Science in Africa: Focus Beyond the Lab Bench
FAR-LeaF Research Fellow Dr Piwai Tshuma from Midlands State University in Zimbabwe reflects on smart ways to collaborate past the equipment challenges researchers so often face.
African researchers have the expertise, creativity, and determination to make significant contributions to global science. Creating stronger research environments helps them build on this potential and extend the impact of their work. This means recognising not only the importance of scientific ideas, but also the people, partnerships, facilities, and long-term support that help those ideas develop into meaningful results. Strengthening these foundations is an opportunity to help African science flourish and to ensure that research continues to meet the needs and aspirations of our communities.
What happens when researchers have the expertise to solve real-world problems but lack the funding and equipment needed to turn their ideas into scientific results? Across Africa, talented scientists are investigating challenges ranging from water pollution and disease to food security and environmental sustainability. Their work holds enormous potential to improve lives, yet the journey from a promising research idea to a meaningful discovery is not always straightforward. Behind the published papers and scientific breakthroughs lies another story: the practical realities of conducting research in environments where essential resources may be difficult to access.
When equipment is a barrier
Scientific discoveries depend on more than good ideas. Researchers need functioning laboratories, specialised instruments, reliable supplies, and technical expertise to conduct experiments and produce trustworthy results. Across many African research institutions, access to these resources can be limited by availability, cost, or inadequate laboratory infrastructure.
Imagine spending weeks or months preparing samples for an experiment, only to discover that the instrument needed to analyse them is unavailable. Perhaps the equipment is undergoing repairs, another research team is using it, or the required instrument is not available at your institution. In some cases, samples must be sent to another laboratory, sometimes in another country. This can introduce additional expenses, transport arrangements, administrative requirements, and uncertain waiting periods.
The consequences extend beyond inconvenience. Experiments may take longer than expected, research schedules can be disrupted, and publications or postgraduate studies may be delayed. Researchers may also need to adjust their methods according to the facilities available to them. These challenges rarely appear in published papers, yet they are part of the journey behind many scientific findings.
The implications reach beyond academia. Research into contaminated water, disease, agriculture, and environmental pollution depends on reliable scientific analysis. When specialised testing is difficult to access, generating the evidence needed to understand these problems and develop practical solutions can take longer. The cost of limited research resources is therefore measured not only in money and time, but also in missed opportunities to advance knowledge and address community needs.
Although these challenges are significant, practical steps at individual, institutional, and national levels can help improve the research environment.
Practical advice
Build collaborations early. Relationships with mentors, colleagues, and other institutions can provide access to expertise, specialised facilities, and opportunities for joint projects. Establishing these connections before difficulties arise can help researchers identify potential collaborators and broaden their options when particular resources are unavailable.
Plan for uncertainty. Research does not always proceed according to schedule, especially when experiments depend on specialised equipment or external laboratory services. Where possible, researchers can identify potential bottlenecks, allow for flexibility in their timelines, explore alternative methods, and consider access to equipment before beginning the critical stages of a project. Careful planning cannot prevent every delay, but it can help researchers respond more effectively.
Promote shared access to equipment. Not every institution needs to own every specialised instrument. Universities and research centres can establish equipment-sharing agreements, coordinated booking systems, and partnerships that allow researchers to use facilities beyond their own institutions. Regional laboratory hubs can also improve access to advanced analytical services, provided that maintenance, trained operators, and fair access arrangements are in place.
Make research realities visible. Through blogs, articles, conferences, and public engagement, researchers can communicate the practical conditions behind scientific work. Sharing these experiences can help policymakers, institutional leaders, funding organisations, and the wider public better understand what is needed to conduct reliable research and strengthen scientific capacity.
Invest in local research capacity. Long-term progress depends on functioning laboratories, equipment maintenance, technical training, and opportunities for researchers to develop their careers. Sustained investment in these areas can help institutions retain expertise, reduce avoidable dependence on distant facilities, and create stronger foundations for future discoveries. These efforts require cooperation between researchers, universities, governments, and funding partners.
Even if it takes three
As a FAR-LeaF Research Fellow based at Midlands State University in Zimbabwe, my research focuses on using sunlight and monolithic metal-organic frameworks to enable sustainable water remediation. This work is made possible through a network of collaborations that spans institutions and borders.
At my home institution, Midlands State University, I have access to laboratory space and equipment for synthesis and characterisation. However, some of the advanced analysis required for my research cannot be done locally. Through the FAR-LeaF fellowship, I am connected to a mentor at the University of Pretoria (UP) who facilitates access to advanced characterisation tools there. When additional analysis is required, my mentor's broader network of collaborators helps secure it at another institution, and my research funds cover the cost of the analysis.
For photocatalytic testing, I am collaborating with Chinhoyi University of Technology in Zimbabwe, which provides access to solar simulators and testing facilities not available at my home institution. Each institution contributes something different. No single institution has everything, but together, we form a network that makes the research possible.
About the Author
Piwai Tshuma is a FAR-LeaF Research Fellow based at Midlands State University, Zimbabwe. Her research focuses on using sunlight and monolithic metal-organic frameworks for sustainable water remediation.
