Conrad Lyford, a professor within Texas Tech University's Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, has been selected to receive a Fulbright Award to Ghana in the academic year 2022-2023. His project, which runs from August to January, centers on developing and expanding a model to enhance agricultural productivity and market opportunities for the relatively disadvantaged female smallholder farmers in the northern part of Ghana.

“Smallholder farmers play a vital role in the development of rural and national economies,” Lyford said. “In Africa, 80 percent of the agricultural production comes from small farmers, and those are mostly rural women. The contribution of smallholder farmers to food security and overall national growth, along with development could be improved if women are supported.” Lyford will be based at the University of Development Studies - Tamale Campus.

Officials noted that the Fulbright Program is devoted to increasing mutual understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries, and is among the world's largest and most diverse international educational exchange programs. Since its inception in 1946, more than 400,000 have participated in the program, including 61 Nobel Laureates and 89 Pulitzer Prize winners.

“Your [Lyford] grant is a reflection of your leadership and contributions to society,” said Paul Winfree, chair of the Fulbright Foreign scholarship Board. “We hope your Fulbright experience will be deeply rewarding professionally and personally, and that you will share the knowledge and experience you gain with many others throughout your life.”

Lyford has previous experience with the Fulbright Program. In 2014, he was the recipient of a 2014-2015 Fulbright U.S. Scholar Grant. As part of that process he travelled to Hawassa University in Ethiopia to work with Ethiopian educators and researchers to facilitate agribusiness development and value chain rationalization. Today, his research broadly focuses on developing solutions in the often interrelated fields of agribusiness, health care and development.  He has worked on a number of topics, including strategic management, quality, health economics, development and marketing.  

He received his bachelor's degree in political science and master's degree in agricultural economics from Texas A&M University. His doctorate in agricultural economics is from Michigan State University. Honors include serving as a member of the Texas Tech President's Leadership Institute (2015-2016). In addition to his classroom and research duties, Lyford serves as Coordinator of Tech's Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics Master of Agribusiness Program. He joined the Texas Tech faculty in 2001, after serving as an assistant professor within Oklahoma State University's Department of Agricultural Economics.

CONTACT: Phillip Johnson, chairman and director of the Thornton Agricultural Finance Institute, Department of Agricultural & Applied Economics, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-0474 or phil.johnson@ttu.edu

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