Lise Korsten, president of the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), told delegates that the shortage of scientific evidence produced in Africa is hindering good policymaking and weakening the continent’s position in global markets. She spoke on the sidelines of the Transatlantic Big Science Conference on 27-28 June and noted that, after her appointment last year as the AAS's first woman president, she has seen clear gaps in data used for decisions on food security and health.
Korsten explained that most data on antimicrobial resistance across human, animal and plant health comes from developed regions, so African policymakers often rely on global data that does not match local conditions. This mismatch can cause policy missteps and make it difficult for countries to meet international food safety requirements and grow exports. To change this, the AAS is building networks and launching a science diplomacy programme that includes the Nile River Basin Project. The academy will host a workshop in August where AAS fellows and world experts in hydrology and water security will meet policymakers.
The AAS is also working with the African diaspora by developing programmes to incentivise experienced researchers abroad to return, mentor young scientists and help establish centres of excellence; they can apply for funding to support local teams. Korsten praised the collaboration between the University of Pretoria and Future Africa, funded by South Africa’s Department of Science and Innovation, and suggested the African Union could assist poorer countries, noting that science barely featured in the AU's Agenda 2063 released in 2015.
The academy is still recovering from past problems: in 2021 some members set up a parallel organisation called the Science for Africa Foundation after management concerns, and a 2022 SciDev.Net investigation found donors had suspended millions of dollars of AAS funding. Korsten said the AAS is stabilising, rebuilding trust and seeking cooperation across the continent. "Africa must speak with the united voice, we can’t be fighting each other," she said.
Difficult words
- evidence — facts or data used to support conclusions
- policymaking — process of making official rules and decisions
- antimicrobial resistance — ability of microbes to survive drug treatments
- mismatch — situation where two things do not match
- diaspora — people from a country living abroad
- incentivise — offer reasons or rewards to encourage action
- stabilise — make something steady or less likely to failstabilising
- hydrology — study of water, its movement and distribution
Tip: hover, focus or tap highlighted words in the article to see quick definitions while you read or listen.
Discussion questions
- How might better local scientific evidence change policies on food security and exports?
- What are the possible benefits and challenges of incentivising diaspora researchers to return?
- In what ways could regional cooperation help smaller or poorer countries improve scientific capacity?
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