Build a Better Future

United Nations Islamic Educational, Scientiﬁc and Development Cultural Organization Bank AFRICA'S MINDS BUILD A BETTER FUTURE African Science, Technology & Innovation Success Stories Published in 2014 by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, 7, place de Fontenoy, 75352 Paris 07 SP, France and the Islamic Development Bank, P.O. Box 5925, Jeddah 21432 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

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The ideas and opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors; they are not necessarily those of UNESCO and the Islamic Development Bank and do not commit the Organization.

Cover photo: © Jerome Berquez - Fotolia.com Graphic design and typeset: Maro Haas External Peer Review: Deborah-Fay Nontokozo, Senior Journalist at Research Africa Printed by UNESCO

Printed in France Table of Contents

ForEwOrd 3 Ahmad Mohamed Ali, President of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) 5 Irina Bokova, Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) ____

Agriculture 6 Valorisation of the Argan Tree, Research turns oil into market hit, empowers women, Morocco 8 SEKEM Initiative, Linking research and local people through organic agriculture, Egypt 10 Orange-fleshed Sweet Potato Project, A magic wand for nutrition and incomes in Mozambique ____

Capacity development and innovation 12 Acquisition, Promotion and Development of Technology in Nigeria, Transforming Nigeria through fair technology transfer 14 iHub, Proliferation of software innovation in Kenya 16 Institute of Food Technology (ITA), Sowing the seeds of stable agriculture, Senegal ____

Education 18 The Rubisadt Foundation, Equipping girls with science to drive change, Cameroon 20 African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI), Building a brighter future for African researchers, across Africa ____

Energy 22 Solar Villages, A West African solar revolution, Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali ____

Health 24 The South African Telemedicine System, Mobile tech supports front-line health workers, South Africa 26 Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa (MARA), Digitising malaria hotspot maps saves lives, across Africa ____

28 Africa: A poster child for putting science to the heart of global development, SciDev.Net

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 1

Foreword

Many countries in Africa are experiencing sustained economic growth, and the whole continent has demonstrated remarkable progress on many socio- economic indicators in a relatively short period of time.

Despite this optimistic picture, Africa is still lagging behind other regions when it comes to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. The ambitions for Africa would continue to fall short of expectations if the vital role of science, technology and innovation (STI) is not recognized and embedded in the socio- economic development process.

STI is one of the main drivers of sustainable growth, and it has a fundamental importance in tackling the host of problems that Africa is facing today. Although Africa has yet to benefit from the advantages of STI, the groundwork has already been laid.

The continent is blessed with indigenous knowledge that could be harnessed and developed with benefits accruing to its peoples. Besides, its young and dynamic population has the willingness to learn and adapt scientific and technological solutions to their specific needs. Therefore, it is not far-fetched anymore to believe that Africa will become the next hub for global science and technology. The Islamic Development Bank’s (IDB) four decades of extensive work in Africa strengthens our faith in the ability of the continent’s women and men to make this dream possible.

This brochure, prepared in collaboration with UNESCO, showcases success stories that highlight the African- led scientific and technological solutions to the continent’s various problems. All the stories provide empirical evidence on how STI can ensure success and sustainability in Africa’s development process while sensitivity toward social and cultural diversity is kept in view.

I firmly believe that the stories will be a source of inspiration for many, and will offer opportunities for replication, most notably under the IDB’s Reverse Linkage program and thus help to unleash Africa’s full potential.

Ahmad Mohamed Ali President, IDB

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 3 4 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future Foreword

Science, technology and innovation (STI) has the power to transform how we live. It can enhance the quality of life and life expectancy. It can provide clean drinking water and strengthen health care and medical services. It can improve and make more accessible communication and information technologies. It is also essential for sustainable economic development. Evidence shows that investing in scientific knowledge and new forms of innovation and technology are powerful contributors to inclusive growth. For all these reasons, STI plays a key role in building knowledge societies, founded on human rights and dignity, where all citizens have access to knowledge and share in its creation.

Across Africa, governments are acting to harness the power of STI for the benefit of all – through development projects tackling challenges in such a diverse fields as agriculture, food security, disease control, sanitation and environmental sustainability. The success of these projects has depended on the creativity of individual women and men, working together to design sustainable solutions to everyday problems.

This booklet tells the story of these men and women. It showcases eleven success stories, from Morocco to Kenya, from Nigeria to Mali – to highlight how these projects have improved daily life, how they have propelled local industries, how they have fostered cooperation and knowledge-sharing at all levels. This is the result of cooperation with the Islamic Development Bank, for which I am very grateful, and reflects expertise and reach of the SciDev.Net. I am confident that the spirit of innovation driving these stories will inspire others and stimulate new successes across Africa.

Irina Bokova Director-General of UNESCO

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 5 Valorisation of the Argan Tree ____ Research turns oil into market hit, empowers women Author: Rasha Dewedar, SciDev.Net correspondent in Egypt

