Associate Professor (Mrs) Mercy Afua Adutwumwaa Derkyi graduated with a BSc in Natural Resource Management (Forestry Option) in 2000 from KNUST, Ghana, and an MSc in Agroforestry from the same University. In 2012, she obtained her doctorate in social sciences with a speciality in Forest Governance and Conflict Management at the University of Amsterdam with a scholarship from Tropenbos International. Prof Derkyi has also participated in short-term professional development training courses, including Competing Claims in Natural Resources, Alternative Dispute Resolution, Climate Change, Gender, and Sustainable Development.
Prof. Derkyi’s scope of research and practice has been in the forest-agriculture landscape, with 25 years of working experience across the state forest sector, governmental organisations and academia. Prof. Derkyi co-founded the Conservation and Development Foundation (CONDEF), where she supported fundraising and proposal development for the organisation. Prof. Derkyi joined academia in 2013 and won some career and professional development fellowships. She was a visiting scholar at the United Nations University Institute for Natural Resources in Africa (UNU-INRA), a 2014 Fellow of the African Women in Agricultural Research and Development (AWARD), and in 2015 was a post-doctoral fellow of Climate Impact Research Capacity and Leadership Enhancement Programme for sub-Saharan Africa (CIRCLE) through the African Association of Science and Association of Commonwealth Universities. In the past ten years in academia, her research focus has centred on climate change, social research methodology, forest landscape, conflict management/ transformation, governance, and gender in agriculture and forestry. Prof Derkyi established and headed the Centre for Climate Change and Gender Studies at the University of Energy and Natural Resources from 2016 to 2018. She was also the Head of the Department (2018-2019) and the Dean of the School of Natural Resources from 2019 to 2021, and in 2022 was the Head of the Centre for Professional Development. From 2023 to date, she has been the Director of Quality Assurance and Academic Planning. She is a visiting Professor in social research methodology under the WASCAL Doctoral Research Programme on Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management, University of Lome.

She has been involved in some collaborative national and international projects. She has been involved in some individual consultancies and projects at the National level. Among them include- the gender expert of a feasibility study on Renewable Energies for Pilot Project Implementation in Ghana, 2018; Lead Facilitator of the UENR Early Career Faculty Members Professional Development and Mentor-Mentee Pairing and research uptake on ‘Building and Appreciating Farmers’ Knowledge and Innovative Strategies towards food Security funded by ACU/UKaid. In the International arena, she was among the ten-member team engaged in the Systematic Review on Nature-Based Solution Approaches, a global assignment by IUFRO and Ghana representative on the IUFRO assignment on ‘Forests, Trees and Poverty Alleviation in Africa: An Expanded Policy Brief. She is also a co-applicant of the “Access-Authority Nexus in Farmer-Herder Conflicts” project funded by Danida. She was the lead supervisor for the Lean Project, which financially supported three graduate students at UENR. She is also a member of the Level-up project of UENR and currently a member of the NTFP domestication and cocoa systems diversification at the Lake Bosumtwe Biosphere Reserve project.

Prof Derkyi teaches various courses in Natural Resources at the undergraduate and graduate levels. The courses include but are not limited to Gender, Climate Change, Sustainable Development, Social Research Methods, and Natural Resources Conflict Transformation. Prof. Derkyi has authored over 40 publications, including peer-reviewed journal publications, book chapters, manuals, newsletters, info sheets, policy briefs, and research reports. She has also supervised undergraduate and graduate students. She has been fortunate to be mentored by renowned scientists and is still mentoring early-career researchers and students in all these working trajectories. She is a member of national and international organisations such as GIF, OWSD, and IUFRO and has facilitated workshops, international conferences, and short courses. She was the University of Energy and Natural Resources Council of Convocation Chair (2022-2024) and the Bono Regional Peace Council Board Chair from 2022 to 2026. Since 2015, Prof Derkyi has held administrative positions as Acting and Head of the Department of Forest Science, Head of the Centre for Climate Change and Gender Studies, Dean of the School of Natural Resources and Director, Head of the Centre for Professional Development and Director of Quality Assurance and Academic Planning Directorate of UENR and served under various committees at the University as a member and Chair.

Prof. Derkyi’s unique attributes include the ability to network and strategies with superiors, colleagues, subordinates, and partners. Another vital attribute is her ability to initiate and see-through staff mentoring and professional development programmes. Other personal and professional competencies of Prof Derkyi include (i) a good understanding of issues related to University teaching and learning, natural resources, gender, and social aspects of climate change; (ii) the ability to interact, establish and maintain an effective working relationship with staff ;(iii) an efficient leader who sets priorities, produces quality outputs, meets deadlines and manages time efficiently (v) ability to be calm, discreet, and thoughtful under pressure; (vi) good oral and written communication skills; and (vii) experience and skills in University administrative management.