Michael Bernard Kwesi Darkoh

Biography

Professor Michael Bernard Kwesi Darkoh Is a Ghanaian. He received his PhD from the University of Wisconsin Madison, USA in 1971. He is currently Professor of Environmental Science. Prior to his current position, Prof Darkoh had also been Professor and periodically Head of Geography in various universities, including University of Papua New Guinea, Ports Moresby, PNG (1993- 1996); Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya (1981-1993); University of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (1974- 1981); Ohio Univesity, Athens,USA (1985- 86); California State University, San Bernardino, USA (1972-1974); University of Nebraska at Omaha, USA (1971-72); and the University of Cape Coast, Ghana (1966- 1971). He also taught at Achimota School, Accra Ghana (1963- 1965) and St Augustine’s College, Cape Coast Ghana (1960). He currently teaches graduate courses in land use planning and agriculture and environmental change and undergraduate courses in human environment, environmental issues, economic geography, concepts and principles of industrialization, rural development and the African environment. His current research interests span several areas, including, environment and development, climate change, desertification and land degradation, climate change impact. mitigation and adaptation, land use and resource conflicts, agriculture and biodiversity, arid lands development, and industrial location and regional development. He has served as a consultant for UNEP and the World Bank on Desertification and Environmental Assessment and Action Planning in Eastern and Southern Africa and has been external examiner for several universities in Africa, the USA, and Australia. Prof Darkoh’s honours and awards include: University of Botswana Researcher of the Year (2004); Special Commendation for Exemplary Performance as Teacher and Researcher, University of Dar-es Salaam (1980); University of Wisconsin Fellowship (1971); and Aggrey Fellowship of the Edward W. Hazen Foundation, New Haven, Connecticut, USA (1969 – 71). His latest recognition was from Kenyatta University, which, when celebrating its silver jubilee in November 2010, gave an award of recognition for his exemplary contribution as one of the pioneer professors in the growth and development of that institution. Prof Darkoh has served on a number of decision-making committees at various universities, supervised and provided guidance to several young men and women many of whom are currently well established senior scientists, researchers and professors. He was for several years the Editor of the Journal of African Research and Development and the Editor of the Trans-African Journal of History. His books include: Rural Livelihoods, Risk and Political Economy of Access to Natural Resources, Nova Science Publishers, New York, co-authored with Kgathi, DL & Ngwenya, B (2011); Natural Resource Use and Land Use Conflicts: The Case of the Okavango Delta, Botswana, Lambert, Saarbrucken, (co-authored with JE Mbaiwa, 2010); Tourism and Environment in the Okavango Delta, Botswana. Pula Press, Gaborone, Pula Press, Gaborone, Botswana, (co-authored with JE Mbaiwa (2006); Human Impact on Environment and Sustainable Development in Africa (co-edited with A Rwomire), Ashgate, UK (2003); African River Basins and Drylands Crises, Uppsala University, Sweden (1992); Combating Desertification in the Southern African Region, UNEP, Nairobi/Moscow (1989); Tanzania\\s Growth Centre Policy and Industrial Development, PETER LANG GMBH, Frankfurt (1994); Man and Desertification in Tropical Africa University of Dar es Salaam Press (1979)

Research Interest

Research interests span several areas, including, environment and development, desertification and land degradation, climate change impact, mitigation and adaptation, land use and resource conflicts, agriculture and biodiversity conservation, arid lands development, and industrial location and regional development.