Endangered tree, cheap oil speed up operations, improve oil quality, For centuries, the drought-tolerant argan reduce waste and prolong the oil’s shelf Location: Morocco tree, endemic to Morocco, has acted as a life, hence reducing production costs and From: 1988 to present ‘green curtain’ against desertification by improving income from oil sales. She also Implementing Agency: the encroaching Sahara. Argan oil is the discovered molecular substances unique to Ibn Al-Baytar tree’s most valuable product. Known for its the argan oil – including antioxidants and ____ light, nutty flavour, the oil is used for salad antimicrobial agents – and undertook field dressing and cooking, and is also reputed to work, during which she consulted local oil have medicinal and cosmetic properties. producers to help devise an innovative plan to improve the entire production process and Argan oil – the But over the twentieth century Morocco lost make it more sustainable and lucrative. unique product of around half its argan trees to deforestation, overgrazing and agricultural land clearances. The project also aimed to establish an an endemic tree – Part of the problem was that the production industry run and owned by local people, underpins one of of argan oil was not providing enough thereby encouraging them to feel responsible incentive for local people to protect the trees: for protecting and sustainably managing Morocco’s most the extraction process was difficult, time- the trees. This new industry is based on a successful, science- consuming and required strenuous manual strong scientific base and years of research. work, and there was little available scientific In 1998, with a four-year research grant driven development evidence of the oil’s nutritional value – from Canada’s International Development projects run solely meaning it did not sell well. Research Centre (IDRC), Charrouf started rolling out the project. She began to bring by women. As a result, locals would often clear the trees together illiterate women experienced to make way for more lucrative and less in argan oil production by establishing labour-intensive crops, such as oranges, cooperatives through which local people bananas and tomatoes. But Zoubida Charrouf, create businesses that they then own a chemistry professor at Mohammed V and run. She created the first cooperative University in Rabat, Morocco, saw strong in Tamanar, south-western Morocco. By economic and ecological potential in the 2002, this had been followed by four more tree, by partly mechanising traditional oil cooperatives, each involving 45-60 women, in Rasha production processes and involving local cities across the country. Dewedar is an Egyptian journalist communities. “The idea was to transform who has written the environmental problem into an economic Charrouf is now president of Ibn Al-Baytar, extensively on opportunity, and invest in nature,” Charrouf a Rabat-based association set up in science, culture and women’s rights says. 1999 with funding from national and in the Middle East for the past seven international donors that aims to develop years. Her articles are published in a variety of publications, including Science to the rescue and improve argan oil production and Nature Middle East, Alarabiya.net, In 1986, Charrouf began researching argan business management. “IDRC decided to Common Ground News and Egypt oil production processes and traditional fund the project because it had strong Independent. She has written a range techniques. Using new technology developed potential to protect biodiversity and improve of news stories for SciDev.Net since in her Rabat laboratory, Charrouf mechanised the livelihoods of poor people,” says 2011, as well as contributing to events blogs and features, focusing mainly on part of the production process: she found Bruce Currie-Alder, IDRC’s regional director scientific issues in the Arab world. that automating the pressing of the oil helped for the Middle East and North Africa.

6 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future © Mohamed Chafchaouni/Ibn Al-Baytar © Mohamed Chafchaouni/Ibn Al-Baytar © Mohamed Chafchaouni/Ibn

International acclaim, local people have changed their minds and now says. Charrouf inspired many women to get benefits keenly support women’s work.” education and work: many of the women The project is now supported by the working in the cooperatives had never government, local people, embassies Scientifically, the project has conserved accessed good education or previously had a and international funders, including the and approved many traditional practices, job. Charrouf had also broken the taboo that European Union. “Involving different with some 100 related scientific papers women should not work outside their house stakeholders from the beginning was very published. And there are now other in a practical way – by action rather than just important to the project’s success and scientists, both from Morocco and further by talking about it. sustainability,” Charrouf says. The project afield, involved in additional aspects of argan succeeded in developing and launching tree research, Charrouf says. Discussing And in April 2009, argan oil was the first three new products: argan oil for cosmetic argan oil at scientific conferences and African product to be certified internationally use, edible oil made from toasted seeds, and cultural events has also attracted global as a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) an edible spread made from argan, honey interest and boosted sales across the world. product, a labelling system established by and almonds. “The price of argan oil has increased from the European Union. €2.5 to €25 per litre in the space of ten These products sell well in shops across years,” Charrouf says. Currie-Alder adds: “I Morocco, generating at least €150 (around believe that a great success was improving US$207) per household a month and the quality of production, such that the creating a €20 million (around US$28 product became more marketable and was The way forward million) a year industry, with links to able to command a premium price”. And the ”The project is sustainable when it international markets and cosmetics argan cooperatives have successfully pulled is well-managed, together with good companies. Some 5,000 women work in the in tourists keen to learn about the process governance and loyal customers,” cooperatives, each of them earning about and to buy oil from the source. Charrouf says. The project is also US$5-8 daily, which is far more than their sustainable because it is supported by income before the project started. Locally, it From an ecological perspective, the period continuous scientific research on the has reaped diverse rewards. 2000 to 2010 witnessed a 100-fold increase potential of argan oil. in argan reforestation, and there are plans to Amina Ben Taleb, manager of a cooperative plant 60,000 further hectares each year. A few women in each cooperative work called Taitmatine, explains that the as managers, without any interference project provides both employment and The project, and Charrouf herself, have from Charrouf, which means the idea is education. “Women in the cooperative received a slew of awards, including expanding in a less centralised and more not only learn how to read and write; it’s the International Slow Food Award for sustainable way, says Ben Taleb. also a comprehensive capacity-building Biodiversity, awarded to the Tamanar Amal atmosphere where you continuously learn Cooperative in 2001, and Morocco’s Grand Charrouf explains that the argan project and practise,” she says. The project has also Prize for Invention and Research in Science has been replicated by cooperatives helped break taboos and allowed otherwise and Technology, awarded to Charrouf in working on other Moroccan products marginalised women to work, generate their 2010. that are organised in the same way own incomes and invest in their children’s as the argan cooperatives. “Local education. According to Fatima, one of the In 2011, Charrouf also won the Islamic communities anywhere can benefit women at the Taitmatine cooperative: “It Development Bank Prize for Women’s from natural resources they know and has always been a taboo for rural women to Contribution to Development. “It was a master; this is how we eradicate poverty leave their homes for work, but after seeing great recognition of our work in the Arab and ensure food security,” Charrouf says. the success of the argan cooperatives, region, especially Gulf countries,” Charrouf

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 7 SEKEM initiative ____ Linking research and local people through organic agriculture Author: Rehab Abd Almohsen, SciDev.Net correspondent in Egypt

