On behalf of my cherished colleagues, I warmly welcome you to the website of the Institute for Rural Development and Innovation Studies (IRDIS), College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana. Established in 1979 as the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD), IRDIS transitioned into an Institute status in May 2025. I am honoured to be the foundation Director leading IRDIS into its next chapter, building on a rich legacy of cutting-edge research and evaluation on pertinent rural development issues for rural prosperity and transformation. Our vision is to be a leading African institute for transformative research, innovation, and education in sustainable and inclusive rural development. We believe that rural communities are endowed with abundant resources and have rich heritage. We seek to work with and for people living in rural areas to navigate the challenges they face and explore the available opportunities to achieve a prosperous future. We do this through transformative and impactful research, teaching and extension services in partnership with development actors.
As a leading African university-based rural development institute, IRDIS brings together world-class researchers who conduct cutting-edge, policy-relevant work on the continent’s rural development priorities. Our portfolio spans interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary research in Ghana and across Africa, and we welcome constructive partnerships in research, evaluation and advocacy.
We are ready to work with both local and international partners to champion Africa’s rural transformation. In line with KNUST’s financial management policies and guidelines, our robust accounting systems ensure value for money and transparency for partners and collaborators. Beyond publications in high impact journals, in the next coming year, IRDIS will produce a flagship annual report dubbed the State of Rural Development in Ghana to help shape Ghana’s rural development policy and programming; collaborators and funders are welcome to work with us on this initiative. Look forward to our upcoming research-based graduate programmes (MPhil and PhD), which will provide rigorous training that produces professionals with expertise in rural development who serve in academia, government, industry, NGOs, and multilateral institutions. IRDIS’ strategic priorities reinforce our leadership in rural development research, policy advice, and advocacy. Whether you are a policymaker, researcher, student, or rural development partner, I encourage you to explore this website and engage with IRDIS’ work. I invite you to join us in working together to generate the evidence and innovations needed to advance sustainable and inclusive rural development in Ghana, across Africa, and beyond.
Thank you for visiting our website. Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions.
Professor Ebenezer Owusu-Addo
AG. Director, IRDIS