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There is a pressing need for integrated, context-specific evidence that incorporates localised climate projections, drought-resistant coffee varieties under climatic stress, and gender-differentiated vulnerabilities and adaptive strategies. Keffa Zone, widely recognised as the centre of origin for Arabica coffee, remains critically important to Ethiopia’s coffee sector and the livelihoods of the smallholder farmers who rely on it. However, the region is increasingly vulnerabl

The tomato value chain is a complex system that involves multiple actors. These actors are vulnerable to the impact of climate change, which is affecting their livelihoods. Further challenges in the tomato value chain include the poor storage system. There is a need to develop the adaptive capacity of tomato value chain actors to enhance their resilience to climate change. This study seeks to empirically measure the climate change vulnerability and adaptive capacity of tomato

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium parasites and transmitted between humans by mosquitoes. Despite being a preventable and treatable disease, malaria was estimated by the 2025 WHO World Malaria Report to have caused 82 million cases and 610,000 deaths globally in 2024. Of these, the WHO African region is disproportionately burdened, accounting for up to 95% of reported cases. Although malaria control interventions led to a marked decline in disease incidence across the continent

FAR-Leaf Fellows have used a transdisciplinary research approach that speaks to the trust and transparency needed to ensure community ownership (through skills development and training), incorporate indigenous knowledge systems and local practices, and respect religious practices where necessary. Trust and transparency remain significant challenges for researchers working in rural African communities. Local and regional communities were the primary stakeholders – rural commun

Dr Cheboi's research adopts a participatory approach to meaningfully engage women, men, and youth at both household and community levels, ensuring inclusive involvement in decision-making and equitable control over resources. Tailored climate-smart agriculture interventions are designed to address the unique skills, resources, and opportunities of each gender group, acknowledging that targeted and context-sensitive support is essential for sustainable impact. Schools serve as

Climate change is not just about rising temperatures or unpredictable rainfall; it is about how these changes affect everyday lives. In the Upper West Region of Ghana, communities are seeing firsthand how shifts in rainfall and hotter dry seasons are changing the patterns of malaria, one of the country’s most persistent health challenges. To advance malaria control, especially in northern Ghana, it is essential to comprehensively integrate climate and environmental variation

This report presents a comprehensive account of a six-week intensive research residency conducted under the FAR-LeaF Fellowship at the University of Pretoria. The primary objective of the residency was to design, implement, and validate a scalable machine learning framework for adaptive malaria forecasting in the Upper West Region of Ghana, a setting characterised by climatic variability and complex epidemiological dynamics. The research moved beyond conventional predictive m

World Creativity and Innovation Day | 21 April 2026 April 21 marks World Creativity and Innovation Day , a celebration of human ingenuity, problem-solving, and the power of ideas to transform our world. While this day often highlights breakthroughs in science, technology, and art, sometimes the most inspiring examples of creativity are quietly unfolding in rural communities, far from labs and innovation hubs. In the water-scarce community I visited, the radio broadcast create

International Plant Appreciation Day | 13 April 2026 Every year on April 13th, the world marks International Plant Appreciation Day, a time to reflect on the plants that sustain life, livelihoods, and ecosystems. While attention often goes to forests, flowers, and rare species, one plant quietly continues to power rural economies across Africa: Napier grass. Scientifically known as Cenchrus purpureus , Napier grass is the backbone of smallholder dairy farming systems in count

Dr Jacob Agyekum is a Research Scientist (Climate) at the CSIR-Water Research Institute in Ghana and a Fellow at Future Africa Research Leadership Fellowship (FAR-LeaF II) at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. With a PhD in Meteorology and Climate Science from KNUST, his work sits at the critical intersection of hydro-meteorology and public health. Currently a Research Resident at the University of Pretoria’s Data Science for Social Impact (DSFSI) lab, Dr Agyekum is pi

World Health Day 2026 | 7 April 2026 Each year on World Health Day, we are reminded that health does not exist in isolation; it is shaped by the environments we live in. Increasingly, the most powerful force shaping global health is climate variability. Across sub-Saharan Africa, we no longer view climate as a background factor. It is a primary driver of health risk. A Changing Landscape of Risk While malaria is the most prominent example, it is part of a widening climate–hea

Our water bodies are home to a countless number of animals of diverse sizes, from the unicellular amoeba to the largest animal on earth – the blue whale, each playing a role to keep their ecosystem in balance. They not only bring water bodies to life but also play a key role in global food security, serving as a major source of protein. The importance of aquatic animals to world food security cannot be overemphasised. Human reliance on them for food has placed them in a vuln

International Day of Conscience | 5 April 2026 5 April, International Day of Conscience , invites us to reflect on the moral and ethical responsibilities that guide our actions. In a world increasingly shaped by climate uncertainty, conscience is no longer an abstract idea; it is a practical force that influences how communities respond to environmental challenges. During my recent fieldwork in Tolon, Northern Region, I encountered a powerful example of this in action, one th

International Day of Zero Waste | 30 March 2026 Every year on 30 March, the world observes the International Day of Zero Waste, reminding the global community of the urgent need to reduce waste and rethink how we use resources. One everyday food clearly highlights this challenge: the tomato. Zero-waste thinking encourages us to shift from disposal to value creation. Surplus or overripe tomatoes can be transformed into sauces, pickles, juices, chutneys, dried tomatoes, and p

Professor Tafadzwa Maramura will address the SAAPAM Mpumalanga Chapter on Thursday, 26 March 2026. The South African Association of Public Administration and Management ( SAAPAM ) is a recognised professional body dedicated to promoting and advancing public administration, governance, and management in South Africa. Officially recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), SAAPAM upholds high standards of professional excellence, ethics, and continuous devel