Out of the desert pesticide use in Egypt’s cotton industry, [CAIRO] During a visit to Egypt in 1975, while boosting the yields by up to 30 per Location: 60 km north- chemical engineer and medical scientist cent. SEKEM research has also helped east of Cairo in rural Ibrahim Abouleish was inspired to help drive the reclamation of desert land by Egypt improve the economic and social conditions transforming sand into fertile soil through From: 1977 to present in his home country. Two years later, after the use of biodynamic agriculture, a method Implementing Agency: 21 years spent working in Austria, Abouleish SEKEM (www.sekem.com) of organic farming that uses manures and ____ moved home to Egypt with a vision: to create composts to maintain soil fertility and keep a business that would both achieve economic microorganisms alive. success and promote sustainable social Since 1977, a development. Building a new community With the aim of helping local communities modest organic He decided to found a sustainable community meet their needs, SEKEM began bringing farming project in based on organic agriculture, to improve soil local Bedouin tribes into the project and fertility and increase crop yields. Abouleish giving them work. Egypt has grown bought a 300-hectare site of semi-desert into a global land near the town of Belbeis, 60 kilometres And to achieve its broader social goals of north-east of Cairo, and named the project education and empowerment, SEKEM carries enterprise reaping SEKEM – an ancient Egyptian word meaning out its development work through seven rewards across ‘vitality from the sun’. “It was not easy to organisations: the SEKEM Development implement this in a country like Egypt, where Foundation; a medical centre; a community industry and back in 1977, few people had heard about the school; a school for disabled children; a agriculture. concept of sustainability, or even of organic vocational training centre; the University for food,” says Helmy Abouleish, the SEKEM Arts, Science and Technology; and several Group’s deputy chairperson and managing departments of medical, pharmaceutical and director. agricultural research.

Helmy describes sustainable development It strives to meet its social and cultural Rehab Abd as an approach through which “every human objectives through projects such as a Almohsen is an being can develop his or her individual programme to combat the exploitation of child Egyptian science potential, can live together in a way that labour by only allowing children aged between writer and member of the International reflects human dignity and can conduct 12 and 16 to work in the fields for a maximum Science Writers Association and economic activity in accordance with of two hours a day. The rest of the day is The Arab Association of Science ecological and ethical principles”. And he spent in the SEKEM school where, in addition Journalists. She spent almost six years points out that scientific research is high on to studying the usual subjects, they spend as the managing editor of the health SEKEM’s strategy for promoting community time learning to express themselves through and science section of Islamonline.net, an Arabic media website, and did a development: “From the very beginning, activities such as theatre, drawing and singing. stint in 2009 as a senior editor at MBC research and innovation have been two of the group. Rehab honed her skills in news main drivers,” he says. Links with the university and feature writing with a science Rigorous scientific research – mostly journalism internship awarded by One of SEKEM’s greatest research undertaken at the Heliopolis University for IDRC/SciDev.Net in 2013. She has also worked as a freelance news reporter achievements has been its contribution to Sustainable Development, of which SEKEM for SciDev.Net and Nature. the huge reduction in artificial fertiliser and is a strategic partner – is also central to the

8 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future © SEKEM © SEKEM © SEKEM project. “The two organisations work hand- industrial companies that together produce differences are respected and valued, in-hand,” says Helmy. 150 different types of organic products, with both Muslim and Christian rituals including food, herbal teas, medicines and being practised. In recognition of its role in Kadria Abdel-Motaal, the university’s director cotton products. promoting women’s rights, in 2009 SEKEM of academic research, is also head of the was awarded the Gender Equality Award Special & Sponsored Programs Department, Thomas Abouleish, the SEKEM Group’s new by the UN Development Fund for Women a SEKEM-supported unit established in media and communication director, points (UNIFEM). 2008 to help initiate innovative sustainable out that, through the Egyptian Biodynamic development research activities, encourage Association established by SEKEM, the interdisciplinary research and disseminate company has been able to help thousands of Completing the cycle new best practices based on its findings. Egyptian farmers switch from conventional Thomas sees SEKEM as a model that to organic agriculture. As a result, hundreds can inspire other communities to put Abdel-Motaal says that one of the of organic products are available on the their faith in sustainable development department’s main roles is to strengthen Egyptian market, produced both by SEKEM’s and organic agriculture. He describes links between development-oriented companies and others. the company’s economic success as researchers and practitioners, and to resulting from “the ability to complete bring them together with new technology Ten per cent of profits from the SEKEM the cycle between agriculture and stakeholders via workshops. So far, the companies go towards social development industry”. The biggest challenge now, department has funded 23 university projects, which also raise money by Helmy says, is to “maintain or improve research projects, spanning organic collaborating with international and national our competitive position, attracting and agriculture, phyto-pharmaceuticals, funding partners. training the necessary workforce”. education for sustainable development, social development and environmental Through its medical centre, SEKEM also Ibrahim has received wide international sustainability. offers healthcare using holistic medicinal recognition for his efforts. In 2003, he approaches to therapy. In 2011, the centre received the Right Livelihood Award, Holistic development successes treated almost 4,000 SEKEM employees and sometimes referred to as the ‘Alternative Since 1977, SEKEM has grown into almost 30,000 individuals from surrounding Nobel Prize’. The award committee a multifaceted agro-industrial group communities. stated that SEKEM had shown “how a of companies and non-governmental modern business model can combine organisations that is widely regarded as one At the heart of SEKEM’s activities is a profitability and success in world of the world’s leading social enterprises. commitment to promote every individual’s markets with a humane and spiritual Today, it has more than 2,000 employees right to equal treatment, as well as the approach to people while maintaining and a network of more than 3,000 farmers equality of women in society and the respect for the environment”. Ibrahim’s who produce the food that SEKEM then workplace. In all SEKEM institutions, early vision has been amply fulfilled. processes. The SEKEM group includes ten for example, intercultural and religious

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 9 Orange-fleshed Sweet Potato Project ____ a magic wand for nutrition and incomes in Mozambique Authors: Arsenio Manhice, Leonel Muchano and Ntaryike Divine Jr, SciDev.Net correspondents in Mozambique and Cameroon

