Dr. (Mrs.) Monica Addison is an Agricultural Economist and works at Institutes for Rural Development and innovation Studies (IRDIS), formerly known as the Bureau of Integrated Rural Development (BIRD), Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi, Ghana. Monica holds a PhD in Agricultural Economics, M.Sc. in Development Policy and Planning, and B.Sc. in Agriculture (Agricultural Economics option). She joined KNUST on August 1, 2013, as an Assistant Research Fellow, and has risen through the ranks to advance to Senior Research Fellow on August 1, 2022. Subsequently, she was appointed as a Director of BIRD on November 1, 2023 to April 2025, and as a foundational Director of IRDIS on May 2025 to October 2025. In her role as a Director, she provided strategic leadership, supervised administrative functions and guided the team in securing and managing research grants. Since joining KNUST,  Monica has consistently dedicated time to teaching and mentoring students and research assistants.

Beyond her teaching and mentoring responsibilities, Monica has, over the past three decades, served both as an individual consultant and as a team member on policy-relevant research and consultancies for government ministries, departments and agencies as well as the donor agencies including the African Development Bank, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), International Development Association (IDA), USAID, World Bank, UNHCR and AGRA. She has also facilitated community engagement initiatives in nearby communities (Kwamo, Fumesua and Gyenyase) and in Sene East and Sekyere Afram Plains districts, guiding community members in addressing development challenges. 

Prior to joining KNUST, Monica accumulated over 15 years of experience in rural development, focusing on gender-related programme design and implementation, resource mobilization and monitoring and evaluation. Monica has planned, developed and executed numerous development projects across the regions of Ghana. She has facilitated several capacity building workshops for MMA, DAs and community organizations and provided technical support in gender equality and women's rights to NGOs, CBOs and government bodies.

Monica's work has had a significant impact on rural communities. Her research and outreach target gender issues to reduce poverty among vulnerable populations, particularly women, girls and the elderly. Monica is passionate about gender roles, equity and women’s economic empowerment. She believes that overcoming gender inequality is essential not only for an individual well-being but also for inclusive growth and sustainable development.

Looking forward, Monica aims to lead and manage grant-funded research projects that focus on gender, climate change and food security, to contribute to the research strategies of her center and KNUST. She is committed to providing academic leadership and supporting students' development through mentoring and coaching.