Consultancy & Action Research
Evidence-based solutions in ecosystem management for governments, development partners and communities.
- Participatory district planning
- Participatory GIS (PGIS) mapping
- Baseline, monitoring and evaluation studies
Think tank · Action research collective · Wa, Ghana
Humans living in harmony with their ecosystems.
ECOTHINK is a Ghana-based, internationally recognised not-for-profit. We bridge the gap between academic research and practical, on-the-ground action across the Volta River Basin and Sub-Saharan Africa.
What we do
Three pillars, one ecosystem approach
Every project combines rigorous evidence, local skills and visible change on the land.
Capacity Building & Training
Practical skills for local stakeholders so that results last beyond the project cycle.
- District and community stakeholder training
- Artisan and farmer skills transfer
- Field research training
Direct Ecosystem Services
Implementation on the ground: conservation, agroforestry, Volta Basin ecosystem health and sustainable livelihoods.
- Tree, fruit-tree and cereal planting
- Value-chain development for smallholders
- WASH and sanitation solutions
About ECOTHINK
Research that ends up on the land
Our mission
Humans live in harmony with their ecosystems.
The Ecosystem Thinking Research and Development Group (ECOTHINK) is a not-for-profit think tank and action research collective based in Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana. It was incorporated in 2024 as a company limited by guarantee and is licensed as a National Non-Profit Organisation.
ECOTHINK brings together senior academics and practitioners from UBIDS, Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University and the University for Development Studies, whose combined experience spans ecosystem management, engineering, gender and social inclusion, geography and development planning.
We drive sustainable development and environmental stewardship across Sub-Saharan Africa. Our strength is closing the gap between what academic research knows and what communities, districts and partners can put into practice.
Our work contributes to ecosystem-based management, climate change resilience and better human well-being in Ghana and beyond. We treat environmental health and social well-being, including child protection and sanitation, as parts of one system.
Track record
Experience our team brings
Before and since ECOTHINK was formed, its members have delivered high-impact work for national and international partners, from district governance to household sanitation.
IUCN2015Nandom District
Pioneering regional planning on the Black Volta
We won and executed an IUCN project to develop a participatory five-year development plan for Nandom District, along the ecologically sensitive Black Volta River. Ecosystem management was integrated directly into local governance.
Participatory planningLocal governanceRiver basin
GIZRecentUpper West & Savannah
Multi-sectoral development mapping with PGIS
Using Participatory GIS, we mapped development infrastructure across multiple District Assemblies in the Upper West and Savannah Regions, giving districts accurate data for strategic planning.
PGISSpatial dataDistrict planning
UNICEFMultiple projectsNorthern Ghana
Child protection and WASH
We have undertaken a range of projects for UNICEF focused on child protection and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, reflecting our view that human well-being and environmental health go together.
Child protectionWASHSocial well-being
CommunityOngoingRural communities
Grassroots planting and value chains
We plant trees, including fruit trees, and cereals with communities and develop their value chains. This directly empowers smallholder farmers, rural households and vulnerable groups, building resilience.
AgroforestryLivelihoodsClimate resilience
Our members have worked withIUCNGIZUNICEFDistrict Assemblies
Our people
Leadership and founding members
An Executive Council of senior academics, supported by founding members from three universities in northern Ghana.
Executive Council
KP
Prof. Kenneth Peprah
Director
Professor of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Wa.
kpeprah@ubids.edu.gh
+233 20 807 1685
peprahkenneth27.github.io/ecothink-website
OK
Prof. Osumanu Issaka Kanton
Co-Director
Pro Vice-Chancellor, University of Business and Integrated Development Studies (UBIDS), Wa.
HO
Harrison Okoto
Secretary, Administrator & Field Research Officer
Coordinates administration, field operations and data collection.
okoto.harrison@ubids.edu.gh
+233 50 625 5533
Founding members
HD
Prof. Hamidatu Saaka Darimani
Academic, researcher and engineer. Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Hilla Limann Technical University (DHLTU), Wa.
CA
Prof. Constance Awinpoka Akurugu
Associate Professor of Sociology and Gender Studies; Director, Centre for Gender, Diversity and Social Inclusion, UBIDS.
RA
Prof. Raymond Aabeyir
Associate Professor and Vice-Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences and Arts, UBIDS, Wa.
GT
Mr Gordon N. Tuu
PhD Candidate and Lecturer, University for Development Studies, Tamale.
+
Associates & researchers
Space for ECOTHINK's network of associate researchers, GIS specialists, facilitators and advisory board members.
Join our networkPartner & fund
A grant-ready partner in the Volta Basin
We work with foundations, development agencies, universities and government on projects that need both research depth and delivery on the ground.
Fully registered. Incorporated company limited by guarantee and licensed National Non-Profit Organisation.
Experience with major funders. Our members have delivered projects for IUCN, GIZ and UNICEF.
Research and implementation in one team. Baselines, PGIS, planning, training and field delivery without handovers.
Local presence. Headquartered in Wa with established relationships with District Assemblies and communities across six regions.
Participatory by design. Communities shape plans, so outcomes are owned and sustained.