Responding to malnutrition researcher, and Mozambique’s representative Some 135,000 smallholder farmers in at the International Potato Center (CIP). Location: Mozambique Mozambique, around half of them women, From: 1997–2013 are currently eager to plant vitamin-enriched Global input Implementing varieties of sweet potato, developed in Fifty-eight samples, representing a wide Agency: Mozambique’s the country over the past 15 years to help variety of the crop, were imported from government and USAID alleviate malnutrition. The demand for the countries including China, Kenya, Tanzania (plus other country-wide partners) new varieties is the result of good yields, as and the United States. The first large-scale ____ well as a campaign to engage farmers and field testing was carried out by the south educate consumers about the benefits of the Mozambique branch of the CIP, a global new crop. research-for-development organisation For the past 15 focused on roots and tubers, based in Peru. The orange sweet potato, a rich source of Financial support from the US Agency for years, smallholder vitamin A, was first brought into the country International Development (USAID) helped farmers in in the late 1990s, following reports of high extend the testing further to additional parts levels of vitamin A deficiency, mainly among of the country. Mozambique have women and children aged under five. been growing the CIP’s initiative enabled the researchers to A group of Mozambican researchers from identify eight varieties possessing good orange-fleshed different disciplines discussed setting up yields. But the widespread floods of 2000 sweet potato, with the Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes (OFSP) caused the destruction of all varieties initiative, and decided that investing in undergoing tests in low-lying areas in the promising results production of the crop would help address worst-affected provinces. After the flood for yields and the problem of vitamin A deficiency. The waters had subsided, the Mozambican initiative quickly gained momentum because government, in partnership with USAID, drew nutrition. female farmers were already familiar up a plan to distribute the eight top-yielding with growing sweet potatoes, and the new varieties to around 123,000 households. variety could easily be distributed to farmers across the country, according to Maria Isabel USAID then scaled up investment in the Andrade, the initiative’s Maputo-based lead production of both the orange-fleshed sweet

Arsénio Manhice works Leonel Machano Ntaryike Divine Jr is a at the Mozambique Media is a journalist with journalist and alumnus of the US Strengthening Program Mozambique News State Department’s International to improve Mozambican Agency (AIM) who has Visitor Leadership Programme for media through professional shown a special and investigative journalism. He is the training and education. His previous roles included growing interest on agriculture and food Voice of America’s correspondent in Cameroon and Senior Communication and Advocacy Officer at matters, in his home country as well a stringer for several news outlets, including the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation and as Africa in general. Although he has Associated Press, SciDev.Net, Think Africa Press and senior journalist at Notícias, the main newspaper a university degree in Translation and Africa Report. He was named Cameroon Journalist in Mozambique, where he received nine journalism Interpretation of English to Portuguese, of the Year in 2009 and won an award for Best awards. Arsénio holds a journalism diploma from he has been writing more about food Discovery Story in 2010. He graduated in October the School of Journalism of Maputo and a BA in security, that remains of concern in 2012 with a distinction in science journalism Law from Eduardo Mondlane University. Mozambique. cooperation.

10 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future © The ONE Campaign © Abidin © E. potato varieties and for another staple crop, could be tapped further to help solve other providing people with enough to eat; cassava. CIP extensively promoted the two prevailing food problems. encouraging children to stay at school; crops, with the aim of reaching half a million empowering women; and reducing child growers between 2000 and 2003, a target The testing period, Andrade says, has proved mortality. Achieving the MDGs requires attained with the help of other partners, that an integrated approach – involving more than sweet potatoes, Andrade says. such as Helen Keller International in 98 of researchers, smallholders and other But coupled with other interventions, the Mozambique’s 123 districts. stakeholders in the orange-fleshed sweet orange-fleshed sweet potato has been a potato market – could be a starting point strong catalyst to progress. Climatic challenges for the continued nutritional education of Apart from the devastating floods at the turn farmers and rural communities. But despite the successes of the orange- of the century, drought, recurring at intervals fleshed sweet potato project so far, other of three to four years in the country’s The nutritional value of the orange-fleshed challenges to efficient crop production in southern and central regions, encouraged sweet potato has helped to reduce chronic the country remain. Among these, Andrade advanced research to produce new sweet malnutrition as well as drive progress in particularly highlights power cuts, low potato varieties. Mozambique towards achieving Millennium levels of mechanisation and poor irrigation Development Goals (MDGs) one to four, by: schemes. Fifteen strains were developed with initial financial support from Helen Keller International. According to project leader, Sustainable futures people are accustomed to eating normal Andrade, Oxfam GB intervened, funding the The project’s sustainability is another sweet potatoes, rather than the new and multiplication of the eight high-yielding, important consideration. Andrade adds nutritious variety, he says. drought-resilient orange-fleshed sweet potato that if at least 30 per cent of smallholders clones successfully trialled in seven of the continue using the sweet potato after the But he also believes there will be a slow country’s 11 provinces in 1999. The home- programme’s end in 2013, this in itself change of hearts and minds, translated grown varieties were distributed to 122,000 would be a great achievement. into a wider market openness to the new families in four flood-affected provinces. They crop, and consumers eventually preferring were found to yield 20-25 tonnes a hectare, Manuel Mutua has been a smallholder the orange-fleshed sweet potato. compared with the ten-tonne average of farmer since the 1980s in the fertile ordinary varieties. The sweet potatoes are also district of Boane, in southern Mozambique, From the beginning of the initiative in easy to cultivate and to harvest, compared about 40 kilometres from the capital, the 1990s, partners such as USAID as with ordinary varieties, and they allow farmers Maputo. Until a few years ago, Mutua grew well as the Mozambican government to improve incomes, too, as demand for the a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. But have provided more than US$1 million in vitamin A-rich sweet potatoes grows. in 2012, he began growing orange-fleshed funds. The most recent OFSP research sweet potato, after signing a contract with programme has been coordinated by Roots of success CIP for the supply of plants for testing in CIP under the National Institute for Andrade attributes the success of the his fields. Agronomic Research, funded by USAID, the programme to the know-how and strong Rockefeller Foundation, Harvest Plus and commitment of Mozambique’s scientists. “I am very happy with the promoting AGRA. Around one million farmers have In collaboration with them, she carried out campaigns, but I believe that there’s still benefitted from OFSP since dissemination during the research phase a wide range of a lot to be done as far as marketing is started in 2000. The dissemination process lab and field studies to identify the most concerned, to open space for this new is primarily done through the public rural suitable varieties for Mozambique’s needs. crop,” says Mutua. This is because most extension systems and NGOs. And she says the expertise of local scientists

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 11 Acquisition, promotion and development of technology in Nigeria ____ Transforming Nigeria through fair technology transfer Author: Emeka Johnkingsley, SciDev.Net correspondent in Nigeria

