Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey

Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey
Research Fellow

Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey, holds PhD in Development Studies from the University of Ghana.  She is a Research Fellow at the Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) at the same university. Her research interests are in critical agrarian studies, political economy of agrarian change, rural livelihoods, and migration. Her research works over the years have focused on gender, class, land, and labour relations in agrarian areas. In recent times, she has taken specific interest in class struggles in rural areas. She has worked on several research projects including, Land and Agricultural Commercialization in Africa (LACA), Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA) and COVID-19, Africa’s Food Systems, DEMETER (Droits et Égalité pour une Meilleure Économie de la Terre)- Commercialisation, Gendered Agrarian Transformation, and the Right to Food,  Data Repository and Policy Advocacy Project (DARAP), Scientific Freedom and STI Ecosystem in Ghana, 21st Century Feminist Struggles and Movements in Africa and  the Transregional Research on the Changing Nature of Precarious Work in Africa and the Arab region. Radio and Social Media Assessment in Ghana, among many others. She is working on the following ongoing research projects:  EmployaE, Mechanization and Work in Agrological Transitions (MecaWAT), JobAgri and Biofuel Jatropha: Closure and Post Closure Analysis. She has published in the Journal of Peasant Studies, Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy, Feminist Africa, Journal of Asian and African Studies, UDS International Journal of Development, the IDS Bulletin, International Journal of Social Economics and South Africa Review of Sociology

Email: gdtorvikey@ug.edu.gh

  • Political Economy of Agrarian Change and Development
  • Gender and Labour Relations  
  • Migration and Development

Journal Articles 

Rodriguez Enriquez, C; Torvikey, D. G & Godt, S. (2023). Editorial:  Public-Private Partnerships and Development in Africa: Feminist Contestations. Feminist Africa, 4(2), 1- 15

Ackah, C; Torvikey, D.G; Obeng Adomaa & Takyi Asante, K.T (2023). “You cannot rely on bank loans to expand your business”: aversion to formal credit among female micro-entrepreneurs in Ghana. International Journal of Social Economics, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSE-02-2023-0090

Torvikey, D. G & Ohene Marfo, S. (2023). Accounting for Class and Feminist Political Economy: Questions Emanating from Ghana’s Market PPPs. Feminist Africa, 4(2), 123-147

Aguiar,  D, Ahmed, Y, Avcı, D et al,  ( 2023), Transforming critical agrarian studies: Solidarity, scholar-activism and emancipatory agendas in and from the Global South. Journal of Peasant Studies, 50(2), 758-786

Torvikey, D. G (2023). The Nawi Afrifem Collective: Bringing a Pan-African Feminist Voice to Macro-Level Economic Narratives in Africa.  Feminist Africa, 4(2), 167-173

Torvikey, D. G. (2022). Land and Contestations over Autochthony and Local Citizenship in Agrarian Ghana, Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy,1-24, DOI: 10.1177/22779760211068791

Torvikey, D.G. (2021). Reclaiming our Land and Labour: Women’s Resistance to Extractivist Agriculture in South-eastern Ghana. Feminist Africa, 2(1), 49-70

Torvikey, D.G. (2021). Land, Gender, and Class Relations in Ghana’s Cassava Frontier. Agrarian South: Journal of Political Economy,1-16

Torvikey, D. G; Tsekpo, K. O& Afram, A. (2019). Dynamics of Poverty and Inequality among Crop Farmers in Ghana. UDS International Journal of Development, (2019), 97-113

Torvikey, D. G. (2018) 'Labour Casualisation and Youth Employment in Ghana’s Formal Private Sector' in Ayele, S., Glover, D. and Oosterom, M. (Eds) Youth Employment and the Private Sector in Africa, IDS Bulletin 49.5, Brighton: IDS

Yaro, J. A., Teye, J. K & Torvikey, G. D. (2017). Agricultural Commercialisation Models, Agrarian Dynamics, and Local Development in Ghana.  The Journal of Peasant Studies, 44(3): 538-554 

Yaro, J.A; Teye, J & Torvikey, G.D. (2016). Historical Context of Agricultural Commercialisation in Ghana: Changes in Land and Labour Relations. Journal of Asian and African Studies, 1-15. DOI: 10.1177/0021909616657368

Torvikey, G.D; Yaro, J.A & Teye, J. (2016). Farm to Factory Gendered Employment: The Case of Blue Skies Outgrower Scheme in Ghana. Agrarian South, Journal of Political Economy,5(1): 77-97

 

