Agriculture in Africa: Science and Research Can’t Make an Impact Without Investment and Good Policies
Science can only change the world when societies decide to give it the means to do so.
The Conversation
Millions of Farmers in Africa’s Great Lakes Region Face Rising Temperatures. Study Predicts How Crop Disease and Pests Could Spread
Figuring out how climate change will cause plant disease and pests to spread across Africa’s Great Lakes farms is critical for future food supplies.
Ghana’s Transport System Is Chaotic: How It Can Move More People With Fewer Vehicles – Research
As cities grow, it would be better to have more efficient, higher-capacity transport than more vehicles on the road.
Cameroon’s Sacred and Royal Animals: Could Literature and Futures Thinking Help Save Them?
Literature about royal animals was used in workshops to imagine better futures.
Birds of Prey in South Africa Are in Trouble – A Study Analyses Data From 16 Years of Road Counts
Road counts over 16 years revealed declines in populations of birds of prey in South Africa.
The Conversation Africa: 11 Years of Impact
The Conversation Africa marks its eleventh anniversary this year with more than 12,000 articles celebrating varying levels of impact.
Mozambique’s Economy Is Failing: The Tough Policy Choices That Need to Be Made Urgently
Economic conditions for ordinary Mozambicans are deteriorating. Poverty has risen, public services are unreliable and there are few decent job opportunities.
The Bias in Medical Research: Africa Carries a Huge Disease Burden but Is Missing From Clinical Trials
While Africa accounts for roughly 25% of the global disease burden, its people are largely invisible in randomised controlled trials.
Working From Home in Nigeria: Study Finds Women Don’t Have Much Choice
Childcare responsibilities, housing access and regional cultural norms influence where Nigerian women work.
Why Do Reforms to South Africa’s Technical Colleges Keep Failing Students and Employers?
Reforms to skills training could repeat the mistakes of the past 30 years.
Rock Art, Dance and Ritual: What We Learned From Paintings in Zimbabwe
Trance states may influence the movements depicted in rock art.
Trump’s Medicaid – Exaggerating the Scope of Medicaid Fraud
When a home healthcare aide doesn’t show up, the consequences are immediate and can be dire.
Benin Election: Wadagni’s Landslide Win Raises Questions About His Legitimacy
Romuald Wadagni’s election is viewed by many as a continuation of a pre-existing political system, rather than a genuine change in leadership.
Finance for Clean Energy Doesn’t Reach Projects in Africa – The Credit Rules Are Out of Date
Africa’s clean energy funding would work much better if projects could borrow on fairer terms, and have longer to pay back loans.
Mopane Worm and Termite Sales Relieve Poverty in Rural South Africa – Studies Explore the Impact
Mopane worms are an important source of food security and cash income for some rural households.
Boreholes Are Booming in a Drying South Africa – How the Government Plans to Tighten Controls
South Africa is moving to regulate groundwater more tightly as demand and climate pressures grow, but the draft rules still fall short in important ways.
6 African Thinkers Who Help Us Understand the World – New Book
A look at six African intellectuals whose work challenges dominant narratives and reclaims Africa as a producer of knowledge, not just its object.
Young Africans Will Inherit a Climate Crisis: How Kids in Sierra Leone Are Getting Ready
Young people in Bo City, Sierra Leone became youth climate leaders after turning a low-cost Climate Science Hub into a space for science-informed action.
Nigeria’s New Election Law Leaves Gaps: 5 Reforms for Free, Fair and Credible Polls
Nigeria’s new electoral act doesn’t tackle some of the real problems of electoral governance.
Small Businesses That Go Green Could Make a Big Impact in South Africa: Study Analyses What’s in Their Way
When up to 3.5 million small businesses go green, this will benefit South Africa’s environment and help the businesses survive in a changing climate.
The IMF Enjoys Preferred Creditor Status: Why It Shouldn’t Be the Judge When It Comes to Other Lenders
The IMF is not a neutral arbiter on any discussions relating to preferred creditor status. It is itself a direct beneficiary of the creditor hierarchy.
South Africans Want Solar Power but They Worry Panels Will Be Stolen – Study
Solar energy can cut costs and pollution for South African households, but fear of theft holds people back. Shared mini-grids offer a safer, affordable alternative.
China’s Military Support for Somalia Is on the Rise – What Taiwan and Somaliland Have to Do With It
Beijing’s growing interest in Somalia is less about development corridors and more about political alignment.
Afcon Controversy: What a Sports Law Specialist Says About Senegal Being Stripped of the Title
Caf’s decision to strip Senegal of the title is a textbook case for sports law.