Felix K. Abagale

Felix K. Abagale (born in December 1978) is a Ghanaian academic, engineer, university administrator, and community development expert. He is a Professor of Soil and Water Engineering whose work focuses on water management, irrigation, and sustainable agriculture in Northern Ghana.

Abagale is the Director of the World Bank-funded West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA) and previously served as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS). An alumnus of UDS, he was the first graduate of the university to be appointed to the position of Pro-Vice-Chancellor. He earned his bachelor's degree from UDS and his master's and PhD from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

Early life and education

Felix K. Abagale was born in Navrongo and is from Navoro-Pungu in the Upper East Region of Ghana. He attended Balobia Basic School in Navrongo and later the Ghana Secondary School (GHANASCO) in Tamale, completing his secondary education in 1997.

He began his higher education at the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Tamale, enrolling in 1999. He graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture Technology. Abagale continued his postgraduate studies at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, where he earned a Master of Science in Agro-Environmental Engineering in 2008 and a PhD in Soil and Water Engineering in 2014.

Career and research

After completing his undergraduate degree in 2003, Felix K. Abagale began his career at his alma mater, UDS, as a Research Assistant with the Faculty of Agriculture in November 2004.

He joined the faculty of UDS and progressed through its academic ranks, being appointed to Lecturer in 2009, Senior Lecturer in 2013, Associate Professor in 2018, and promoted to Full Professor in 2021. Upon his promotion to Full Professor in 2021, Abagale became the first alumnus of the University for Development Studies and, at age 44, the youngest person in the university's history to hold the rank. Throughout his career, Abagale has held several notable administrative roles. He was the Founding Dean of the School of Engineering, serving from 2015 to 2017. He was later elected Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the university, a position he held for two successive terms, from December 2019 to November 2023. Since January 2019, he has been the Director of the West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA), a research centre he founded with funding from the World Bank under the Africa Centres of Excellene project.

Abagale's research focuses on soil and water engineering, with a specific emphasis on the agricultural and environmental challenges in Northern Ghana. His work aims to provide practical solutions for water management, pollution control, and sustainable farming in water-scarce environments.

Water Management and Irrigation

A significant portion of Abagale's research involves evaluating the performance of existing irrigation infrastructure in Northern Ghana. He has published studies that assess the physical condition of dams, canals, and reservoirs in major schemes such as Tono and Bontanga. This work analyzes issues like reservoir sedimentation (where built-up silt reduces water storage capacity) and the efficiency of water delivery systems, Providing essential data for government and development agencies to guide rehabilitation efforts and improve water access for farmers.

Environmental Quality and Wastewater Reuse

Abagale has conducted extensive research on the contamination of water resources used for farming and domestic purposes. His studies have identified pollutants like pesticide residues and heavy metals in local water bodies, highlighting potential public health risks. He also investigates low-cost, sustainable technologies for wastewater treatment, such as constructed wetlands and sand filters. A key focus of this work is to make wastewater safe for reuse in vegetable production, which provides a vital source of income for many urban and peri-urban farmers in the region.

International Collaborations and Grants

Abagale has led and collaborated on numerous scientific research and development projects funded by international organizations. His partners have included the World Bank, the European Union, the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO), and the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS), among others. He has managed a grants portfolio valued at over US$15 million. A major outcome of this work is the establishment of the West African Centre for Water, Irrigation and Sustainable Agriculture (WACWISA), a World Bank African Centre of Excellence at UDS, for which he serves as the founding Director. The centre supports postgraduate training for students from over 27 African countries.

Administrative Leadership and Institutional Development

Abagale's career at the University for Development Studies (UDS) has been marked by several key administrative and leadership roles focused on institutional growth.

In June 2015, he was appointed Coordinator of the Faculty of Engineering, where he was tasked with developing engineering curricula and securing the necessary approvals from national regulatory bodies. This work led to his appointment as the Founding Dean of the School of Engineering in September 2015. During his tenure as Foundation Dean, he established three academic departments: Agricultural Engineering; Mechanical and Industrial Engineering; and Environment, Water and Waste Engineering.

In 2019, Abagale was elected Pro-Vice-Chancellor of UDS, becoming the first alumnus of the university to hold this office. He won the election with 81.7% of the total votes cast. He served two terms, from December 2019 to November 2023, after being re-elected with 95.3% of the vote in 2021.

Public Policy and National Advocacy

Abagale has used public platforms to advocate for policy changes based on his research and expertise in engineering and higher education.

During his inaugural lecture in 2022, he formally proposed the establishment of a Ghana Irrigation Development Fund (GIDFund). He argued that a dedicated fund was necessary to provide sustainable financing for the Ghana Irrigation Development Authority (GIDA) to construct new and rehabilitate deteriorating irrigation schemes, aiming to improve national food security.