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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

Originally published in the WIPO | FIT/Japan IP Global: News Women Innovators Take the Lead: Pitch & Protect STEM Conference Empowers the Next Generation . 26 March 2026 Dr Fenet Belay from the Jimma University was selected by the Ethiopian Ministry of Technology and Innovation to attend a three day workshop on intellectual property. Organised by WIPO’s Division for Africa, in cooperation with the Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and supported by FIT/Japan IP Global, the Women

The Future Africa Research Fellowship (FAR-LeaF) program supports 14 female research fellows from 8 African countries in research projects relevant to national and regional challenges through transdisciplinary research methods. Cohort I (2022-2024) supported 10 female researchers from 7 African countries. In support of the InterAcademy Partnership (IAP) month-long global campaign, “From Presence to Power”, celebrating women shaping science across our regions and reinforcing

There is growing evidence of climate change impacts as well as various adaptation strategies being implemented across communities. However, translating and interpreting research findings into forms that communities can easily understand and use for planning and decision-making remains a major challenge. This gap limits the effectiveness of local adaptation efforts. In response, I was selected as a winner among six pilot studies in Africa focused on translating research eviden

The Solomon Atah Podcast, Episode 26 19 March 2026 The Solomon Atah Podcast is a conversational series hosted by Solomon Atah, an award-winning documentary filmmaker and film researcher. The podcast focuses on deep intellectual discourse, often featuring African academics, scholars, and thinkers to discuss topics such as higher education reform, research systems, and cultural futures. In this episode of The Solomon Atah Podcast , we speak with Prof. Tafadzwa Clementine Maramu

Beyond Boundaries: Social Science Perspectives on Identity, Innovation, Inclusion, and Climate Resilience in the Digital Age | 9th School of Social Sciences International Conference, University of Ghana | 10-12 March 2026 1.0 Introduction The 9th School of Social Sciences International Conference, held from March 10–12, 2026, at the University of Ghana, presented an outstanding opportunity to present my research titled Beyond the Bottle: Factors Affecting Adoption of Liquid U

Dr Juliana Cheboi was recently recognised as one of the Best Researchers in Community Engagement Services during the University of Nairobi 2024/2025 Staff Recognition and Performance Contracting Awards. The award recognises the impact created through her research across several Kenyan counties: Elgeyo-Marakwet, West Pokot, Machakos, Makueni, Kiambu, and Tharaka Nithi. I am deeply honoured to be recognised as one of the Best Researchers in Community Engagement Services durin

Dr Fenet Belay was recently selected as a member of the Ethiopian Young Academy of Sciences (EtYAS). The EtYAS was established in 2015 with the objectives of identifying, bringing together, and supporting the very best young scientists and scholars to champion excellence and innovation in national scientific research, and to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and representation among young scientists in Ethiopia. The EtYAS will represent the voice of young scientists in

You just published an article in Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems . Tell us more about this experience. It was not smooth at all. But it was the kind of rigorous process that makes you proud of the outcome. I received detailed feedback from three independent reviewers, and the revisions were not minor. I had to edit extensively and even redo parts of the analysis to strengthen the evidence and clarity. What surprised me most was that after addressing the first round, the

A former Future Africa Research Leadership Fellowship (FAR-LeaF) fellow, Dr Tabitha Amollo from Kenya, is among five Women Scientists from the Global South who have been honoured with the 2026 OWSD–Elsevier Foundation Award for Sustainable Energy. The Award recognises early-career women scientists advancing sustainable energy research and expanding access to affordable, reliable, clean energy in developing countries, in line with UN SDG 7. “These five outstanding scientists d

Introduction to Sustainable Agriculture: The need for affordable and sustainable soil fertility solutions is growing in sub-Saharan Africa. This has led to renewed interest in human-derived organic inputs, such as urine fertiliser. This blog post explores the determinants of awareness, adoption, and intensity of urine fertiliser use among smallholder farmers in Southern Malawi. Research Overview: A study was conducted involving 251 smallholder farmers. All respondents were me

9th School of Social Sciences International Conference Beyond Boundaries: Social Sciences Perspectives on Identity, Innovation, Inclusion, and Climate Resilience in the Digital Age Ghana | 10-12 March 2026 Ndosi, M.J., Ahmad, K.A., Makindara, J.R. & Duodu, K.G Abstract: Women play a central role in climate change mitigation in smallholder agriculture, yet their engagement with Agricultural Innovation Systems (AIS) remains uneven and poorly understood. This study analyses how

The FAR-LeaF II program team monitor and evaluates the program's success through performance reports and regular focus groups with the selected candidates and mentors. The Program team will engage with the Future Africa leadership and former FAR-LeaF Fellows, who serve as advisors. Key performance indicators include: The number of qualifying Fellows enrolled for the fellowship who complete the program. Well-designed transboundary and transdisciplinary research projects tha

Published in The Conversation Africa : January 28, 2026 In the drylands of Benin, west Africa, livestock farming is under growing pressure. These vast, hot landscapes cover roughly 70% of the country’s land area. Their sparse pastures and scattered trees sustain around six million grazing animals, including 2.5 million cattle, one million sheep and 2.4 million goats which walk with herders over long distances in search of food and water. Rainy seasons in the Benin drylands a

What responsibilities does the education sector have in educating future generations? How can this educational approach be effectively managed? The answer may be straightforward: Build resilience through climate change literacy (CCL) to empower everyone to adapt. The Importance of Climate Change Literacy Children are vital agents of change in climate action. Therefore, it is crucial to equip them with the knowledge and skills needed to tackle challenges that directly impact t

It begins with recognising that research is not for researchers. Your research is for those who are experiencing the problem that you are addressing. Dear Researchers We appreciate your dedication when it comes to burning the midnight oil and working tirelessly to find solutions to pressing societal problems, while perhaps ignoring your personal ones. Your meticulous description of existing issues is remarkable, as is the way you carve out your scope and define the walls that

A comprehensive stakeholder mapping exercise was conducted to identify and categorise key actors, including community leaders, ward and municipal officials, civil society organisations, and residents from flood-prone settlements. This helped clarify roles, interests, and influence in flood resilience governance. Stakeholders and their roles in the research project: Community Leaders from Flood-Prone Areas (Ilala District) • Represent community voices and lived experiences of