Book Chapters

Torvikey, G.D & Ohene Marfo, S. (2023). A feminist human rights approach to Ghana’s public market PPPs: The case of the Dome market . In Rodríguez Enríquez, Corina and Masaya Llavaneras Blanco ( eds), Corporate Capture of Development : Public-Private Partnerships, Women’s Human Rights and Global Resistance. London : Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Torvikey, G.D & Atupare, A.P. (2022). Legal Pluralism, Gender Justice and Right to  Food in Agrarian Ghana. In  Bourke Martignoni, J Gironde, C Golay, C,   Prügl  E&  Tsikata, D(eds), Agricultural Commercialization, Gender Equality and the Right to Food: Insights from Ghana and Cambodia. Routledge 

Nohoua Traoré and Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey. (2022). Migrants in the Plantation Economy in Côte d’Ivoire: A Historical Perspective. In: Teye, J.K(ed), Migration in West Africa.  Springer: Switzerland

Torvikey, G. D. (2022). The Boom and Bust of Industrial Cassava Contract Farming Scheme in South-Eastern Ghana. In, Praveen Jha, Paris Yeros, Walter Chambati and Freedom Mazwi( eds), Farming and Working under Contract Peasants and Workers in Global Agricultural Value Systems. Tulika Books:  New Delhi

Kofi Teye J., Torvikey G.D., Awetori Yaro J. (2021) Changing Labour Relations in Commercial Agrarian Landscapes in Ghana. In: Jha P., Chambati W., Ossome L. (eds)  Labour Questions in the Global South. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore.

Dzodzi Tsikata & Torvikey, D. G. (2021). Rural Women’s Livelihoods and Food Security in Africa. In Berik, G & Kongar, E(eds), The Routledge Handbook of Feminist Economics. Routledge: London/ New York

Awumbila, M &Torvikey, G.D. (2018). Women on the Move: An Historical Analysis of Female Migration in Ghana. In Awumbila, M; Badasu, D& Teye, J(eds): Migration in a Globalising World: Perspectives from Ghana. Sub-Saharan Publishers: Accra 

Working Papers 

Torvikey, G.D. and Dzanku, F.M. (2022). In the Shadow of Industrial Companies: Class and Spatial Dynamics of Artisanal Palm Oil Processing in Rural Ghana. APRA Working Paper 85. Brighton: Future Agricultures Consortium

Teye, J. K. and Torvikey, D. (2018) The Political Economy of Agricultural Commercialisation in Ghana: a Review, APRA Working Paper 15, Future Agricultures Consortium

Technical Publications 

Tsikata Dzodzi & Torvikey, Dzifa, Gertrude (2022). COVID-19 in Africa: A Synthesis of 12 Country Studies.  INCLUDE: Leiden, Netherlands.

Torvikey Gertrude Dzifa & Ohene Marfo, Sylvia. (2022). The Socioeconomic Cost of COVID-19 Austerity: The Case of the School Feeding Programme. DAWN Discussion Papers No . 40. DAWN. Suva (Fiji).

Supported and provided content for People Forced to Flee History, Change and Challenge by Kelly, Ninette ,2021, (UNHCR publication). 

Teye, Joseph, Torvikey, Gertrude Dzifa & Nikoi, Ebenezer (2021). Critical Review of the Response to Forced Displacement in West and Central Africa in the Last Decade. UNHCR publication.  

Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey, Faustina Obeng Adomaa & Nana Safo Kyeretwie (2021). Cocoa Crunch in Ghana: A COVID-19 Effect and Other Factors. Agrarian South Network Research Bulletin. Issue 9(2021). ASN: Harare.

Gertrude, D. G. (2020). COVID-19 and Food Security:  Perspectives from Ghana. Agrarian South Research Bulletin. Harare: ASN. 

Asante-Poku N. A & Torvikey Dzifa Gertrude. (2021). Review of Pricing Mechanisms in Global Oil Palm Sector and Recommendation of a Pricing Mechanism for Ghana. Solidaridad: Accra 

 Dalaa A. M, Torvikey D. G, Amoah A, Abdul-Razak S, Obeng F, Kofituo R, Asare R. (2020) Climate Smart Cocoa: A Gender Transformative Approach. CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS).

Torvikey, Gertrude Dzifa & Ohene Marfo, Slyvia. (2020). A Feminist and Human Rights Based Analysis of Public Private Partnerships in Ghana’s Markets. DAWN. Suva (Fiji).