Guidelines for change one-way traffic.” These new guidelines have [ABUJA] In the 1970s, Nigeria’s technology allowed for the “fair” transfer of knowledge Location: Abuja, Nigeria industry was largely dominated by foreign and technology coming to Nigeria. From: 1979 to present companies. To counter this trend, the Implementing Agency: government established the National Office Building local knowledge National Office for for Technology Acquisition and Promotion “We ensure that the charges [to Nigeria] for Technology Acquisition (NOTAP) in 1979. It aimed to regulate the technology transfer agreements are fair,” and Promotion (NOTAP) (notap.gov.ng) inflow of foreign technology into Nigeria, Bindir explains. “Based on these agreements, ____ through new policies which promote the NOTAP now facilitates the movement of many establishment and growth of local software industries into Nigeria.” and innovation firms. NOTAP has successfully created many more For 35 years, a Yet as recently as 2006, a NOTAP study found opportunities for Nigerian companies and Nigerian intellectual a gap between Nigeria’s research sector and people to build their capacity in technology industries. “We realised that Nigerians were not know-how through technology transfer property project has converting research outputs into intellectual agreements. For example, NOTAP’s guidelines been helping local property, patents, trademarks, industrial stipulate that a minimum of 40 per cent designs and knowledge at the highest level,” of annual technical maintenance paid to a firms safeguard says Umar Bindir, NOTAP’s director-general. foreign software-technology vendor should software from foreign go to a local partner, so it can develop skills “The country’s know-how – the culture of for implementing, customising, integrating exploitation, while creating intellectual property and protecting and supporting foreign technology. This aims helping them become it as intellectual property rights as well as to ensure that local vendors are involved in transferring it into industries – was very maintaining the software in the country and global players. weak.” hence reduce the cost of involving expatriates in local processes and enhance the capacity For this reason, NOTAP has published of nationals. a manual on the basic requirements and procedures for technology transfer Bindir stresses that many Nigerian software agreements and projects to guide those companies are now involved in executing involved in transferring and licensing through software projects, coding software and Emeka negotiation, registration and monitoring and providing technical services that only foreign Johnkingsley in aligning those projects with the needs of companies used to provide. For example, the Anuforo is a the country, Bindir says. Until then, Nigerians Computer Warehouse Group (CWG), a leading science and health were largely dependent on foreign expertise Nigerian software company, has learned journalist at The in high-tech fields such as computer software. so much that it has matured into a small Guardian Newspapers in Nigeria. In multinational company. With operations in 18 2011, Emeka did a six-month science journalism fellowship at SciDev.Net in “The pattern was that firms would acquire of the 36 Nigerian states, and regional offices London on scholarship from Canada’s software from abroad and foreigners in West, East and Central Africa (Ghana, IDRC. Emeka is the founding vice- would come and implement it,” says Bindir. Uganda and Cameroon). president of the Nigerian Association “Whenever there was a problem with viruses, of Science Journalists, which is or an upgrade was required, foreigners would CWG’s CEO, Austin Okere, says that NOTAP’s affiliated to the World Federation of Science Journalists. come and solve the problem. Everything was intervention in the domestication of software

12 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future ©NOTAP ©NOTAP knowledge was largely responsible for these systems can be run, and, to an extent, Another challenge is better equipping the growth of his firm. “NOTAP has been maintained by Nigerians,” Bindir says. NOTAP to deliver its mandate. For example, a strong catalyst in the growth of local NOTAP needs a large technology exhibition content in software in Nigeria, including the Suleiman Aruwa, coordinator of the IPTTO centre where entrepreneurs can come and phenomenal growth of CWG,” he says. office at the Nasarawa State University see global technology, domesticate these set up in 2012, says the office has already technologies and establish businesses, says Bindir says such companies are expanding helped the university formulate its policies Bindir. regionally. “They are going to Kenya, on links with start-up companies, copyright Uganda and other countries, establishing and intellectual property. And Martins Emeje, He would also like to see a library to provide their offices and providing the kind of IPTTO office coordinator at the National technological information to researchers, services that, a few years ago, only foreign Institute for Pharmaceutical Research entrepreneurs and schools; and an online companies would provide,” he says. And it and Development, says that his office has database providing information on where to has saved Nigeria an estimated 500 billion filed two patent applications in the United access technologies. naira (just over US$3 billion) over the past States since its establishment. Emeje adds decade by preventing unnecessary or that technology is relevant to Nigeria’s overly steep charges for foreign technology achievement of the Millennium Development transfer, Bindir says. “If NOTAP did not exist, Goals (MDGs). foreign technology service providers would Strengthening links have charged anything and Nigerian firms Bindir agrees. “There is no way the MDGs NOTAP has a steady income from the would have paid,” he says. can be achieved without technology,” he national budget, as well as fees from says. “All of them depend on technology. Our organisations wishing to register Linking universities with projects in education, technology acquisition patents, so it has a sustainable future. industry and science promotion all affect the MDGs. Bindir says the NOTAP initiative is also Since 2006, NOTAP has also been facilitating The more progress we make, the more skills becoming a model for a number of the establishment of Intellectual Property we get out of the system and the more we other African countries, and is working and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTOs) contribute to the MDGs. The whole idea is to with institutions in Ghana, Kenya and in more than 40 universities, polytechnics reduce poverty to the level that it does not Tanzania, among others, to establish and research institutions in Nigeria. These pinch our economy. Over the years, we have science and technology parks, and provide research organisations with training, also focused on increasing the number of enhance the impact of intellectual in collaboration with the World Intellectual women in our programmes.” property. Property Organization. Bumps on the way “For instance, our recent collaboration “I am happy that so many of the universities, But it has not always been an easy journey. with Tanzania in promoting science which previously had survived for 30 years NOTAP operates in what is still a relatively and technology in both countries has without a single Nigeria-registered patent, weak knowledge system and in a country resulted in a positive drive to set up an have now patented ten to 20 innovations where public institutions are often criticised organ similar to NOTAP in Tanzania and within the first six months of introducing for excessive bureaucracy, delays, poor other similar initiatives for promoting the this scheme,” Bindir says. The number of expertise and unmotivated workforces. “We establishment of science and technology Nigerian-registered patents has increased are doing our best to ensure that we boost parks and enhancing the impact of from 100 per year in 2006, to 400 per year public belief in our institution, to ensure that intellectual property,” Bindir says. “We today. “If you go to the industrial sector, you we are a transparent institution, with high- are sharing some of our skills and also will see the level of capacity that we have calibre, highly trained and well-qualified learning from some of these countries.” been able to build, to the extent that many of men and women,” he adds.

