Bernard Sandow Baani

Oil palm plantation manager and Agribusiness professional with 18 years of ground-level programme implementation, landscape restoration, and smallholder systems strengthening across Ghana and West Africa. Combines deep technical expertise in climate-smart agriculture, sustainable land use, and forest landscape restoration with proven capacity to lead complex country-level operations, managing multi-stakeholder programmes, government and community partnerships, and cross-functional teams of 300–700+.

Track record of delivering measurable impact: 2,500 ha of degraded landscape restored in 8 months, 15,000+ smallholder farmers supported across 50,000 ha, and triple-bottom-line estate transformation achieving world-class yields. Equally adept in private sector leadership and development programme environments, bringing accountability, urgency, and adaptive management to programme design and delivery. Currently pursuing an MA in Monitoring & Evaluation at GIMPA, deepening expertise in results-based management frameworks central to donor-funded and multilateral programming.

Key Accounts Manager – Agribusiness & Smallholder Development at Solevo Ghana Limited (2025-09 – Present)

Deployed in a country-level business development and technical advisory role, designing and executing a national strategy to strengthen input access, GAP adoption, and sustainable farm management for oil palm and rubber smallholders across Ghana.

• Designed and delivered a national agribusiness strategy and implementation plan within 30 days, achieving measurable programme and commercial milestones within 70 days.
• Engaged 15,000+ smallholder farmers (~50,000 ha) across Ghana, providing technical advisory on GAP, sustainable input management, and farm productivity improvement.
• Managed and developed a cross-functional national team across 6 zones, 2 sector specialists, and support staff
• Built and maintained relationships with plantation companies, government agencies, and farmer-based organisations, fostering multi-stakeholder collaboration and programme alignment.

Farming Director – Sustainable Export Agribusiness at SONO Industrial Ghana Limited (2022-07 – 2025-08)

Led the full operational and strategic management of a 650 ha multi-commodity sustainable farming enterprise producing for European markets, applying climate-resilient practices, environmental compliance, and triple-bottom-line accountability.

• Designed and implemented climate-smart farming systems integrating buffer zone and protected area management (200 ha), waste reduction, and environmentally responsible production aligned with EU buyer sustainability standards.
• Developed and enforced food safety, certification, and supply chain traceability frameworks.
• Managed operational budgets, procurement, and a multicultural management team, including an expatriate packhouse manager.
• Achieved Best Department of the Year 2023/24, reflecting strong organisational culture, team performance, and results delivery.
• Oversaw 200 ha of protected buffer zones, integrating conservation and biodiversity management with commercial operations

Plantation Operations Manager – Forest Landscape Restoration at EcoPlanet Bamboo West Africa (2021-11 – 2022-06)

Appointed to rescue a stalled 11,500 ha landscape restoration programme after 5 years of operational failure — functionally equivalent to a Chief of Party role, responsible for organisational setup, team mobilisation, stakeholder management, and programme delivery.

• Established country-level operational infrastructure from scratch: organisational design, team recruitment and roles, land acquisition formalisation, and operational systems across a complex, degraded landscape.
• Managed a large, multi-tiered programme team: 2 estate/area managers (5,000+ ha each), 6 technical foresters, 1 community liaison officer, 1 security forester, 1 admin officer, 300 permanent staff, and 2 field contractors.
• Coordinated government, landowner, community, and settler-farmer relationships to secure social licence to operate and land rights.
• Achieved restoration planting of 2,500 ha within 8 months from a zero-activity baseline, demonstrating the adaptive management, team mobilisation, and delivery urgency expected under donor programme timeframes.
• Managed all programme operational budgets and procurement systems; directed logistics and supply chain for nursery materials, equipment, and planting inputs across a dispersed restoration landscape.
• Coordinated research and monitoring partnerships with the Forest Research Institute of Ghana (FORIG), integrating field trials and species performance data into an evidence-based adaptive management framework.
• Ensured full EHS, biodiversity conservation, and Forest Management Plan compliance.

Estate Manager – Sustainable Oil Palm Production at Plantations SOCFINAF Ghana Limited (SOCFIN Group) (2017-05 – 2021-10)

Accountable for the full operational transformation of a 6,200-ha commercial oil palm estate, integrating economic productivity, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability — aligning with the programme management principles of SDG-aligned agribusiness development.

• Led estate transformation delivering an average FFB yield of 17 t/ha/yr for Years 5–7 plantings and 26% OER in 2021
• Managed a complex, multi-layered workforce of 700+ staff and workers across specialised roles, demonstrating human resources management and organisational leadership at programme scale.
• Championed digital transformation of field operations, introducing block-level monitoring systems for crop outputs, labour performance, weighbridge data, and activity tracking, strengthening evidence-based decision making and M&E capacity.
• Ensured full RSPO sustainability compliance, community relations, and conservation area management.
• Led training and capacity development of field supervisors and staff, strengthening organisational capability and succession
• Contributed to annual budgeting, operational planning, and performance reporting to corporate management, transferable to donor workplan and financial reporting obligations.

Smallholder & Value Chain Development Manager at Norpalm Ghana Limited (2013-03 – 2017-04)

Managed a multi-regional smallholder development and outreach programme supporting 3,000+ oil palm farmers across Eastern, Western, and Central Regions of Ghana

• Designed and delivered Best Management Practice (BMP) training programmes, farmer field schools, and demonstration plots for 3,000+ smallholder farmers. Introduced traceability and supplier data tracking systems aligned with RSPO sustainability and certification standards, strengthening supply chain accountability and environmental compliance.
• Implemented adaptive management approaches driven by farmer feedback and field observation data, improving productivity and enabling targeted technical support
• Analysed procurement, supply patterns, and quality data to inform programme strategy and resource allocation

Senior Field Supervisor – Plantation Operations at Norpalm Ghana Limited (2008-10 – 2013-02)

Managed daily field operations and large labour teams across a 4,500 ha nucleus estate, overseeing agronomic activities, worker performance, and operational reporting

• Contributed to operational planning, field monitoring, and management reporting.

National Service – Field Operations & Research at Benso Oil Palm Plantation Ltd (Wilmar) (2007-09 – 2008-08)

Supported field operations and smallholder farmer engagement across a 1,650-ha nucleus estate and associated smallholder scheme; conducted farmer perception research informing undergraduate thesis on agricultural extension and farm decision-making.

MA in Monitoring & Evaluation – GIMPA (2025)

BSc. in Agriculture – KNUST – Kwame Nkrumah University of Science & Technology (2007)