Archive for May 2026
Rethinking research and innovation funding in Africa’s post-aid era
Reflections by Dr. Ellie Osir on building stronger foundations for STI financing At Kenya’s Science, Technology, Research and Innovation (STRI) Week, one message stood out clearly: Africa must rethink how it funds research and innovation in a rapidly changing global environment. Co-convened by Kenya’s National Research Fund under the State Department for Science, Research and…
Read MoreGhana’s nano-scientist is fighting the drugs hiding in water
In many parts of the world, people worry about dirty water they can see, muddy streams, industrial waste, or plastic pollution. But scientists are increasingly concerned about the invisible traces of medicines quietly flowing through rivers and drinking water systems with little means to stop them. A researcher Selina Ama Saah, a materials chemist, from…
Read MoreGlobal South takes centre stage at GRC annual meeting in Bangkok
For the first time in the Global Research Council’s history, a dedicated space was carved out for the Global South, and the conversation it produced is already shaping what comes next. The inaugural GRC South Day, held on the sidelines of the GRC Annual Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand, from 18 to 22 May, brought together…
Read MoreSmall cages, big catch: how Malawi fish farmers are thriving
For generations, communities around Malawi’s lakes have depended on wild fish catches for both food and income. But shrinking fish stocks, rising demand, and population growth are putting increasing pressure on capture fisheries, threatening a vital source of nutrition for many households. Now, a project supported by the National Commission for Science and Technology, Malawi,…
Read MoreMalawi bets on homegrown fertiliser as field trials advance
Field trials testing a locally developed organo-mineral fertiliser are showing early promise in Malawi, with the country’s science funding body taking a hands-on approach to tracking progress. Members of the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) board of commissioners recently visited two of the five active trial sites at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture…
Read MoreFONSTI launches climate-smart rice farming initiative
The Fund for Science, Technology, and Innovation (FONSTI) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting applied research and regional scientific collaboration by launching a new climate-smart rice farming project to strengthen food security in West Africa. FONSTI joined researchers, university leaders, and agricultural stakeholders on 23 April at Nangui Abrogoua University (UNA) in Abidjan for the…
Read MoreSGCI funding transforming research and communities in Burkina Faso
When 15 research projects ended in Ouagadougou last October, they marked a turning point in how Burkina Faso structures, finances, and applies scientific research and a demonstration of what happens when African-led funding mechanisms are given the resources to work. The closing workshop, was held at the Institute of Social Sciences, was organised by the…
Read MoreTeaching machines to see what doctors miss
In Namibia, a mechanical engineer is using artificial intelligence to help clinicians detect breast cancer faster and more accurately in a country where radiologists are scarce, and diagnoses often come too late. Ester Angula is a senior lecturer in mechanical engineering at the Namibia University of Science and Technology. She built her career around thermo-fluids,…
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