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 13 iHub ____ Proliferation of software innovation in Kenya Authors: George Achia, SciDev.Net correspondent in Sub-Saharan Africa

From electoral crisis to firm Omidyar Network and the international software hub development organization Hivos, the iHub was Location: Nairobi, Kenya On the fourth floor of the Bishop Magua Centre born. From: 2010 to present on Nairobi’s Ngong Road, young men and Implementing Agency: N/A women busily work on their laptops. The group Shared space for innovative ____ includes entrepreneurs, web and mobile phone ideas programmers, designers and researchers – The iHub works through open innovation. The part of a vibrant technology community that space enables members to build the skills In just three years, meets regularly to share ideas and work required to turn ideas into actions, via an together on common interests. in-house business unit that helps them a Nairobi-based develop a vision, business plan and team. innovation hub has This is Nairobi’s innovation Hub (iHub) (ihub.co.ke), which opened its doors in March A key feature of the iHub community is the expanded to drive 2010. The initiative drew inspiration from an knowledge-sharing culture developed through innovation across earlier project, launched in the aftermath of collaboration, skill sharing and mentorship. post-election violence in Kenya in 2008, when Membership is open and free to those who farming, finance and Nairobi-based IT specialists Juliana Rotich work in information technology programming, crisis reporting, in and Erik Hersman developed a website to design or research. It has three levels: map reports of violence, naming it Ushahidi – ‘white’ for members who use the service Kenya and beyond. Swahili for ‘testimony’. “The original website virtually; ‘green’ for those working on specific was used to map incidents of violence and collaborative projects, who can use the iHub peace efforts throughout the country, based for face-to-face meetings and networking; on reports submitted via the web and mobile and ‘red’, for those who have completed six phones,” says Jimmy Gitonga, iHub’s manager. months of green membership, and have used this time to produce a viable product or Ushahidi now has more than 45,000 users service. Red membership requires a monthly George Achia in Kenya, and its popularity has led to the payment of 15,000 Kenyan shillings (around is a science development of a platform that can be used in US$170), and includes a desk, locker and journalist with different global contexts. It has since been used priority meeting room use. all-round practical to monitor crises across the world, including experience and skills in science writing and editing, the earthquake in Haiti in 2010, the Japanese Nurturing entrepreneurs augmented by several stints of hands- tsunami in 2011 and violent incidents during Three years down the line, Gitonga says, on training in science reporting and Egypt’s 2011 revolution. “It has become a new the iHub has been a huge success. “Ten communication, most recently an way of mapping a crisis and documenting what viable start-ups have come from here, and IDRC/SciDev.Net science journalism is happening,” says Gitonga. some members have been funded to set up fellowship. These have sharpened his skills, gained in four years as a science companies that are about to become global,” writer and subeditor with ScienceAfrica He explains that, inspired by Ushahidi’s he says. – Africa’s publication on science, success, Hersman thought: “What if we open innovation and development. He has a space that would allow different technology One of these is M-Farm (mfarm.co.ke), also worked as a correspondent for people to come together and do something launched by three young Kenyan women: other publications in Africa and beyond, including SciDev.Net and AfricaSTI.com, all that would affect the world as Ushahidi did?” Jamila Abass, Linda Kwamboka and focusing on various aspects of science, And from the kernel of this idea, and with Susan Oguya. Kwamboka, M-Farm’s marketing research and development in Africa. funding from the philanthropic investment officer, explains: “M-Farm is a mobile phone

14 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future © ihub Nairobi © Sven Torfinn/M-Farm © Sven Programme © United Nations Development service that delivers real-time information to Another innovation – now a fully fledged by providing them with innovative tools to farmers on current market prices, weather business – is Kopo Kopo (kopokopo.com), reduce risks in their day to day activities alerts and local agro-suppliers”. a platform that small and medium-sized production. Dairy and poultry farmers have enterprises (SMEs) can use to manage access to knowledge as well as experts and “It also brings farmers together to buy or payments via mobile phones and to build customised calendars for their livestock sell their products in groups, helping them customer relationships. Kopo Kopo has on the mobile phone platform. iCow prides to gain access to larger markets,” and carry partnered with Safaricom, a leading Kenyan itself in building ecosystems for farmers and out cost-benefit analyses – based on their mobile network operator, to allow users brings intentionality to their work, resulting specific business profile and market prices of Safaricom’s M-PESA money transfer in improved yields and incomes. Farmers in different countries – before deciding service to buy goods from SMEs throughout pay three Kenyan shillings for each SMS where to sell the product, Kwamboka says. Kenya. received from the iCow agricultural platform An interactive voice-response mechanism and on average pay half a dollar a month for – operating in both English and Swahili – And the mobile phone application iCow each subscription. answers farmers’ queries. (icow.co.ke) helps smallholder farmers

Opportunities and challenges Back home in Kenya, space has been a key University of Nairobi and the World Bank Gitonga says the iHub has been so challenge. “When we opened, we thought the that offers mobile phone-based training on successful that people from other African space was much larger than we needed,” developing applications, for a fee. “Many countries have come forward to enquire says Gitonga. “But within three months, it people who want to be developers come how they can replicate it. Rotich, Ushahidi’s was too small for us and we could not allow in, but we train them beyond software co-founder, notes that iHub projects more than 50 people to use it concurrently. development to start viable businesses,” outside Kenya are at different levels of So we came up with our membership says Gitonga. So far, 150 people have been development, and that some countries system to ensure that those who really need trained at the M-Lab and, out of those, do not have an iHub at all because of the space are hosted here.” about 20 have gone on to set up their own the weakness of their information and businesses. communications technology (ICT) sectors. Other challenges are financial viability and Different plans are in place to help them sustainability. “We started with an initial grant Overall, the iHub’s success hinges on obtain funding and provide free ICT courses from Omidyar and Hivos, but we needed to collaborative efforts between individuals to communities. make this initiative sustainable,” explains in the technology sector who come Gitonga. “So we set up initiatives that offer together to share innovation for the benefit For example, she says Zambia has little in services to the tech community, with any of many. Whatever the sector – from the way of an ICT sector. Rotich adds that profit being ploughed back to the iHub.” farming to health – if context and need are iHub will help Zambia seek funding to offer well-defined, such initiatives can easily ICT courses at a subsidised cost and, later These include M-Lab, launched in 2011 be replicated across the entire African on, for free. – a collaboration between the iHub, the continent.

