About Us

BIRD group pic

Who we are

The Institute for Rural Development and Innovation Studies (IRDIS), formerly the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD) is a research centre of the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources (CANR) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi. Established in 1979, IRDIS offers a comprehensive inter-disciplinary research, training, consultancy, and advisory service in rural development.

National and international reputation

IRDIS has both national and international reputation as one of the foremost University-based institutions for development with special expertise in rural development, rural enterprises development, natural resource management, project planning and management, and a good track record for training, capacity building and rural institutional development.

 National-and-international-reputation
Bird-working-experience

Working experience in Ghana

IRDIS has working experience in all the 16 Regions in Ghana and has thorough knowledge and excellent relationships with the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) across the country. 

IRDIS is institutionally organized into three Departments, these include:

gender icon

Gender, Social Change and Development (DGSCD)

The Gender, Social Change and Development (GSCD) unit at BIRD seeks to enhance high-quality research, capacity building, and consultancy services on gendered aspects, dimensions, and gender impact on rural livelihoods to improve well-being of people and transform communities, both local and global.

 earth-icon

Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (DEnSuD)

The Environment and Sustainable Development Unit (EnSuD) is a multidisciplinary unit exists to provide research, training, professional development, consultancy and advisory services, policy analysis and tools to individuals, corporate, governmental, or CSOs to contribute to good governance, safe, just, sustainable, socially inclusive and environmentally responsive development.

 monitoring

Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning Unit (MED)

The Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) unit is a multidisciplinary unit that aims to promote development effectiveness and inclusive growth through the production of rigorous, high-quality and independent evaluation and research evidence that meet the highest standards of quantitative and qualitative analysis.