Supporting Science Granting Councils to fund and manage research and innovation projects

Science Granting Councils representatives at SGCI Annual Forum

The Science Granting Councils in Africa are national agencies responsible for funding and promoting research and innovation. Above all, they support scientific development. They do this by allocating resources, fostering collaboration and strengthening research capacities across Africa. Their aim is to boost scientific output and innovation to address societal challenges. In this blog, we review…

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Uganda unlocks value from honey by-product

Bees on a honey comb. Researchers in Uganda have developed high-value propolis products to boost beekeepers' incomes and improve public health. Copyright: Photo by Robert Schmidt (CC0 1.0)

[GABORONE] When Joel Mukwaya, a biologist and post-graduate student at Uganda’s Makerere University, discovered the immune-boosting benefits of tea made from a honey-by product, he immediately sent some to his grandmother. The tea was made with propolis—a resin-like substance bees use when building their hives “I know of propolis tea’s immune-boosting properties and appetite enhancement,”…

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Boosting Botswana’s innovation through the Science Granting Councils Initiative

Boosting Botswana’s innovation through the Science Granting Councils Initiative

The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) fosters collaborative research across Africa. The initiative promotes evidence-based innovation and policies. In so doing, it empowers science granting councils to drive economic and social progress. One notable partnership has been with Botswana’s Ministry of Tertiary Education, Research, Science, and Technology. Here, four projects, focusing on various technologies, have…

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Science Forum South Africa 2024

The Department of Science and Innovation invites you to save the date for the upcoming Science Forum South Africa (SFSA) 2024, which will be held from 4 to 6 December at the CSIR International Convention Centre in Pretoria. The theme for the Forum is Igniting Conversations about Science – Innovation and Science for Humanity. The…

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Strengthening national research and innovation funding agencies in West Africa

Senegal SRIFA training workshop for Strengthening national research and innovation

The African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS) and the African University of Science and Technology (AUST) have kicked off a series of events to boost research and innovation funding in West Africa. The activities started in Senegal with meetings on fundraising, grant call online management and Public Private Partnership development, among other subjects. The events…

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Wind energy harnessed to solve power shortages in rural Nigeria

Nigerian innovators harness the power of the wind to provide electricity to rural communities. By Jesusegun Alagbe [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…

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Indigenous plants support nutrition in Southern Africa

Indigenous plants use din making jams and juice

Researchers in Southern Africa turn indigenous plants into food products to tackle micronutrient deficiencies. By Nelson Mandela Ogema 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…

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Uganda fights wheat gap with heat-resistant crop

The wheat researchers at the field in Uganda

Uganda develops new heat-resistant wheat varieties to boost domestic production and reduce reliance on imports. By Funke Ishola 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…

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