ward Oppenheimer (JWO) Foundation Sponsored, US$ 6,931.19, 2022–2025.  
  5. Capacity Building in Aquatic and Environmental Health in West Africa. 
    This initiative builds academic and institutional capacity for research and postgraduate training in aquatic and environmental health across West Africa, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and regional knowledge sharing. 
    Team Member. 
    University of Ghana and Partner Institutions in West Africa. NORAD Sponsored, NOK 20 million (≈ US$ 2.4 million), 2021–2026.  
  6. Coastal Community Resilience to Climate and Diarrhea (C2R-CD). 
    C2R-CD explores the nexus between climate variability, waterborne diseases, and public health in coastal communities, aiming to enhance local resilience through adaptive health and sanitation interventions. 
    University of Ghana and International Partners. DANIDA Sponsored, US$ 1.8 million, 2020–2025.  
  7. Utilization of Organic Waste to Improve Agricultural Productivity in the Ga West Municipality, Greater Accra, Ghana. 
    This project promotes sustainable waste management and compost utilization to enhance soil fertility, increase crop yield, and improve livelihoods, while supporting circular economy practices in peri-urban agriculture. 
    Work Package Lead – Compost Utilization and Soil Productivity. 
    University of Ghana, Ministry of Foreign Affairs (The Netherlands), and NWO-WOTRO. Food and Business Applied Research Fund Sponsored, € 296,309.10, 2014–2017.  
  8. Assessment of the State of the Environment Project. 
    The project assessed Ghana’s environmental conditions to provide baseline data and policy guidance for sustainable management of natural resources. 
    Work Package Lead – Soil Condition Component. University of Ghana and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ghana. EPA Sponsored, 2016.  
  9. Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions (ASSAR) / Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA). 
    ASSAR examined climate change adaptation strategies in semi-arid regions, focusing on livelihood resilience, vulnerability reduction, and policy innovation. 
    Team Member. IESS and international partners. IDRC Sponsored, 2014–2019.  
  10. Crude Oil Drilling: Onshore Environmental Assessment of the Jubilee Oil Field, Western Region, Ghana. 
    This project conducted a baseline environmental assessment to evaluate the impact of onshore crude oil operations on coastal communities adjacent to the Jubilee oil field. Team Member. University of Ghana. ORID Sponsored, 2013–2015. 

Selected Students Supervision

PhD Students 

  • Frederick Apwah: Effects of Climate Variability and Change on Health and Wellbeing in Semi-arid Ghana: A Multi-Perspective Approach (Co- Co-Supervisor)
  • Victor Adjei: Landscape Restoration as a Strategy for Mitigating and Adapting to Climate Change: Lessons from Modified Taungya System Approach at Ayum Forest Reserve, Asunafo North Municipality. (Principal Supervisor)
  • Claudius B. Angsongna: Assessment Of Bioaerosol Emissions And Potential Health Risks in the Kumasi Compost And Recycling Plant Limited (KCARP), Of The Ashanti Region, Ghana (Co-Supervisor)
  • Apeanti Timothy: Artisanal Gold Mining and Agricultural Land, Climate Change. (Co-supervisor)
  • Nutsukpo Pamela Setorwu; Urban Food Governance and Sustainability. (Principal Supervisor)
  • Agyeman Margaret: Climate change and cashew (Anacardium Occidentale) productivity and assessment of adaptation strategies in the Bono region of Ghana. (Principal Supervisor)
  • Bosompem Ohene Asa: Carbon Sequestration and yield improvement in smallholder farm systems under climate change in Mid-Ghana. (Principal Supervisor)
  • Anuga Samuel: Greenhouse gas (GGH) mitigation potential of climate-smart agriculture options promoted in climate-smart villages (CSVs) of Ghana. (Co-supervisor)
  • Henry Kwabena Kakafu: Causes and effects of illegal mining in Ghana; Policy and legal perspectives. (C0-Supervisor) 

 

MPhil 

Supervised over 40 MPhil Students