Sunyani: President John Dramani Mahama has appointed Dr Jacob Paarechuga Anankware as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Dr Anankware, known for his work in entomophagy, currently serves as a Senior Lecturer and Head of the Department of Horticulture and Crop Production at the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR), where he is also the Vice Dean of Students.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Anankware is a prominent figure in Africa's entomophagical research, having earned a PhD in Entomology from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2016. His career at UENR spans nearly a decade, during which he has cultivated an international academic presence, including post-doctoral roles at the University of Michigan and New York University School of Medicine in the USA, focusing on research ethics and integrity.
Dr Anankware's achievements include being a Mandela Washington Fellow at Purdue University and a Humboldt Scholar at Humboldt University. He has led several significant projects, notably a US$2 million DANIDA-funded initiative that explores the intersection of agriculture, nutrition, and infectious diseases, particularly focusing on how edible insects can alleviate iron-deficiency anemia.
His extensive publication record features over 44 peer-reviewed journal articles. Before his tenure at UENR, Dr Anankware worked as a consultant at Vestergaard Frandsen and established Ghana's largest insectary, developing protocols for major storage pests. He also served as Deputy Country Director of Fish for Africa, focusing on insect-based protein for animal feed.
Dr Anankware's role with Aspire Food Group, supported by a US$1 million grant from the Bill Clinton Global Initiative and the Hult Prize, involved building the organization from the ground up, targeting human consumption of edible insects.
Educationally, Dr Anankware completed his secondary education at Navrongo Secondary School and holds a Bachelor of Science in Applied Biology from the University for Development Studies. His MPhil in Entomology from the University of Ghana was supported by a research grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
As the Founder and CEO of AnePaare Farms, Dr Anankware continues to influence the global entomophagy industry. He is married with three children.
