Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Other Relevant Information
Vision Statement
Membership In Professional Societies
Academic And Professional Qualifications
Other Relevant Training
Physical Address
Research
Personal Information
Affiliations
References
Timeline
Generic

BERNARD SANDOW BAANI

Takoradi

Summary

Seasoned farming manager with knowledge in diverse farming operations, including crop cultivation and livestock management. Known for strong leadership skills, possessing practical knowledge of agricultural project management and agronomy, leading from farm to fork by ensuring compliance and operational efficiency. Well-versed in machinery and farm administration using sustainable practices. Demonstrated ability to manage a team effectively while ensuring adherence to safety standards and quality control measures.

Overview

24
24
years of professional experience

Work History

Farming Director

SONO INDUSTRIAL GHANA LIMITED
07.2022 - Current
  • Led development of phased 680ha passion fruit farm projects, ensuring efficiency and profitability.
  • Successfully established 50ha brownfield passion farm operation in Ghana within six months.
  • Managed annual fresh fruit sourcing strategy for West Africa's largest juice factory, optimizing procurement.
  • Oversaw crop recovery, quality control, and logistics for EU market distribution.
  • Collaborated with finance and leadership to scale nucleus farms, enhancing cost efficiencies and sustainability.
  • Coordinated experts to integrate climate-smart practices, improving crop resilience and yield.
  • Established relationships with farmers and logistics providers, ensuring compliance with agricultural policies.
  • Developed sustainable land management practices, utilizing erosion control and soil conservation techniques.
  • Analyzed market trends in order to determine which crops should be planted each season.

Operations Manager-Forest Landscape Restoration

ECOPLANET BAMBOO WEST AFRICA
11.2001 - 06.2022
  • Company Overview: Nabil Bogobiri-Finance Manager +233244962674/+233201728991
  • Led the setup of financial, administrative, and technical operations for West Africa, aligning with the strategic plan for restoring 11,000ha of degraded forests in the Ashanti Region.
  • Engaged and coordinated with government agencies, NGOs, local communities, and contractors, ensuring project compliance with security measures, land rights, and preservation of cultural sites.
  • Managed project budgets, procurement processes, and financial controls, ensuring cost efficiency, transparency, and effective use of resources in large-scale restoration efforts.
  • Designed and implemented science-based restoration strategies, identifying native tree species suitable for reforestation while integrating climateadaptive forestry techniques.
  • Recruited, trained, and supervised field teams, equipping them with the necessary skills, safety protocols, and technical knowledge to execute largescale restoration activities effectively.
  • Developed and applied standardized monitoring frameworks to track reforestation success, tree survival rates, and ecosystem recovery, producing data-driven reports to inform decision-making.
  • Established strategic collaborations with educational institutions, research organizations, and local authorities, leveraging expertise and promoting innovation in forest restoration methodologies.
  • Nabil Bogobiri-Finance Manager +233244962674/+233201728991
  • Managed nursery operations through the implementation of Standard phytosanitary and silviculture procedures and requirements to raise 2,250,000 plantlets for planting 2000 ha each of bamboo and indigenous tree species in the year under review.
  • Led certification and verification audits for implemented procedures for carbon projects on social, environmental, and economic dimensions under VCS audits for the first 2000ha planted.

Estate Assistant Manager

PLANTATIONS SOCFINAF GHANA LIMITED-PSG
05.2017 - 10.2021
  • Company Overview: William Sakyi Ahyia-Workshop Manager +233243671863
  • I oversaw the planning and execution of all field operations across 2,200 hectares, including land preparation, planting, harvesting, and maintenance.
  • I collaborated with technical teams and external agronomists to implement best agronomic practices, ensuring sustainable productivity, soil health, and pest management within the estate.
  • I managed estate labor planning and supervised over 600 workers, coordinating with human resources and community leaders to maintain workforce stability and compliance with labor standards.
  • In coordination with engineering and infrastructure teams, I supervised the construction and maintenance of estate roads, drainage systems, housing, and irrigation facilities to support year-round operations.
  • I monitored key performance indicators such as yield per hectare, cost per ton, and worker efficiency, and used this data to prepare monthly reports and adjust strategies accordingly.
  • I ensured compliance with environmental, health, and safety regulations by working closely with sustainability and audit teams to enforce responsible operational practices.
  • I collaborated with finance and procurement departments to develop and manage the estate's annual budget, optimize resource allocation, and ensure cost-effective delivery of estate activities.
  • William Sakyi Ahyia-Workshop Manager +233243671863
  • Solely responsible and managed PSG's social, environmental, and economic interest in a 2200-ha oil palm estate including promoting workers' wellbeing, ensuring environmental compliance, and maintaining economic sustainability for the achievement of an average 41,000mt of FFB at 18.6t/ha yearly.
  • Collaborated with the sustainability department to plan, implement, and report on internal and external training for agricultural, social, and environmental improvement on policies and procedures for labor, pension and retirement, ILO principles, maternity and childbirth, safety, and environmental health.

