Posts by Davis Weddi

The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) has officially welcomed Angola and Togo as new members. With their addition, SGCI now numbers 19 councils across the continent, strengthening its role in supporting science, technology, and innovation (STI) systems in Africa. The announcement was made on 15 September in Accra, Ghana, as partners, funders, researchers, and policymakers…

International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is funding a public-private partnership to create a new poultry vaccine in Brazil. The initiative is part of InnoVet-AMR 2.0, a four-year partnership between IDRC and the UK’s Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) Global AMR Innovation Fund (GAMRIF). The goal is to reduce the emerging risk that antimicrobial…

Mary Abukutsa, a leading researcher on African indigenous vegetables (AIVs) from Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) and a Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) research fund beneficiary, has been named the 2025 Africa Food Prize laureate for her ground-breaking work in advancing African indigenous vegetables. The announcement was made in Dakar, Senegal, during…

Malawian researchers are using crop residues to help farmers cure tobacco while saving trees, cutting costs, and easing the nation’s deforestation crisis. The crop’s reliance on firewood for curing is driving deforestation, putting both forests and livelihoods at risk. Tobacco is Malawi’s economic backbone, accounting for two-thirds of foreign exchange earnings and employing thousands of…

In this Ask the expert article, Nicholas Ozor, executive director of the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS), shares highlights of the Strengthening the National Research and Innovation Funding Agencies in West Africa (SRIFA) project under the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI). Strengthening the National Research and Innovation Funding Agencies in West Africa (SRIFA) ATPS,…

In this Ask the expert article, Lorenza Fluks spoke about the Science Granting Councils Initiative’s (SGCI) Gender, Equity, and Inclusivity (GEI) project, led by the Human Sciences Research Council in collaboration with Jive Media Africa, Portia UK, and Gender at Work, which supported the foundational work during Phase I. 1. Tell us more about the…

Across Africa, women are contributing to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and leading transformative projects that tackle some of the continent’s most pressing challenges. Through their work, they are breaking stereotypes, solving real-world problems, and inspiring the next generation of girls to see themselves as scientists, innovators, and changemakers. With funding from the Science…