“At the age of seven, my late mother gave me a loan to make a toolbox to become a shoeshine boy,” Alhassan Nuhu Jinbaani said in an email he sent to us last summer. “To her surprise, I paid her back the loan from my first day from the market.”

Alhassan went on to explain how he worked as a shoeshine boy until finishing his basic education. He also sold chickens to help pay for college. Upon graduation, he joined Ghana’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research–Savanna Agricultural Research Institute (CSIR-SARI), a premier agricultural research center.

For 20 years, Alhassan researched ways to improve the lives of Ghana’s smallholder farmers from CSIR-SARI. “This life trajectory gives me a unique world view of hard work, integrity, and love for humanity devoid of color, tribe, race or religion,” he told us.

He was the lead researcher at one of the first projects Grow Further ever funded. Sadly, Alhassan Nuhu Jinbaani suddenly and unexpectedly passed away from complications of blood cancer on March 10, 2025. He was 47 years old.

He will be deeply missed, but his legacy will survive for many years and even decades to come.

Alhassan was still working to earn his PhD at the time of his tragic passing. A husband and father, he specialized in gender issues in smallholder farming, one of the reasons he took an interest in underutilized opportunity crops that could empower women in rural Ghana. Tributes from his coworkers show that Alhassan was a kind, compassionate, sometimes stubborn but always trustworthy champion for food security.

Our founder and CEO Peter Kelly had the honor of meeting Alhassan Jinbaani in person when Peter traveled to Ghana to assess CSIR-SARI’s grant request and proposal. As fellow agricultural economists, Peter and Alhassan enjoyed a connection in the brief time they spent together. Peter said he remembers Alhassan well.

“This was really sad and unexpected to hear of this loss. I was really shocked,” Peter said. “He liked me and he liked the approach that Grow Further takes, and he was very honored to have risen to the top inour competitive process.”

“He was a great guy to work with.”

Alhassan traveled with Peter to a region near the border with Burkina Faso to witness CSIR-SARI’s work in the field. “We got to the research site, visited the research plots, and then talked to some farmers there and had some great conversations on the way there and on the way back,” Peter said. Grow Further later invited Alhassan to the Borlaug Dialogue in Des Moines, Iowa, but we were unable to get him the necessary visa to visit the United States.

“He was a colleague to me, too,” Peter added. “We worked together on a survey and worked together on creating their budget…the budget that we ended up funding them for was bigger than the budget that they had originally proposed.”

A Bambara breakthrough

We asked his friends and co-workers at CSIR-SARI if they would like to share memories of their late colleague. Over a dozen responded, a testament to how highly regarded he was at the institute.

They described Alhassan as a devout Muslim, a dedicated husband and father, and a principled scholar focused on helping his country grow more food. They said he was passionate and opinionated, but always willing to respectfully listen to others. Alhassan was leading a project to develop the world’s first commercial variety of Bambara groundnut, a drought-resistant superfood.

“Alhassan was an affable and open person, easy to approach, and welcoming to everyone regardless of their status,” said Phanuel Yawson Sosu-Dzigba, Municipal Crops Officer with Ghana’s Department of Agriculture. “He was respectful, a virtue that defined him.”

They met when they both attended the same agricultural college. “His death has created a huge vacuum,” Phanuel said. “He will be deeply missed for his expertise and the wealth of knowledge he possessed.”

Dr. Joseph Adjebeng-Danquah, Deputy Director of CSIR-SARI, said Alhassan was known as a kind yet determined champion for smallholder farmers. “His quest to always fight for people he considered voiceless and vulnerable earned him respect among colleagues and superiors alike,” Joseph said. He confirmed that Alhassan’s passing was sudden and unexpected.

“The institute and, by extension, his family have both lost a wonderful personality, a hardworking individual who left at the prime of his life,” Joseph said. “He left at a time we expected to reap the full benefit of his PhD training. As unfortunate as it may be, death is inevitable and his sickness and passing could only be considered as one of the mysteries of life.”

