Dr.
Lecturer
Agricultural Economics & Extension Education
Dr. James Kofi Blay is a Ghanaian Agricultural Economist and academician specializing in agricultural food marketing, price policy analysis, climate and environmental economics, project appraisal, and econometric modeling. He earned his PhD in Agricultural Economics from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore, India (2019–2022), funded by the Netaji Subhas International Fellowship. He holds an MSc in Agricultural Economics from Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University in India and a BSc in Agriculture Science Education from the University of Education, Winneba, Ghana. Additionally, he has completed specialized training in remote sensing, geoinformatics, big data analytics, and advanced Python programming.
Dr. Blay currently serves as a lecturer in the Department of Agricultural Economics at the University of Skills Training and Entrepreneurial Development (USTED) in Mampong-Ashanti, Ghana. In this role, he currently serves as the department examination officer, department rep to faculty and academic board as well as member of the faculty agriculture science grant proposal writing committee. Dr Blay teaches undergraduate and postgraduate courses in research methods and statistics, econometrics, and agricultural project appraisal while supervising thesis work and conducting data analysis using advanced mixed methods. His prior professional experience includes serving as a high school Science teacher with the Ghana Education Service and as a teaching and research assistant at the University of Education, Winneba.
His research focuses primarily on greenhouse gas emission estimation in agricultural production systems, resource-use efficiency, technology adoption, agricultural market efficiency, and remote sensing applications for ecological management. His academic publications and working papers explore themes such as eco-efficiency and production sustainability, pesticide usage patterns, and spatial market integration and price dynamics of major crops. He has presented his work at various international conferences and symposia, earning recognition such as the best PhD thesis presentation in Social Sciences at the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore in 2022.
Dr. Blay possesses strong technical proficiency in analytical software including Python, R, STATA, SPSS, EViews and Genstat. He is fluent in English, Nzema, and Twi. Professionally, he is affiliated with the International Society for Development and Sustainability, and he serves as a peer reviewer for academic journals such as the Asian Journal of Agricultural Extension, Economics & Sociology, Cogent Food & Agriculture Journal and Journal of Environmental Economics and Policy Studies.
| Abunyuwah, I., Delali A. E., and Blay, J. K. (2024). Farmers’ willingness to accept for attributes of soil and water Conservation technologies in Northern Ghana. Journal of Natural Sciences Research, 15(3).
Blay, J.K., Akshata, N. Abunyuwah, I., Lokesha, H & Gracy, P C. (2024) Asymmetric and threshold price transmission dynamics in onion markets in India, Cogent Economics & Finance, 12:1, 2402557, DOI: 10.1080/23322039.2024.2402557 Abunyuwah, I., Blay, J. K. & Ahiale, E. D. (2024). Environmental Efficiency and Greenhouse Gas Emission Abatement Potential in Paddy Production Systems. J. Sus. Agric. Sci. Vol. 50, No. 2, pp: 37 – 46. DOI: 10.21608/JSAS.2024.301574.1467 Blay, J. K, Lokesha, H , Abunyuwah, I. (2024). Effect of Input Subsidy Reduction on Greenhouse Emission Reduction Potential in Paddy Production Systems in Karnataka State of India. American Journal of Biological and Environmental Statistics. 10 (2): 18-27 https://doi.org/10.11648/j.ajbes.20241002.11 Blay, J. K, & Abunyuwah, I. (2024). Implications of land use and land cover change in Mampong municipality, Ghana, Sustainable Environment, 10:1, 2345442, DOI: 10.1080/27658511.2024.2345442 Yenibehit,N., Abdulai, A., Amikuzuno, J. & Blay, J. K. (2024) Impacts of farming and herding activities on land use and land cover changes in the north eastern corridor of Ghana: A comprehensive analysis, Sustainable Environment, 10:1, 2307229, DOI: 10.1080/27658511.2024.2307229 Blay, J. K and Lokesha, H. (2022). Eco-Efficiency and Sustainability of Jowar Production in Karnataka State, India. Mysore J. Agric. Sci., 56 (4):209-221. Blay, J. K and Lokesha, H. (2022). Economic Analysis of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Potential, Energy-Use and Sustainability of Maize Production in Karnataka. Economic Affairs, 67(3): 239 – 250. DOI: 10.46852/0424-2513.3.2022.13 Sagar, Gaddi, G.M., Murtuza, K. and Blay, J. K. (2022). Factors Determining Adoption of Bhoochetana Scheme by Farmers in Rainfed Agriculture of Karnataka: A Probit Analysis. Economic Affairs, 67(1). pp. 43-48. DOI: 10.46852/0424-2513.1.2022.9. Abunyuwah, I., Delali A. E., and Blay, J. K. (2020). Determinants of farmers’ pesticide usage patterns in tomato production in Ghana. A case study of Akomadan. International Journal of Agricultural Economics and Extension. Vol. 8 (5), pp. 001-007 Blay, J. K. and Kumari, R.V. (2016). Market Integration and Price Transmission Between Selected Imported Rice and Local Rice Markets in Ghana. Application of Non-Linear Co-Integration Approach. Research Journal of Agriculture and Forestry Science. Vol. 4(2). Pp. 1 – 7 Blay, J. K., Subba Rao, D. V., & Kumari, R.V. (2015). Price dynamics and market integration of Sorghum and Millet Markets in Ghana. Research Journal of Agriculture and Forestry Science. Vol.3 (9). Pp. 11 – 21 Blay, J.K., Maiadua, S. U. and Sadiq, M. S. (2015). Horizontal market integration and price transmission between maize, sorghum and millet in Dawanau market, Kano State, Nigeria: Evidence from non-linear vector error correction model. Global Journal of Agricultural Economics, Extension & Rural Development. Vol.3 (10). Pp 330 – 337. Abunyuwah, I.