Justina is a Senior Research Scientist and the Head of Agriculture, Health and Environment Research Division at the CSIR-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI), Ghana. She holds a PhD in Development Studies, an MPhil in Agricultural Economics, both from the University of Ghana, and a BSc in Agricultural Technology (Economics and Extension option) from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. In addition to these, she has had postgraduate exchanges at the University of Guelph, Canada, University of Bonn, Germany, and Aalborg University, Denmark. Her broad research interest is in the field of economics of innovation and development, in the agriculture and MSMEs sectors. Specifically, she is interested in impact assessment, poverty, welfare analysis, innovation systems, research-policy-industry linkages, rural development, technology transfer, and science policy. She has authored publications in these fields and gained over 10 years of rich research experience through involvement in multiple donor-funded projects and consulting for reputable organisations such as the United Nations. Justina is an award-winning researcher and international speaker with several awards and fellowships to her credit. In 2021, one of her PhD papers was adjudged the Best PhD Student Paper presented at the GLOBELICS conference held in Costa Rica and also received the Overall Best Graduating PhD (Development Studies) Student award from the University of Ghana. Justina is currently a 2023 Fellow at Cornell University under the Structural Transformation of Africa and Asian Agricultural and Rural Spaces (STAAARS+) programme. She is a 2023 Africa Evidence Leadership Award (Evidence Producer) winner, recognizing her work in the science and policy space. She is also an alumna of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African leaders, where she received leadership training in civic engagement from the University of Delaware. Aside research, she is passionate about seeing more women and action put into STEM through advocacy, mentorship, and stronger research-industry-policy linkages. Justina is the Founder of GirledUp Ghana, an organization dedicated to mentoring and empowering young girls in underserved communities to make good life and career choices, especially careers in STEM and related fields. Justina loves to do the Lord’s work and is a proud church mother of the Living Word Assemblies International Church in Accra. She heads the youth and singles ministry, empowering and preparing them for their life purpose. She is also a mother of three girls, who remain her greatest inspiration.
Justina is a Senior Research Scientist and the Head of Agriculture, Health and Environment Research Division at the CSIR-Science and Technology Policy Research Institute (STEPRI), Ghana. She holds a PhD in Development Studies, an MPhil in Agricultural Economics, both from the University of Ghana, and a BSc in Agricultural Technology (Economics and Extension option) from the University for Development Studies, Ghana. In addition to these, she has had postgraduate exchanges at the University of Guelph, Canada, University of Bonn, Germany, and Aalborg University, Denmark.
Her broad research interest is in the field of economics of innovation and development, in the agriculture and MSMEs sectors. Specifically, she is interested in impact assessment, poverty, welfare analysis, innovation systems, research-policy-industry linkages, rural development, technology transfer, and science policy. She has authored publications in these fields and gained over 10 years of rich research experience through involvement in multiple donor-funded projects and consulting for reputable organisations such as the United Nations.
Justina is an award-winning researcher and international speaker with several awards and fellowships to her credit. In 2021, one of her PhD papers was adjudged the Best PhD Student Paper presented at the GLOBELICS conference held in Costa Rica and also received the Overall Best Graduating PhD (Development Studies) Student award from the University of Ghana. Justina is currently a 2023 Fellow at Cornell University under the Structural Transformation of Africa and Asian Agricultural and Rural Spaces (STAAARS+) programme. She is a 2023 Africa Evidence Leadership Award (Evidence Producer) winner, recognizing her work in the science and policy space. She is also an alumna of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for young African leaders, where she received leadership training in civic engagement from the University of Delaware.
Aside research, she is passionate about seeing more women and action put into STEM through advocacy, mentorship, and stronger research-industry-policy linkages. Justina is the Founder of GirledUp Ghana, an organization dedicated to mentoring and empowering young girls in underserved communities to make good life and career choices, especially careers in STEM and related fields.
Justina loves to do the Lord’s work and is a proud church mother of the Living Word Assemblies International Church in Accra. She heads the youth and singles ministry, empowering and preparing them for their life purpose. She is also a mother of three girls, who remain her greatest inspiration.