Professor Philip Antwi-Agyei, a climate change and sustainability scientist, and the Director of the Office of Grants and Research (OGR) at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), Kumasi, has been appointed to the High-Level Panel of Experts on Food Security and Nutrition (HLPE-FSN) of the Committee on World Food Security (CFS). The panel is tasked with producing the report titled "Building Resilient Food Systems," which will be presented at the 53rd Plenary Session of the CFS in October 2025.
The HLPE-FSN serves as the United Nations' premier body for assessing science related to global food security and nutrition. Professor Antwi-Agyei was selected for his extensive expertise in sustainability sciences, which will enhance the panel's understanding of food system vulnerabilities and strategies for building resilience. His appointment highlights KNUST's significant contributions to advancing global food security and nutrition governance through the CFS.
An interdisciplinary climate change scientist, Professor Antwi-Agyei’s research focuses on developing innovative, multi-scale approaches to assess vulnerability to climate change, particularly about drought sensitivity in dryland farming systems in Africa. His work integrates spatial databases, ecological studies, and participatory field-based methods to explore how climate change impacts food production and rural livelihoods in developing countries. Another critical aspect of his research investigates how smallholder farmers in “vulnerability hotspots” within dryland farming systems adapt to climate change and variability.
Currently, Professor Antwi-Agyei is collaborating with researchers from the University of York, United Kingdom, to examine the implications of climate change and variability on urban agriculture in dryland farming systems.
In addition to his recent appointment, Professor Antwi-Agyei has served as a Lead Author for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. His work on this report focused on “Sustainable Development, Poverty Eradication, and Reducing Inequalities,” in collaboration with scientists worldwide.
He has published extensively in leading international peer-reviewed journals on climate change-related issues. Furthermore, he has held prestigious positions as a Visiting Researcher at the Sustainability Research Institute and the Centre for Climate Change Economics and Policy, both at the University of Leeds, United Kingdom.
The management of KNUST proudly congratulates Professor Antwi-Agyei on this remarkable achievement.