Senegal
Science Granting Council
Summary
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI) of Senegal develops and implements national policies in higher education, research and innovation, aimed at promoting scientific and technology of the country.
Council details
The Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation (MESRI) is the lead agency in Senegal responsible for shaping national policies in higher education, scientific research and innovation. It plays a central role in strengthening the country’s research and innovation ecosystem by ensuring science and technology contribute meaningfully to economic growth and social wellbeing.
MESRI focuses on advancing Senegal’s knowledge economy by aligning research initiatives with the country’s development goals. These include improving human capital, promoting sustainable economic transformation, and enhancing governance and institutional capacity.
Advancing Science Through the SGCI
As a member of the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), MESRI is helping transform the research landscape in Senegal. Under the SGCI, MESRI is currently funding eleven national research projects aimed at tackling critical health and food-related challenges. These projects support priority development themes such as structural economic transformation, social protection, sustainable development, peace, security, and institutional strengthening.
Through this partnership, MESRI is also strengthening research management, grant administration, and the uptake of research results in ways that directly impact communities.
Driving Regional Collaboration and Impact
Senegal is also among three SGCI member countries participating in a cross-border initiative that supports ten collaborative research projects. These projects aim to transform crops such as sweet potato, cassava and moringa into high-value products that boost food security and economic opportunity.
The research covers key focus areas, including industrialisation and manufacturing, sustainable economies and societies, emerging technologies and development, and the social sciences and humanities. The initiative is delivered in collaboration with the Fonds National de la Recherche et de l’Innovation pour le Développement (Burkina Faso) and the Fonds pour la Science, la Technologie et l’Innovation (Côte d’Ivoire).
Strengthening Senegal’s Innovation Ecosystem
MESRI’s active participation in the SGCI reflects Senegal’s commitment to advancing science, technology and innovation as tools for sustainable development. By supporting local and regional research partnerships, MESRI is positioning Senegal as a leader in evidence-based policy, innovation, and applied science for societal benefit.
Impact we’re having
Stories of change
Low-tech health app engages
Five years after its launch, PENSA – a mobile app developed in Mozambique— has been accessed by…
SGCI funded projects
10 research projects transforming sweet potato, cassava and moringa in Burkina Faso
Project Titles & Institution Areas of Research Number of Projects being funded Project Duration Grant Amount In-Kind Distribution Council Collaboration with other councils
Senegal’s scientific solutions combat health, food challenges
Project Titles & Institution Areas of Research: Number of Projects being funded Project Duration Grant Amount In-Kind Distribution Council Collaboration with other councils
Research and Resources
Related News
Transforming research funding for gender equity in Africa
Decisions about what gets funded, who receives grants, and which questions are considered worth asking shape the very nature of knowledge. And for too long, those decisions have reflected and reinforced deep inequalities, particularly for women, who make up only 30 per cent of researchers…
Microbes offer path to climate-smart farming
In Namibia’s dry and unpredictable climate, where farmers contend with poor soils and short rainfall seasons, researchers are working to reshape how crops are grown across the country. At the University of Namibia, Moola Nyambe is leading this research with support from the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) through Namibia’s…
Tiny satellites help warn communities of deadly floods
Flash floods have become a recurring threat in parts of Namibia, cutting off communities, trapping school children, and, in some cases, leading to fatalities. But a locally led space-tech initiative is working to change that by bringing faster, more precise disaster warnings closer to home….