& Blay, J. K. (2013). Accessibility constraints of small-scale fish farmers to formal credit in the Nzema East Municipality. Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development. Vol.4 (1). Pp.128-132. Working Paper Marginal abatement cost (shadow prices) of greenhouse gas emission in crop production systems in Karnataka State-India |
PhD | Agricultural Economics 2022
University of Agriculture Science, Bangalore, India
Masters | Agricultural Economics 2015
Professor Jayashankar Telangana State Agriculture University India
Bachelors | Science in Agriculture Science Education (Hons) 2012
University of Education, Winneba, College of Agriculture Education Ghana
Environmental Economics – Economic analysis of greenhouse emission reduction potential in agriculture production systems
Agricultural Marketing and Price Analysis
Production Economics
Econometric application
Remote Sensing and Geoinformatics
Agricultural Economics
| • Dates (from – to) | April, 2024 – Date | |
| • Name and address of employer | AAMUSTED, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mampong – Ashanti- Ghana. | |
| • Type of business or sector | Tertiary Education | |
| • Occupation or position held | Lecturer | |
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| • Dates (from – to) | Oct., 23 – November, 2013 | |
| • Name and address of employer | Commission for Technical and Vocational Education and Training | |
| • Occupation or position held | Lead Expert | |
| • Main activities and responsibilities | · Validation of occupational standards for development of competency-based training (CBT) curricula for skill development in agriculture
· Writing of learners and facilitators guides for CBT agriculture curricula. |
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• Dates (from – to) |
February, 2023 – April, 2024 |
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| • Name and address of employer | AAMUSTED, Department of Agricultural Economics, Mampong – Ashanti- Ghana. | |
| • Type of business or sector | Tertiary Education | |
| • Occupation or position held | Lecturer (Part-time) | |
| • Main activities and responsibilities |
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| • Dates (from – to) | September, 2016 – September, 2019 | |
| • Name and address of employer | Ghana Education Service, Wulensi Senior High, Box 40, Bimbilla, N/R | |
| • Type of business or sector | Secondary School Education | |
| • Occupation or position held | Teacher | |
| • Main activities and responsibilities |
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| • Dates (from – to) | June, 2012 – Jan, 2014 | |
| • Name and address of employer | Dept. of Agricultural Economics & Extension, college of Agriculture Education, University of Education, Box M40, Mampong-Ashanti | |
| • Type of business or sector | Education | |
| • Occupation or position held | Teaching and Research Assistant | |
| • Main activities and responsibilities | · Handling undergraduate tutorials in econometrics, research methodology
· Supervision and evaluation of undergraduate thesis work · Data entry, analysis and research report writing
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| • Dates (from – to) | September, 2011 – December, 2011 | |
| • Name and address of employer | Department of Science, Shama Senior High School (Internship). | |
| • Type of business or sector | Education | |
| • Occupation or position held | Integrated Science Teacher | |
| • Main activities and responsibilities | Teaching Physics, Chemistry& Biology (Integrated)
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Department Exams Officer- Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Education
Faculty Board Rep – Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Education
Academic Board Rep- Department of Agricultural Economics and Extension Education
Tab Content
Best PhD thesis presentation in the category of Social Sciences, University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore – India
Best international conference oral presentation, S.K. Chaudhary Educational Trust-Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Madhubani-Bihar, India
Netaji Subhas International Fellowship – Indian Council for Agricultural Research, New Delhi-India – September,2019 – September, 2022
(Africa-India Scholarship)-Indian Council for Agricultural Research Scholar, New Delhi-India- January 2014 – December 2015
Friends of Ankobra Scholarship Scheme,Western Region – Ghana. September 2003 – July, 2012