Academic depth across disciplines. Leadership includes a Pro Vice-Chancellor and a Vice-Chancellor, with expertise in environment, engineering, gender and social inclusion, and the social sciences.
Registration and accountability
Copies of all documents are available to funders and partners on request for due diligence.
Registrar of Companies
Certificate of Incorporation
Reg. No. CG021970324Incorporated 27 March 2024 under the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), limited by guarantee.
NPO Secretariat, Dept. of Social Welfare
National NPO Licence
NPOS/UW10/LN01762/24Valid until 12 Feb 2027Projects seeking partners and funding
Our pipeline for the coming years. Each concept can be developed into a full proposal with a partner.
Dignity Toilet Project, Ghana
Bringing the Dignity Toilet concept to Ghana. Two communities have already agreed to implement it. We are seeking a training partnership for local artisans and co-funding for construction.
Volta Basin ecosystem health monitoring
Community-based monitoring of riverbank vegetation, land use and water stress along the Black Volta, feeding district decisions.
Fruit trees and value chains for smallholders
Scaling up tree, fruit-tree and cereal planting with processing and market links that raise farm incomes for women and vulnerable groups.
District ecosystem-planning academy
Training District Assembly planners to integrate ecosystem management into medium-term development plans, building on the Nandom model.
PGIS mapping service for districts
Extending participatory infrastructure mapping to more districts in northern and central Ghana for evidence-based investment planning.
Your project here
Have a call for proposals or a research idea? Let's co-design it.
Propose a collaborationWays to work with us
Choose the role that fits your organisation.
Funder
Support a pipeline project or a programme area through grants or co-financing.
Implementing partner
Join a consortium. We lead or support field delivery, training and community engagement.
Research partner
Universities and institutes collaborating on studies, data, joint publications and student fieldwork.
Commissioning client
Commission consultancy, PGIS mapping, baselines, evaluations or planning support.
Alignment with the Sustainable Development Goals
How our work maps to global targets, for funders reporting against the SDGs.
1No Poverty
2Zero Hunger
6Clean Water & Sanitation
11Sustainable Communities
13Climate Action
15Life on Land
17Partnerships
Events & news
What's happening
Events
TBC2026
Community tree-planting day
Planting fruit trees with smallholder farmers and schools. Volunteers and sponsors welcome.
Upper West Region
TBC2027
Dignity Toilet artisan training
Hands-on training for local artisans ahead of construction in two partner communities.
Northern Ghana
TBC2027
Workshop: ecosystem-based management for districts
A capacity-building session for district planners and community leaders.
Wa
2015IUCN
Nandom participatory planning sessions
Community and district consultations that shaped the five-year development plan along the Black Volta.
Nandom District
Latest news
Two communities agree to host the Dignity Toilet Project
ECOTHINK is building a partnership to train Ghanaian artisans and bring the Dignity Toilet concept to Ghana.
Read more
Safe, dignified sanitation remains a challenge in many rural communities. ECOTHINK is working to bring in experienced trainers to build local artisan skills, so construction and maintenance stay in community hands. Partners interested in co-funding can contact us.
PGIS mapping for GIZ completed across Upper West and Savannah
District Assemblies now have participatory maps of their development infrastructure.
Read more
Working with communities and district officers, our team mapped schools, health facilities, water points, roads and other infrastructure. The data supports strategic planning and helps target investment where it is needed most.
Growing resilience with trees and cereals
Our planting programmes link restoration with farm income.
Read more
By planting fruit trees and cereals and developing value chains around them, we help smallholder farmers and vulnerable groups build income and resilience to climate shocks.
Nandom: putting ecosystems into a district plan
How our 2015 IUCN project integrated the Black Volta into local governance.
Read more
The participatory five-year plan was one of the early efforts in the region to integrate ecosystem management directly into district development planning. It remains a model for our district work today.
Gallery
From the field
Illustrations mark where project photographs will go. Replace each with a real photo and caption.
Resources
Reports, briefs and tools
Our knowledge library for partners, researchers and practitioners.
| Title | Type | Year | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration and licence documents Certificate of Incorporation and NPO licence. | Governance | 2024–26 | Request a copy |
| ECOTHINK capability statement Our services, track record and team in brief. | Profile | 2026 | Request a copy |
| Nandom District participatory development plan Five-year plan integrating ecosystem management, prepared with IUCN. | Report | 2015 | Request a copy |
| PGIS infrastructure mapping: Upper West and Savannah Summary of the method and findings from our GIZ work. | Brief | — | Coming soon |
| Community guide to fruit-tree planting and care Practical guide for smallholder farmers. | Manual | — | Coming soon |
| WASH and child protection: lessons from northern Ghana Learning brief from our UNICEF projects. | Brief | — | Coming soon |
| Ecosystem thinking for district planners Training manual for capacity-building workshops. | Manual | — | Coming soon |
Contact
Let's work together
For consultancy, partnerships, grant collaborations, training or media enquiries.
Websitepeprahkenneth27.github.io/ecothink-website
GhanaPost digital addressXW-1036-1104
Postal addressP.O. Box UY 100, Wa, Upper West Region, Ghana
Administrator & Field Research OfficerHarrison Okoto
+233 50 625 5533 · okoto.harrison@ubids.edu.gh
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