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 15 Institute of Food Technology (ITA) ____ Sowing the seeds of stable agriculture Author: Théodore Kouadio, SciDev.Net correspondent in Côte d’Ivoire

Focus on women The fruit sector is another big area where The Institute of Food Technology (ITA) has women, from both villages and cities, are Location: Senegal about 90 researchers and scientists 19 per very involved in ITA’s work through marketing From: 1963 to present cent of whom are women, and has developed and processing. To fully benefit from the Implementing Agency: many technologies in the area of food economic value of locally-grown fruit, ITA Institute of Food Technology (ITA) processing. Using ‘training of the trainers’ and some NGOs train women’s groups on (www.ita.sn) approach, the ITA is managing to train more the processing fruit to make value-added ____ than 100 women farmers per year. products such as drinks, jams and syrups. “Women use traditional techniques to The ITA trains women on quality standards produce drinks,” explains Malick N’dao. and technology for food processing. This Senegal’s food tech training strengthens the economic power “AFBARD, the Association of Women Bassire institute helps train of women in Senegal. The institute also Resident in Dakar, is a small structured helps women’s associations to develop and economic interest group business involving local women and professionalise small-scale food processing, 30 women from the same village in farmers so they can while offering women a vital source of Casamance. This association has benefited income. “Previously, some worked for three from training run by ITA,” N’dao adds. This add value to their weeks to earn just 1,300 CFA francs [less training enabled the association to transform products and earn a than US$3]. Now they earn over 2,000 CFA fruits more effectively into value-added francs [over US$4] per day,” says the director products, including hibiscus syrups and better living. of the NGO, African Renaissance Women of juices made from monkey bread, ginger West Africa (RAFAO), Ms Khady Fall Tall. and tamarind. The level of the association’s monthly production was between 600 and For example, Sofie Seck owns a small grain- 700 units of juice at the beginning. The level processing business. Before she started is now between 1,000 and 1,200 units per it, Seck had attended a training course at month. the ITA, which allowed her to master new Théodore processing techniques. Sweet deal Kouadio studied Since 2009 the ITA has also been law and marketing She began her business with a single implementing another major project to train at the University product, cracked corn. The processing was women farmers in the north of Senegal on of Côte d’Ivoire done at the ITA before the company had its producing new varieties of sweet potato and and in Greece and then, in 1998, began own equipment and premises. She quickly using them for producing several products working as a journalist for Fraternité Matin, where he became online editor diversified production, introducing, for such as sweet potato puree, flour, jams, in 2003. He was one of the mentors for example, cornflour for children. The company scones, cookies and cakes. For the director a programme on science journalism started with a production of 50 kilograms per general of ITA, Ababacar Sadikh Ndoye, there run by the World Federation of Science month. It now has the capacity to produce are several economic benefits of this project, Journalists from 2010 to 2012. between seven and 11 tonnes of flour per such as increasing the value of a primary Théodore has won several international journalism prizes, including: a WASH month depending on the time of year. Seck agricultural commodity, local production Media Award in Senegal (handed out has also hired 15 employees – ten permanent of food products and reducing imports of by the Water Supply and Sanitation and five temporary staff. equivalent ones. New sweet potato-based Collaborative Council), the African ICT- products became very important for Senegal, Media prize in 2005, best journalist of Today, the company exports its products according to Ndoye. West Africa 2008 and the 2010 Lorenzo Natali prize. He has been SciDev.Net’s in French, Ivorian and US markets, correspondent in West Africa for the mainly selling to Senegalese immigrant “Yields increased from 30 to 40 tonnes per past three years. communities there. hectare. Today the sweet potato ranks fifth

16 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future among food products in the country behind the onion, cherry tomatoes, industrial tomato and cabbage. This strong growth in production has been accompanied by improvements in quality that allows producers to earn revenues ranging between 2.5 and 4.5 million CFA francs [US$5,240-9,400] per hectare,” Ndoye says.

The project also aimed to promote the © UN Photo/Evan Schneider © UN Photo/Evan sweet potato in the context of crop diversification in the Senegal River Valley. “It is mainly a question of the achievement of food security and poverty reduction,” says Mamoudou Dème, director-general of the Senegal River Delta development and exploitation company (SAED). Sweet potato agriculture occupies about 4,000 hectares of the river valley. Therefore, Dème considers the initiative to have been motivated by an insistent demand from producers of the valley, particularly those living around the Lake Guiers, who are major producers of sweet potato in Senegal.

Sadiarra Niang has got a field of eight hectares around the village of Pakh. He explains that, the production of sweet potato has become the main agricultural activity of the population. According to Niang, the business is growing and attracting large number of workers, so it has become a cash crop. Workers come from several areas of Senegal. “Our workers come from Luga, Tambacounda and sometimes from Gambia during harvest periods,” says Sadiarra

Niang. Schneider © UN Photo/Evan

Ensuring quality in the face of sustainable development, and ensuring profile within the community, and the prize challenges training [for food professionals] and quality money was used to support the institute’s Agriculture in Senegal is famously assurance for the public and private operations and invested in initiatives to precarious, with production and livelihoods sectors in Senegal and Sub-Saharan motivate staff. vulnerable to fluctuations in weather and Africa,” explains Ndoye. global commodity prices. To ensure the It also offers technical assistance to small high quality of Senegalese agricultural The ITA is awarded an average of 50 and medium-sized enterprises and training products and keep them competitive in contracts a year, both from the private of technicians in the farming industry, today’s highly dynamic market, ITA has sector and in public development projects, women’s organisations and agricultural five research laboratories focused on: to carry out research and develop extension workers, among others. Ndoye phytosanitary analysis; microbiology; products. It won the Islamic Development believes the ITA can serve as an exchange chemistry; mycotoxins (harmful chemicals Bank’s Prize for Science and Technology platform for all actors involved in the food produced by fungi); and biotechnology. in 2007 in view of the importance of the production industry, from agriculture and research it is doing and its contribution agroforestry to cattle-rearing and fishing. “Our vision is to become a centre of to the development in Senegal in general. excellence, providing targeted research for Receiving this prize has given ITA a greater

