Agricultural & Applied Economics: Personnel
Greg E. Fonsah
Assistant Professor
Rural Development Center
P.O. Box 1209
Tifton, GA 31793
Phone: 229-386-3512
Fax: 229-386-3440
E-mail: gfonsah@uga.edu
Academic Background
- B.S. Management & Executive Secretarial, Berea College, Berea, KY, 1983
- M.B.A. Business Administration/Management, Morehead State University, Morehead, KY 1985
- M. S. Agricultural Economics; University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 1987
- Ph.D. Agricultural Economics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, Nigeria, 1993
Research Interests
My primary research area is Fruit and Vegetable Economics. I am interested in the following aspects of this area:
- Agricultural Marketing and Consumer Demand
- Agribusiness Management
- Production Economics and Policy
- International Trade and Policy
- I also have a special interest in economic development-related issues.
Extension/Outreach Activities
My ongoing and planned extension educational programs are focused on production marketing, trade and policy for fruits and vegetables. I provide an update of marketing and price information needed to penetrate existing and new markets either locally, regionally or internationally. I work hand in hand with other specialists, county agents, financial institutions, growers and the fruit and vegetable industry to disseminate the badly needed information. My extension/outreach activities are centered in the following areas:
- Formulating and Implementing strategies on how to improve/penetrate domestic /local marketing outlets for fruits and vegetables growers and/or industry.
- Investigating new strategies which will enable fruits and vegetable growers/ industry take advantage of NAFTA and CAFTA-6 agreements and facilitate exports to the NAFTA and CAFTA member countries.
- Study EU import and export regulations such as ISO 9000, ISO 14000, Europe GAP, Ethical Training Initiatives (ETI), Sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations, Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points (HACCP), Best Management Practicies (BMPs) and other Technical Trade Barriers such as effect of mandatory Traceability and Country of Origin (COOL) policies that are hindering U.S. export of fruits and vegetables into the European markets.
- Develop enterprise cost analysis for all the fruits and vegetables produced in Georgia to enable and/or guide growers on their daily decision making process and activities in respect to profit margins before investing into any crop production.
- Provide price trend analysis to growers in particular and fruits and vegetable industry at large.