News

Call for expert consultancy: Intersectional dimension of gender-sensitive drought management in East Africa
The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) and the Lake Victoria Basin Commission (LVBC) invite qualified experts to contribute to a scoping study and assessment report on “The intersectional dimension of gender-sensitive drought management in East Africa.” The consultancy will provide technical input for the research-for-development study project, Enhancing Resilience to Extreme Drought Events…

Harnessing traditional materials for climate-smart development in Ghana
In Ghana, communities are rediscovering the potential of traditional building materials to drive sustainability and climate resilience. A research team led by Callistus Tengan, professor of construction management at Bolgatanga Technical University, is advancing this mission by integrating eco-friendly materials, renewable energy, and smart technologies into construction. The project, funded by Science Granting Council Initiatives…

SGCI communiqué reaffirms councils’ role in Africa’s STI agenda
The Science Granting Councils Initiative in Sub-Saharan Africa (SGCI) has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing Africa’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) agenda. At a two-day meeting from 18-19 September in Accra, representatives of 20 national Science Granting Councils, joined by the African Union Commission (AUC), AUDA-NEPAD, and development partners, declared their intention to strengthen their…

SGCI at 10: SARIMA reflects on research management gains
The Southern African Research and Innovation Management Association (SARIMA) joined the 2025 Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) All Partners Forum and STISA-2034 Advocacy Meeting in Accra, Ghana, highlighting its pioneering role in advancing research and innovation management across Sub-Saharan Africa. Hosted by Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology, the week-long gathering carried the theme…

SGCI Forum highlights science partnerships
The 2025 SGCI All Partners Forum and STISA 2034 Advocacy Meeting held last week brought together councils, funders, coordinating technical agencies, and partners to reflect on a decade of progress and chart the way forward for Africa’s science, technology, and innovation (STI) agenda. Since its inception in 2015, the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) has…

Angola and Togo join SGCI
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…

IDRC-funded partnership develops new poultry vaccine in Brazil
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…

SGCI all partners forum to chart course for next phase
The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) will hold its 2025 All Partners Forum and Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa 2034 (STISA-2034) advocacy meeting in Accra, Ghana. The meeting will reflect on lessons and capture recommendations for the next phase. The Forum will take place from 15–19 September at Labadi beach hotel. It coincides…

SGCI research fund beneficiary wins 2025 Africa food prize
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…

Researchers offer sustainable future for Malawi’s tobacco industry
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…