Smallholder and Fruit Purchasing Manager

NORPALM GHANA LIMITED
01.2013 - 12.2017
  • Company Overview: Charlea Mate Kole-0244093499
  • I led the development and execution of procurement plans for outside fruit purchases, ensuring they aligned with processing capacity and supply forecasts a responsibility I managed independently.
  • I worked with field officers and local partners to build and maintain strong supplier networks, engaging directly with smallholder farmers and cooperatives to secure consistent and quality fruit supply.
  • I handled contract negotiations and established pricing frameworks with external suppliers, taking full responsibility for ensuring fairness, market competitiveness, and compliance with company policies.
  • In collaboration with transport teams, depot supervisors, and quality control officers, I coordinated logistics and enforced quality standards to ensure timely and efficient delivery from multiple sourcing zones.
  • I tracked and analysed key procurement indicators such as delivery timeliness, rejection rates, and sourcing costs, and prepared regular reports to inform purchasing strategies a task I performed independently.
  • I worked closely with IT and compliance teams to implement and manage digital procurement systems and farmer databases that enhanced traceability, data accuracy, and operational transparency.
  • In collaboration with agronomists and risk officers, I identified key supply chain risks - including seasonal yield variations and climate-related disruptions, and developed proactive mitigation strategies.
  • Charlea Mate Kole-0244093499
  • As sectional head, I led the development, monitoring, and implementation of Fresh Fruit Bunches (FFB) purchasing strategies, Policies, and initiatives aligned with the overall organizational strategy and ensured implementation; Secured 65% (65,000-75,000 Mt) of NGL's fruit requirement from smallholder farmers for over 5 years.
  • Led the marketing through purchases of fruits from 3000 smallholder farmers located within Western and Central and integrating all non-banked into formal banks and mobile money services for payments and other financial transactions.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Agriculture

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology
Kumasi, Ghana
07-2007

Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination - General Agriculture, Physics, Chemistry, and Elective Mathematics

St. Augustine's College
Cape Coast, Ghana
11-2001

Skills

  • Strategy development
  • IT
  • Agronomy
  • Tropical crops
  • Forest restoration
  • Project Management
  • Commodity Purchasing
  • Budgeting & Budget Administration
  • Commercial Awareness
  • Smallholder Systems
  • Leadership
  • Time management
  • Adaptability
  • Environmental awareness
  • Stakeholder Engagement and Partnership Development
  • Crop management
  • Financial Oversight & Cost Efficiency
  • Basic geographic information systems (GIS)

Other Relevant Information

18 years of management and project implementation experience as a planter, forest restoration, and fruit farming., Proficient, Hausa, seven other Ghanaian languages, Worked in multicultural environments of different nationalities including Belgians, South Africans, Indians, and Portuguese.

Vision Statement

A well-rounded professional with 18 years experience in sustainable plantation, smallholder systems, forestry, and horticultural management. I am dedicated to optimizing resources, enhancing stakeholder partnerships, and driving commercial growth. I build systems and develop capable teams to bring about transformational change in organizations. I prioritize sustainability and climate-smart agricultural innovations and digitization, which are global imperatives for climate responsibility. I aim to leverage my understanding of yield improvement to strategically grow volumes intensively, ensuring long-term productivity, profitability, and environmental stewardship.

Membership In Professional Societies

RSPO smallholder certification system development committee, Ghana, 2015

Academic And Professional Qualifications

  • Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, BSc. Agriculture, 2007, https://agric.knust.edu.gh/
  • St. Augustine's College, Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination-General Agriculture, Physics, Chemistry, and Elective Mathematics, 2001, Cape Coast, Ghana

Other Relevant Training

  • Lead Auditor-Principles & Criteria, Proforest, Takoradi, rspo.org, 2019-RSPOLA-AFR-01-10
  • Tropical Forest Landscapes 101: Conservation and Restoration, Coursera for Yale University, Online, V4RMQ6U2ASEP

Physical Address

P.O. Box 146, Kojokrom, Takoradi, Ghana

Research

  • Farmers perception of the smallholder scheme of Benso Oil Palm Plantation in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region of Ghana, B, S, Baani, 2007
  • Effects of motivation on employee productivity, B, S, Baani, 2012, Incomplete-Abandoned due to life threatening vehicle accident
  • Arguing Policy Options for decarbonisation as a Global Employment Challenge, B, S, Baani, 2023

Personal Information

  • Citizenship: Ghanaian
  • Date of Birth: 11/10/81
  • Gender: Male
  • Nationality: Ghanaian

Affiliations

  • Best department of the year 2023/24
  • Black soldier fly rearing
  • beekeeping

References

References available upon request.

Timeline

Farming Director

SONO INDUSTRIAL GHANA LIMITED
07.2022 - Current

Estate Assistant Manager

PLANTATIONS SOCFINAF GHANA LIMITED-PSG
05.2017 - 10.2021

Smallholder and Fruit Purchasing Manager

NORPALM GHANA LIMITED
01.2013 - 12.2017

Operations Manager-Forest Landscape Restoration

ECOPLANET BAMBOO WEST AFRICA
11.2001 - 06.2022

Bachelor of Science - Agriculture

Kwame Nkrumah University of Science And Technology

Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination - General Agriculture, Physics, Chemistry, and Elective Mathematics

St. Augustine's College

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BERNARD SANDOW BAANI