Torvikey, G.D. (2016). Strengthening Women’s Voices in the Context of Agricultural Investments: Lessons from Ghana. IIED/NETRIGHT, London/Accra.

Anyidoho, N.A, Addoquaye Tagoe, C, Adjei, M, Appiah, E, Yeboah-Banin, A. A, Crentsil, A, Oduro-Frimpong, J , Owusu, A & Torvikey, G.D. (2016). Shakespeare Lives in Ghana: Roles, Representations and Perceptions of Women in Contemporary Ghanaian Society. ISSER, University of Ghana. 

Other Publications

Gertrude Dzifa Torvikey & Dzanku, Fred. (2022). Artisanal Oil Palm Processing in an Industrial Enclave in Ghana: Resilience, Resistance and Elision. Artisanal Palm Oil Processing in an Industrial Enclave in Ghana: Resilience, Resistance and Elision – Future agricultures (future-agricultures.org)

Torvikey, Gertrude Dzifa. (2021). Ghanaian tomato producers and traders struggle with the state under Covid-19. Ghanaian tomato producers and traders struggle with the state under Covid-19 | Plaas

 Dzanku, Fred, Quarmine William &Torvikey, Gertrude Dzifa. (2018).  Price Wars: An oil palm saga in Ghana. Price wars: an oil palm saga in Ghana – Future agricultures (futureagricultures.org)

 

Torvikey, Gertrude Dzifa &  Gyapong, Adwoa Yeboah (2020). How Ghana’s COVID-19 measures locked down food for the poor. How Ghana’s COVID-19 measures locked down ‘food for the working poor’ – Collective of Agrarian Scholar-Activists from the South (casasouth.org)

 

 

Agrarian Livelihoods, Food Security, Land and Natural Resources

  • Ecosystem Research in the Keta region of Ghana- SOCODEVI, Canada- July 2022
  • TogetHER Project: Baseline Survey of Cocoa Producing Communities in Western North and Ashanti Regions – SOCODEVI, Canada- May-June 2022
  •  Data Repository and Policy Advocacy Project (DARAP)- ISSER, January 2022- present
  • Research School on Sustainable Development and Poverty Reduction Project- ISSER, March 2022-present
  • The Resilience Against Climate Change-Social Transformation Research and Policy Advocacy (REACHSTR)- International water Management Institute, Ghana- March-June 2022
  • Contestation and Resistance:  Women, Artisanal Salt Mining and Struggles Around the Capitalist Reorganisation of Salt Production- Third World Network- Ghana, March, -June 2022
  • Cocoa Sector Stakeholder Mapping and Consultation- SOCODEVI West Africa- February -March 2021
  • COVID-19 and Urban Farmers Research-November 2021- November, present
  • COVID-19 and Food Systems in Africa: Assessing the Responses-IDRC/PLAAS, September 2020-October 2021
  • Research in Africa Project (APRA)(Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana)-September 2019- 2022
  • FAO Inclusive Agriculture Business Models: Review of Gender Issues (Food and Agriculture Organisation/TWIN-UK)- November- December 2018
  • The Resilient and Sustainable Livelihood Transformation (RESULT) Project (Canadian Feed the Children) The Babason Consult, September 2017
  • Agricultural Policy Research in Africa (APRA)- Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana- August 2017-date
  • Comparative Analysis of the Gender and Agricultural Development Strategy (GADSII) and the Land Bill of Ghana: Project- 'Strengthening Gender Responsive Policy Processes in the Agricultural Sector/   Enhance Private Sector Participation in the Agriculture Policy Process in Ghana’ (USAID/NETRIGHT) – September 2017
  • Agrarian Change and Commercialisation in Ghanaian Cocoa Sector-Agriculture Policy
  • Global Value Chain Restructuring, National Policy Regimes and Local Livelihood Impacts in Ghana’s Shea Sector- Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, June 2017- September 2017
  • Land Commercialisation, Gendered Agrarian Transformation, and the Right to Food- DEMETER Project- Institute of Africa Studies, University of Ghana, February 2015 to present
  • Political Economy of Agricultural Commercialisation   in Ghana (A review for APRA Project, August 2016-Februray, 2017- Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana
  • Land and Commercial Agriculture in Africa Project–Department of Geography and Resource Development, University of Ghana- 2013-2015
  • Rice Production and Land Grabbing in the Volta Region –(with Kristina Lanz,  Graduate Institute, Switzerland) - 2014
  • Land Market Liberalization and Trans-national Commercial Land Deals in Ghana since the 1990s - University of Ghana- 2012

 

 

