Solar milking tech boosts dairy farms in Malawi

Dairy farm cows in Malawi. Farmers in the coutry can now access a solar-powered milking and water pumping system that slashes milking time. Copyright: Charles Mpaka

Malawi’s solar-powered milking project could transform the livelihoods of small-scale dairy farmers living off-grid. When Robert Mbendera started out as a small-scale dairy farmer in rural Malawi 20 years ago, milking the one cow he owned was an arduous, time-consuming process. “It would take about 80 minutes to milk the cow — that’s 80 minutes…

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Ugandan researchers offer lifeline to bakers

Pastry chef using icing bag to decorate chocolate cake, (public domain CC0 photo)

Ugandan researchers have come up with a simple set of guidelines to help bakeries comply with food safety standards – potentially saving them from closure. The new standards for bread and cake production were designed to be practical and easily understood by all bakers, regardless of their educational background. Introduced by the Uganda National Bureau…

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Real-time emissions tracker eyes cleaner bill of health

On car free day in Kigali, everyone joins the physical excercises. Copyright: Courtesy of Paul Kagame (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0).

Rwandan innovators are taking on air pollution with a monitoring device that tracks vehicle emissions in real-time, shutting down the engine if levels get too high. Rwanda’s urban population is rapidly growing, deepening concerns about air pollution and the harm it’s causing to public health. “Exposure to harmful emissions can lead to long-term health issues,”…

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Wind energy harnessed to solve power shortages in rural Nigeria

[LAGOS] A team of five Nigerian researchers have developed an innovative solution called AirVolt, designed to harness wind energy to generate sustainable electricity for rural communities in northern Nigeria. These areas, often disconnected from the national grid, face significant challenges in accessing essential services such as healthcare, due to unreliable power. Nigeria’s energy landscape has…

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Zambian science events seek to boost women’s STEM uptake

[NAIROBI] Zambian researchers are using three strategic interventions to enhance the participation and hands-on practice of women and young people in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The women in STEM conference, the STEM boot camp, and the STEM festival are organised as part of a partnership of the country’s National Science and Technology Council…

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Biogas plant addresses energy poverty in Malawi

Biogas harvesting

[BLANTYRE, MALAWI] A biogas plant in Malawi has transformed the lives of mothers, girls, and children in local communities by reducing reliance on firewood and providing them with clean and sustainable energy, its developers say. Only ten per cent of the Malawian population has access to electricity while the majority of the population relies on…

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Mass breeding of desert locusts unlocks new food source

Metallic cages prototypes for raring desert locausts2

[NAIROBI] Mass breeding of desert locusts in a controlled environment could provide a sustainable source of protein for animals and humans as well as business opportunities in Sub-Saharan Africa, researchers say. With nearly 282 million people in Africa undernourished and a growing population, there is an urgent need for more sustainable food sources and edible…

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Indigenous plants support nutrition in Southern Africa

Indigenous plants use din making jams and juice

Food recipes developed from indigenous plants and adapted to local climates could improve nutrition and alleviate food shortages in rural households in Sub-Saharan Africa, researchers say. The African researchers created products – including jams, juices, syrups, yogurts, and instant soups – using plants such as wild orange, wild medlar, amaranthus, baobab, hibiscus, and violet tree.…

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Mozambique’s new STI policy to drive development

Mozambique minister of science Daniel Nivagara

Mozambique’s new science, technology, and innovation (STI) policy will drive economic growth and sustainable development while addressing societal challenges, researchers say. Approved by Mozambique’s cabinet on 21 May, the policy aims to leverage STI to achieve sustainable development and productivity in Mozambique. “The policy represents the government’s commitment to strengthening and building the requisite scientific…

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Uganda fights wheat gap with heat-resistant crop

The wheat researchers at the field in Uganda

New climate-resistant wheat varieties developed in Uganda will reduce reliance on foreign exports and support local food production, according to agricultural researchers. Across Sub-Saharan Africa, there is a growing demand for wheat, but rising temperatures are putting yields increasingly at risk. Uganda’s National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO) is promoting and distributing two new seed varieties,…

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