David A.S. Modzakah is a Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Gender expert and is responsible for establishment, and maintenance of M&E system of ESRF. David A.S. Modzakah is a highly experienced chartered economist with a wealth of experience in Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning, development and effective implementation of Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Systems. Mr Modzakah has both international and local experience and works with stakeholders in both private and public sectors. He is a lobbyist and advocates for adoption and implementation of policies and regulations that are market friendly and that enhances agricultural trade and investment.
Mr. Modzakah is a PhD Candidate of Agribusiness at University of Ghana. He has a Master of Science Degree in Monitoring and Evaluation from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology; Master of Philosophy Degree in Agribusiness from the University of Ghana; a Post Graduate Diploma in Statistics from Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research of University of Ghana; Postgraduate Diploma in Public Administration from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration; BSc Agricultural Economics from University of Ghana; and several other professional certificates in Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Gender.
Mr Modzakah has at least 23 years of experience in Monitoring, Evaluation, Learning and Knowledge Management, working in core areas of agricultural technology transfer, food security, poverty reduction, climate change and economics of agricultural value chains. He has worth of experience in agricultural policy development, implementation and management involving coordination of, and participation in policy development, dissemination, advocacy and assessment.
Key positions held by Mr Modzakah prior to ESRF include Head of Project Coordinating Unit, Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Head of Agribusiness Unit, Policy Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Agribusiness Analyst, Ghana Incentive-based Risk Sharing and Agricultural Lending (GIRSAL); Monitoring and Evaluation Manager, Ghana Agricultural Sector Investment Programme; Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist, Monitoring and Evaluation Directorate, Ministry of Food and Agriculture; Policy Analyst, Monitoring of Africa’s Food and Agricultural Project (MAFAP); and Monitoring & Evaluation Specialist, CARE International Ghana, Innovation for Marginalized Girls’ Education (IMAGE) Project.
Mr Modzakah is a member of African Association of Agricultural Economists (AAAE); Ghana Association of Agricultural Economists (GAAE); Institute of Chartered Economists of Ghana (ICEG); Ghana Monitoring and Evaluation Forum (GMEF); and National Monitoring Committee of West Africa Quality Systems Programme (WAQSP).
Mr Modzakah has a good knowledge in agribusiness, agricultural research and extension systems in West Africa sub-region particularly in food security and agricultural technology systems; demonstrates sound and excellent knowledge in Monitoring and Evaluation approaches including the development of performance management systems, data capturing instruments, management of huge database, cutting across a variety of programmes, and dissemination of information and lessons learned across stakeholders. He is an expert in data collection, analysis and reporting and also assists agribusiness entrepreneurs and enterprises, including farmers’ organizations, in identifying and applying appropriate value addition and processing technologies and designs activities to increase smallholder agricultural production and market linkages that lead to increased profitability.
Mr Modzakah is an expert in the use of statistical packages such as SPSS, Excel, Power BI, Stata etc., to design and undertake survey data collection strategies; has a good interpersonal skill with ability to work in a multi-disciplinary team and a multi-cultural environment, and travels extensively around the world and within West Africa sub-region; communicates project results through high quality written reports, knowledge products including progress reports, papers and presentations documenting and analyzing achievements and lessons learned, targeting national, regional, and international audiences. Mr Modzakah is very proactive and well-organized, with good planning and problem-solving abilities; and has ability to work independently, with minimum supervision and across teams.