Gender

  • Stock Taking of Gender Activities in Ghana Secondary Cities Support Program- World Bank, Ghana-December 2021-June 2022
  • 21st Century Feminist Movements and Struggles- December 2021-December 2024
  • Gender Assessment Ghana Project, World Bank, 2020
  • COVID-19 and Sexual and Gender Based Violence in Ghana Project, UNFPA- 2020
  • ECOWAS Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency (ECREEE)’s Business Opportunities for Women in a Changing Energy Value Chain Project- 2019
  • Public-Private Partnership Ghana’s Markets: A Feminist Critique:  DAWN, November 2019-2020
  • Women and Entrepreneurship Project-Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, University of Ghana, June July 2017
  • Gender Dynamics, Power and Resource Control Along Ghana’s East Coast: A Study of James Town Landing Site in Accra, Ghana (A world Bank Commissioned Project) (World Bank Consultant) October 2016 to March 2017
  • Study on the Perception on Women in the Ghanaian Society-Institute of Statistical, Social and economic Research, March-April 2016.
  • Civil Society Role in the Domestic Violence Act Implementation Study- Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research, November 2015-March,2016
  • Strengthening Rural Women’s Livelihood Opportunities Through Empowerment in    Community Land Stewardship and Accountability in Agricultural Investments in Ghana, for Network of Women’s Rights Organisations in Ghana – (NETRIGHT) – 2015
  • Gender, Land and Agriculture Innovations in Anglophone West Africa (IIED Commissioned Project) –Institute of Statistical, Social and economic Research– 2014
  • The Four River Basins Gender and Agriculture Project-International Water Management Institute-Colombo, Sri Lanka – Volta – Ghana, Ganges – India, Nile-Ethiopia, Mekong – Bangladesh- 2014
  • Contemporary Attitudes and Health Behaviour in Ghana Project (Scl Social, UK) - 2014
  • Urban Health and Poverty Project - Regional Institute for Population Studies, University of Ghana - 2013

 

Migration

  • Study on Debt, Vulnerability and Sustainable Reintegration- Samuel Hall/IOM, May 2022
  • Critical Review of the Response to Forced Displacements in West and Central Africa in the last Decade (2012-2020)-UNHCR-2020
  • Migrating Out of Poverty RPC - Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana/University of Sussex, 2013-2015
    • Migration Industry-2015
    • Migration Industries - 2015
    • Migration for Domestic and Construction Works-2014
    • Migrating Out of Poverty Household Survey-2013
  • New Regional Formations: Rapid Environmental Change and Migration in Coastal Regions of Ghana and Indonesia – with a Consortium of German Universities - 2014-2015
  • Researching Third Country Nationals’ Integration as a Three-Way Process - European University Institute/Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana- 2013-2014
  • Facilitating Intraregional Migration, Benin Country Report - ACP/ Centre for Migration
  • Facilitating Intraregional Migration, Togo Country Report - ACP/ Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana –2013)
  • Feminisation of Migration in Ghana - Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana– 2012
  • Female Migration in West Africa-Network of Migration Research in Africa, NOMRA- 2012
  • Displacement, Social Network and Migration in Ghana - Centre for Migration Studies, University of Ghana – 2011

 

Labour

  • Financial Service Delivery Platforms, Surplus Extraction and Precarity of Labour-June 2021-September 2023
  • Trends in the Precarity of Work, State and Workers’ Responses and Implications for the Future of Work-Carnegie-Institute of African Studies, University of Ghana-2020
  • Homework and Homebased work in Ghana, ILO Project at the University of Ghana-March –September 2019.
  • Formalising the Informal Economy in a Context of Widespread Informality and Gender Segmentation of Work (Ghana Project)-Institute of African Studies University of Ghana.  - June –September 2018
  • Trade and Value Chains in Employment-Rich Activities (TRAVERA): Survey of selected Roots and Tubers (Yam, Cassava and Sweet Potato) Value Chain in Ghana, an ILO Project Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research- October 2017- 2018

 

Social Policy and Protection

  • The Pandemic as a Portal: Policy Transformations Disputing the New Normal: DAWN- March- October 2021
  • INCLUDE-Equity in COVID-19 Mitigation and Policy Responses in Africa, Universiteit Leiden-2020
  • Causes and Motivations for Teacher Absenteeism in Ghana, a UNICEF Project at the University of Ghana-June 2019
  • Master of Arts Programme in Development Studies

ISDS 615 Gender and Development

 

  • Ph.D  Development Studies

ISDS 712 Advanced Gender Studies