Posts by Davis Weddi

Across Africa, locally driven research is delivering practical solutions to some of the continent’s most pressing development challenges, from food security and clean energy to livelihoods and industrial efficiency. Supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), these innovations show how targeted funding, skills development, and researcher–community collaboration can translate ideas into impact. This third…

Strengthening national science granting councils is emerging as one of the most effective pathways for improving how African countries finance and govern science for development. This was the focus of the thematic session on Financing Science for Impact held during the Science Forum South Africa (SFSA) Side Event from 24 to 28 November at the CSIR…

African research leaders are calling for community-engaged and curiosity-driven research to strengthen the continent’s scientific ecosystem and ensure that research better serves local needs. This call to action took centre stage at the 2025 Global Research Council (GRC) Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Meeting and Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) Academic Symposium, held in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, from…

Amidst the changing landscape in global research funding, research leaders are considering establishing Africa-led initiatives for research funding streams in alignment with the AU Agenda 2063. The researchers, science policymakers, funding partners, and institutional leaders from across the continent gathered for the 2025 O.R. Tambo Africa Research Chairs Initiative (ORTARChI ) annual meeting at the Makerere…

As part of our year-end innovation highlights series, we continue to spotlight remarkable innovations supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) that are driving sustainability, productivity, and improved livelihoods across Africa. The series will spotlight inspiring and impactful research stories published on our website throughout the year. From Uganda to Malawi and Kenya, African…

In many villages across Uganda, the fatigue of anaemia is a silent companion for countless women and children. Mothers rise before dawn to cook and fetch water, while battling dizziness and weakness. Children, too, struggle to keep up at school, their minds fogged by chronic tiredness and poor concentration. For Francis Omujal, these everyday struggles…

As the year draws to a close, we celebrate groundbreaking innovations that demonstrated the power of locally driven research transforming lives and strengthening communities across Africa. This article kicks off our year-end innovation highlights series, showcasing locally led research with real-world impact. The series will spotlight inspiring and impactful research stories published on our website…

An interview with Tom Ogada, executive director, African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) As part of the Science Granting Councils Initiative’s (SGCI) 10th anniversary reflections, we spoke with Prof Tom Ogada about the critical role played by the Collaborative Technical Agencies (CTAs) in strengthening Africa’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) systems. The Impact story of…