Sub-Saharan Africa

Research initiatives/academic groups

Displaying 1-20 of 28 links

The Desert Research Foundation of Namibia

The DRFN provides research-based advice and training aimed at sustainable development policymakers in southern Africa. The organisation's areas of focus include managing rangelands and livestock, water, energy efficiency and combating land degradation and desertification. The DRFN also helps raise public awareness of deserts and desertification.

10/66 Dementia Research Group

Less than one-tenth of all population-based research into dementia has been directed towards the two-thirds or more of all people with dementia who live in developing parts of the world — thus, the name "10/66".

Part of the Alzheimer's Disease International Network, 10/66 is a group of researchers who encourage active collaboration between research groups in different developing countries and between developed and developing countries. The research projects have included pilot studies to establish a method for diagnosing dementia in populations with very little formal education; qualitative studies to understand the experience of people with dementia and their carers; intervention studies that investigate whether local community health workers can contribute to care by identifying people who need help; and population-based studies to quantify prevalence and incidence in developing countries.

The 10/66 Group is part of Alzheimer's Disease International and is coordinated through Prof. Martin Prince from the Institute of Psychiatry, King's College, London.

Academy of Science of South Africa

ASSAf promotes all disciplines of scientific thinking and is recognised as a prestigious national network of top ranking scientists. The academy has two publications ― Quest and South African Journal of Science ― and produces regular reports and a newsletter, Science for Society. Research funding and national events are listed and the academy hosts guest lectures. There are two annual awards for outstanding achievement.

Africa Genome Initiative

The Africa Genome Initiative is an Africa-wide research programme designed to further Africa's involvement in the Human Genome Project. Run by the South African Human Sciences Research Council, the Intiative organises an annual conference and publishes the magazine, African Scientist.

Africa Harvest Biotech Foundation International

Africa Harvest — founded by Kenyan scientist Florence Wambugu — supports policy development and scientific and institutional capacity building across East Africa and promotes the use of modern biotechnologies to help the region's farmers. The foundation's flagship project uses tissue culture technology to reproduce disease-free banana plants for distribution across East Africa.

It also runs a communication and advocacy programme to promote public acceptance of biotechnologies — especially genetic modification. The organisation publishes information about its tree-planting programme in Kenya and links to other African and international organisations working in biotechnology.

African AIDS Vaccine Research Programme

The African AIDS Vaccine Programme was conceived in June 2000 as a network of African experts, working together to promote and facilitate HIV vaccine research and evaluation in Africa. Sponsored by WHO-UNAIDS, its mission is to advocate and support a coordinated effort to contribute to the global HIV vaccine development goals, ensuring that appropriate and affordable vaccines are developed for Africa in the shortest possible time.

African Centre for Technology Studies

The ACTS is an international, intergovernmental think-tank based in Nairobi that publishes and disseminates new information on science, technology and environmental policy. It runs research and capacity-building programmes in biodiversity and environmental governance, science and technology literacy, energy and water security, agriculture and food security, technological advances and health policy. It is also involved in national, regional and international outreach activities, working with universities and governments in Africa and beyond.

African Malaria Network Trust

AMANET promotes capacity building in African research and training institutes that specialise in malaria studies. Its objectives include promoting collaboration among stakeholders, creating international awareness about the malaria problem in Africa, identifying test sites, developing infrastructure and support for field and clinical trials, and increasing good management practices in malaria research. AMANET produces a biannual online newsletter to disseminate research findings and grant and workshop calls. It also hosts a discussion forum for registered members.

African Molecular Marker Applications Network

AMMANET promotes using genetic marker-assisted selection (MAS) technologies to accelerate African plant breeding efforts and deliver food security and economic growth. Over 100 African scientists established the network in 2003, with support from the Rockefeller Foundation.

The network brings regional and international agricultural researchers together, publishing information about its activities and providing contact information of all its members. It also links to news, scientific articles and other useful resources on MAS.

