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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 across Africa and remain underrepresented in leadership roles. But a…

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 national commission on research, science, and technology. Her team is…

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. Smita Francis, a senior lecturer at Namibia University of Science…

For many researchers, publishing scientific findings in academic journals has long been the primary way to share knowledge. But increasingly, there is recognition that research must also be communicated in ways that reach broader audiences, policymakers, industry partners, communities, and fellow innovators who can translate discoveries into real-world solutions. Across projects funded by the Science…

Namibia is set to take on a prominent leadership role in Africa’s science, technology, and innovation landscape as Anicia Peters, chief executive officer of the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), prepares to assume the Presidency of the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) Alliance in September 2026. Peters will be inaugurated during the…

The Namibia National Commission on Research, Science and Technology has officially launched the country’s Research Infrastructure Survey Report, outlining existing research facilities, key gaps, and priority areas for development. The report was presented on 3 March at the Franco-Namibian Cultural Centre in Windhoek before an audience of stakeholders drawn from government, academia, and industry. NCRST…

When Zambia’s National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) was established in 1997, its founding vision was to harness science, technology, and innovation to improve the lives of ordinary Zambians. More than two decades later, that vision is increasingly taking shape through a growing portfolio of research projects that speak directly to the country’s most pressing…

At the African Union’s Science, Technology and Innovation Week in Addis Ababa, earlier this month, leaders of science granting councils reflected on what SGCI Phase 3 represents for Africa’s science and innovation systems. From ownership and alignment to stewardship and sustainability, here are their voices on what fundamentally changes with SGCI 3 and why this…

As Phase 3 of the Science Granting Councils Initiative launches on the margins of the African Union Summit in Addis Ababa last week, the SGCI Alliance Chair explains why this moment marks a decisive turning point for African science. Cephas Adjei Mensah describes what is being set in motion with the SGCI Alliance as a…

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC), through the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI), has launched a call for proposals to support science granting councils in Sub-Saharan Africa in the establishment and operationalisation of the Capacity Strengthening Hub under Phase III of the SGCI-3. The Hub will play a central coordinating role in strengthening the research…