Alex Yeboah, an assistant research scientist, said his first impression of Alhassan was that of a “principled and honest individual.” They worked together on the institute’s Rice Improvement Program. Alex said Alhassan was an inspiration. 

“Jinbaani was a man of strong convictions, always standing up for what he believed in, even if it meant challenging authority,” Alex said. “He was fearless, honest, and transparent. His integrity was unwavering, and he inspired others to be the same.”

“We have lost a voice of truth, a champion of justice, and a guardian of integrity,” Alex added. “His sudden departure leaves a gaping hole in our lives and our community.”

Rashidatu Abdulai, also a CSIR-SARI assistant research scientist, said Alhassan was an inspirational leader. They worked together on the Bambara groundnut project, which Rashidatu said was only possible thanks to Alhassan’s hard work.

“We have lost a selfless and dedicated colleague who was hardworking, fair, and honest in his actions,” Rashidatu said. “For the first time in the history of CSIR-SARI, Bambara groundnut crop has attracted funding for research thanks to Nuhu’s hard work, dedication, and perseverance. For me, he will forever be remembered for this breakthrough.”

Humble and confident

His colleagues said Alhassan was humble and respectful, but also very confident.

Research scientist Yahaya Asieku said Alhassan was exceptionally generous, “someone who felt he should be the one giving and not receiving and would feel hurt if you declined his offer of assistance.”

“His extreme show of humility would not also stop him from telling whoever it was his personal opinion,” Yahaya recalled. “He would try to do so respectfully believing his views were right.”

Chief administrative assistant Francisca Abaah said Alhassan was always very polite and respectful. The two came into contact whenever Alhassan needed to obtain documents.

“My first impression about him was that he is a good man, friendly and respectful and always ready to help,” Francisca said. “The institute has lost a very hardworking and dedicated staff who was contributing to the growth of the institute and to the achievement of its goals.”

Senior research scientist Dr. Prince Maxwell Etwire said Alhassan boasted an impressive degree of knowledge about smallholder farmers and their needs. He said Alhassan assisted with a valuable socioeconomic survey of farmers. They first met in 2011.

“Despite his assertiveness, he was also compassionate and considerate,” Prince said. “Nuhu leaves behind a gap marked by his unwavering commitment to expressing his views, even when he knew the outcome might not favor him. His compassion and deep faith will be genuinely missed.”

Research scientist Dr. Patrick Attamah worked as a plant breeder on the Bambara groundnut project Alhassan was leading. He said Alhassan proved to be a capable and effective team leader, someone who “periodically checked the progress and found solutions to any challenges that were being faced.”

He said Alhassan deserves credit for securing the funding for the Bambara groundnut project.

“We lost a visionary leader and a very hospitable person who fights for better conditions of service for his team members and fellow workers at large,” Patrick said.

Technical officer Dr. Rita Bawaare had known him since Alhassan’s university days. “He was the quiet type, extremely humble, respectful, and above all loving and God fearing,” she said. “He encouraged me a lot never to give up when I was waiting to be employed.”

“He is worth emulating,” Rita said. “I will do my best by working hard.”

Assistant research scientist Eleazer Ofosu Krofa said Alhassan presented himself as “very friendly and inquisitive” and even “too sure of himself.”

They worked together on an Agricultural Value Chain Mentorship Project that ended in 2014. Eleazer described the late Bambara project leader as a “kind, confident, and down-to-earth,” man. Alhassan was “very knowledgeable and always seeking answers to problems associated with the vulnerable in his sphere of work,” Eleazer added.

Principal research scientist Dr. Iddrisu Yahaya met Alhassan in 2009. They used to work together in the field and were good friends. Iddrisu recalled how Alhassan met him personally to wish Iddrisu a safe and successful journey as he set off for the Muslim Hajj.

“He was an asset in terms of the Islamic religion, and I consulted him severally on anything related to Islam and work,” Iddrisu said. “At some point I nearly quit my job, but through Alhassan’s advice and encouragement, I am now a principal research scientist.”

Alhassan’s sudden death “left a vacuum in his passion to contribute to food security with lesser-known crops and his very good relationship with people,” Iddrisu added.