Association of African Universities

The AAU, based in Accra, promotes consultation, exchange of information and cooperation among higher education institutes in Africa. It provides fellowships and small grants for postgraduate studies and staff exchanges. It also runs programmes to study higher education management and assure the quality of its member institutions. The website gives summaries of all these activities and links to AAU newsletters and publications. It also offers a list of online resources relevant to higher education in Africa.

e-Africa Commission

The e-Africa Commission is part of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), charged with managing the development of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in Africa. It is responsible for developing and overseeing policies and strategies for the ICT sector. It also runs both the NEPAD e-schools initiative to teach ICT to Africans in primary and secondary education, and the NEPAD ICT infrastructure programme, aiming to connect all African countries to a broadband network.

Gobabeb Training and Research Centre

The Gobabeb Training and Research Centre aims to understand the relationship between the ecology of arid environments and human activities. Its areas of focus include developing appropriate technologies that can help improve quality of life, such as fog-collection and alternative energy sources. The centre is attached to the Southern Africa Development Community, the intergovernmental organisation representing countries in southern Africa. It is also associated with the Desert Research Foundation of Namibia.

International Association for the Study of Obesity

IASO is an umbrella organisation for 52 national obesity associations across 56 countries. Its mission statement is to "improve global health by promoting the understanding of obesity and weight-related diseases through scientific research and dialogue, whilst encouraging the development of effective policies for their prevention and management."

The organisation is strongly advocacy-based and publishes frequent statements aimed at policymakers on how to tackle obesity. The website also contains detailed data on the global prevalence of obesity. Since obese people are often at high risk for other diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, the website also outlines these risks, offering links to other relevant associations.

International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics

This non-profit organisation aims to develop sustainable ecological farming in Africa and India. ICRISAT's mission is "to help empower 600 million poor people to overcome hunger, poverty and a degraded environment in the dry tropics through better agriculture".

ICRISAT's BioPower initiative aims to ensure that bioenergy research benefits the poor. Its activities include analysing bioenergy trends and understanding their repercussions for the poor, and enabling governments to formulate pro-bioenergy policies that benefit poor people.

Isfahan Cardiovascular Research Centre

The centre is a WHO collaborating centre for research and training in the control of cardiovascular disease, and also prevention and rehabilitation for patients in the Eastern Mediterranean Region.

The centre strongly advocates evidence-based health policies as the only way to promote health. Its focus on prevention led to the Isfahan Health Heart Programme, a community programme to promote healthier lifestyles to prevent non-communicable diseases.

Kenya Meteorological Department

This site is maintained by the Kenya Meteorological Department and contains short term weather forecasts, seasonal forecasts, and agro-meteorological data. Other climatological data is available from the website upon request.

National Innovation Centre for Plant Biotechnology

PlantBio is a grant-making initiative from the South African Department of Science and Technology. It aims to develop a strong and sustainable plant biotechnology sector in South Africa by promoting new products and services, incubating commercial programmes and new businesses, building scientific capacity and developing human resources.

PlantBio prioritises technologies aimed at alleviating poverty and improving food security — for example, biofertilisers, plant breeding, tissue culture and genetic modification. The organisation encourages collaborating institutes to build national capacities and consolidate costs.

It publishes information on how to apply for funding and hosts a useful page of links to South African biotech investors, business incubators, funding agencies and service providers.

South Africa Medical Research Council

The South Africa MRC conducts research within the framework of the following six programmes: environment and health, health systems and policy, infection and immunity, molecules to disease, non-communicable diseases, and women and child health. Click here for information on funding opportunities. The website also hosts a section on ethics and human rights, featuring the Council's current guidelines.

South African AIDS Vaccine Initiative

A lead programme of the South Africa, Medical Research Council, SAAVI is committed to the research, development and testing of HIV/AIDS vaccines, working with national and international partners. Its website contains full descriptions of the scientific, clinical and ethical approaches being taken for the development of HIV vaccines tailored to local strains of HIV, including contact details of the researchers involved, funding and updates on progress.

South African Council for Scientific and Industrial Research

The CSIR (Council for Scientific and Industrial Research) is the largest community and industry directed scientific and technological research, development and implementation organisation in Africa and currently undertakes approximately 10 per cent of all research and development work on the continent. As a key provider of information and technology solutions, the CSIR plays an integral part in the development of South Africa as a nation and the Southern African Development Community.

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