Prof Alidu M. Sanatu is a lecturer and a Plant Breeder at the Crop Science Department of the Faculty of Agriculture, Food and Consumer Sciences, at the University for Development Studies, Nyankpala.
Born and bred in Northern Ghana, she obtained her primary education, secondary education, and the first face of her tertiary education in Tamale, Northern Ghana. She obtained her PhD in Plant Breeding at the West African Center for Crop Improvement, University of Ghana Legon- Accra, an MSc in plant Breeding from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, BSc degree in Agricultural Technology and majored in Agronomy option and an HND in Agricultural Engineering, with a major in soil and water option.
Until she became a faculty member at UDS in 2011, she taught for 11 years at the Department of Agricultural Engineering, Tamale Technical University. Her current main career assignment in the University is teaching and carrying out research in Plant Breeding.
Having worked with UDS for 15 years, she has served several other roles and responsibilities:
Prof Alidu has over 30 publications and 5 book chapters in peer reviewed journals. In November 2025, she led a team of research scientists and academics to develop and release six droughts tolerant and climate smart cowpea varieties in UDS after 30 years of the University’s establishment.
She has supervised and graduated 28 postgraduate students for both PhD and MPhil students and over 50 undergraduate students for 15 years of teaching in UDS.
She has also been and external and internal examiner for UDS and other Universities both in and outside Ghana.
She has assessed and served as a member of several promotions for other Universities and research institutions in Ghana, including University of Ghana, Crop research Institute, Cocoa research institute, Savanna Agricultural research Institute, Tamale Technical University among others.
On grants and scholarships, Prof Alidu got a scholarship from the Alliance for Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) and pursued her PhD and Master’s degree programs in Plant breeding at University of Ghana and Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 2014 and 2008 and completed in 2010 and 2017 respectively.
Upon completion and between 2022-2023: UCDAVIS Scholarship/Grant, Sponsorship to participate in the African Plant Breeders Academy class V from May 2022 to May 2023, at World Agroforestry (ICRAF) in Nairobi, Kenya. Prof Alidu also part of the team of collaborating scientist on JIRCAS, UDS, SARI Collaboration (2021 2025) and also TERRA, UDS, SARI Collaboration (2025 2028): collaborating with Japan International Research Center for Agricultural Sciences for a 5-year project on cowpea maize relay/intercropping systems with the broader aim of Technology development towards supporting farmers' decision-making to boost sustainable upland farming system in Africa.
Impactful and collaborative Grants to improve the livelihoods of women and youth in Agriculture
Prof Alidu has served as a mentor for young girls on leadership capacity building within the University, private organizations and in second cycle institutions in Northern Ghana.
Prof Alidu is a member of the African Orphan Crops Consortium (AOCC), African Plant Breeders Academy (AfPBA), Member, Ghana Institute of Horticulturist (GhIHS), Member of the Ghana Science Association (GAS), Member Ghana National Seed Traders Association (NASTAG), member African Seed Trade Association (AFSTA), and Member of the Seed producers Association of Ghana (SeedPAG). She has wide travel experience from both local, Africa and Europe, most often on conferences and workshops, on agriculture, agribusiness and other related academic fields
Prof Alidu has also partnered with many other organizations and projects (MEDA GROW Two, Yara Ghana, USAID MFA, USAID-MSR, IDH-WISE program and the MAMA soya program) to train and support small holder farmers, especially women and youth including persons with disabilities to improve yields and food security in northern Ghana. In December 2025 she was adjudged the Regional Best Female Farmer for Northern Region.
Sanatu Mustapha Alidu (PhD. MSc, PGDE, BSc. HND)
Associate Professor of Plant Breeding and Genetics
Director, International Relations and Advancement (DIRA)
University for Development Studies
P. O. Box 1882, Tamale-Ghana
Website: https://dira.uds.edu.gh
Phone: +233 24 356 5564
Email Address 1: msanatu@uds.edu.gh
Email Address 2: director.dira@uds.edu.gh
Email Address 3: dira@uds.edu.gh
Scholarly website:
https://gs.uds.edu.gh/news/uds-achieves-historic-breakthrough-as-six-cowpea-varieties-secure-conditional-national-approval
ResearchGate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sanatu_Alidu_Mustapha
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9850-8993
Face Book: https://www.facebook.com/sanatu.alidu?_rdc=3&_rdr#
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanatu-alidu-0b6599217/
Yotube: https://www.youtube.com/@sanatualidu1160
Other useful links to for impactful research and services to Ghana:
https://dinmbonefarmgates.com/
https://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Meet-Professor-Sanatu-Alidu-the-lecturer-named-2025-Best-Female-Farmer-in-the-Northern-Region-2013449
https://wacci.ug.edu.gh/news/wacci-alumna-leads-development-six-cowpea-varieties
https://www.meda.org/news/success-stories/breaking-barriers-northern-ghanas-first-woman-led-seed-producer-reshapes-roles-in-agribusiness/
https://nastag.org/index.php/membership/members-brief-profile/10-organisation-info
https://www.graphic.com.gh/news/general-news/ghana-news-uds-releases-new-drought-tolerant-cowpea-varieties.html
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