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 17 The Rubisadt Foundation ____ Equipping girls with science to drive change Authors: Ntaryike Divine Jr, SciDev.Net correspondent in Cameroon

From frustration to hope Fine-tuned for success [DOULA] From behind the walls of a humble- In the dozen years since its inception, the Location: Doula, Cameroon looking building in Bali, a residential Rubisadt Foundation has been fine-tuning its From: 2001 to present neighbourhood of Doula, Cameroon’s fast- curriculum. It now offers a holistic learning Implementing Agency: The Rubisadt Foundation paced economic hub, comes a steady, low package, blending pragmatic science and (http://rubisadt.org) hum. It emanates from around 20 women – technology lessons with career development ____ avid learners immersed in science theory and programmes. Its sessions target secondary hands-on practice. school girls aged 11 to 19, selected on the basis of interest and potential to excel in They are just a small fraction of an emerging science, through supplementary after-school For the past ten years, generation of women scientists soon to hit classes. an NGO in Cameroon the ground running after graduating from an education programme initiated in 2001 “Before starting the foundation, I saved my has been educating by a local NGO, the Rubisadt Foundation. earnings because I wanted the project to be female students Officials say its genesis was motivated by self-sustaining,” Lobe says. She funded a team a conspicuous apathy towards science and of 12 specialised educators, instilled with in science and technology education demonstrated by girls in the foundation’s methodology of mentoring technology to help Cameroon. “I was not happy with the way the girls in analytical thinking and autonomous sciences were taught,” says Florence Tobo Lobe, problem-solving – important additional skills them shape a brighter founder of the foundation and a PhD graduate to the country’s formal secondary education future. from the University of Paris-Sud, France, who curriculum. The educators lead the students returned home to Cameroon in the late 1990s through small-scale laboratory experiments, to find what she termed “appalling realities and take them on excursions to engineering demanding urgent change”. firms, public debates and scientific conferences to help bridge gaps between “Students just memorised concepts they concepts and reality, and complement the didn’t understand,” Lobe says. “They didn’t effort of the formal education system. do any practicals and had no real-world experience of what they were learning.” She Bintu Coulibaly, one of the foundation’s says that, despite their brilliance at primary students from Mali, says: “I have gained a lot school level, an alarming number of girls of self-confidence. I used to be very timid. were forced to quit secondary school as a But today, I can talk science and technology Ntaryike Divine result of soaring financial burdens and social anywhere with a lot of self-assurance, Jr is a journalist and pressures. because I have mastered what I’ve learned. alumnus of the US State Department’s Science is no longer abstract to me.” International Figures from the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Visitor Leadership Programme for indicate that, despite constituting more than Shining examples investigative journalism. He is the half of the population, women make up only There are 300 official alumni, though the Voice of America’s correspondent in 4.5 per cent of the country’s university student school has seen up to 1,000 girls taking part Cameroon and a stringer for several news outlets, including the Associated population. Most end up as key drivers of in some courses and conferences. Among Press, SciDev.Net, Think Africa Press and the country’s flourishing informal economy, them, are many who have not only lifted Africa Report. He was named Cameroon where they control more than 80 per cent of themselves out of the prevalent poverty Journalist of the Year in 2009 and won activity. Lobe says the Cameroonian trend is ensnaring especially Cameroonian women, an award for Best Discovery Story in representative of Sub-Saharan Africa, where but are also contributing to boosting the living 2010. He graduated in October 2012 with a distinction in science journalism girls are generally blocked from their potential conditions of their siblings as they find jobs cooperation. contribution to growth and development. both within and without Cameroon.

18 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future © UN Photo/Marco Dormino © UN Photo/Marco

Others are currently flourishing in several universities and in the corporate arena worldwide. Among them is Jessie Wamal, a 2011 graduate who is soon to graduate with a degree in computer sciences from HEC Paris, in France. Another, Judith Joëlle Mbondji, spent five years working at the African Union, after graduating with a BSc in computer science and an MBA from © Rubisadt Foundation Kenya. She returned to Cameroon in 2011 © Rubisadt Foundation and currently devotes part of her time to volunteering as a mentor at the foundation. coming years. “Most of them currently materially and even personally to our plans working or furthering their education both to open similar institutions across Africa “We have big dreams for our next in Cameroon and abroad have expressed and make them sustainable” says Lobe. generation of girls to become real actors strong desires to contribute financially, in the country, in Africa and in the world,” Lobe adds. Its success, according to Lobe, is hinged on the choice of its instructors. Funding the future But Lobe says that amid the venture’s local “These are young women who go through The Rubisadt Foundation’s space is being and global praise, diminishing funds represent a particular training fashioned by Rubisadt fitted with a live-in centre for girls from a huge challenge. She hopes that new according to their needs. So, the teachers particularly impoverished backgrounds. funding models will guarantee sustainability. not only come to school to teach, but also It already operates a micro-science “People now need to know that this quality to build one-to-one relations with the laboratory for basic applied science of education cannot be free of charge,” she children and that way they can identify lessons, a multimedia computer laboratory says, adding that eventually students will be their individual problems and work towards offering possibilities for distance- expected to pay comparatively reduced tuition giving them confidence alongside the learning, a science library, and medical fees of between US$550 and US$1,000 each learning process. It works very well,” she and cultural centres. This is funded by the year. “It’s not that expensive if you compare it says. foundation’s membership fees, as well as with private secondary schools,” she says. financial support from family, friends and Lobe’s dream is to scale up the initiative international donors. David Mbiba, an education inspector, says he by opening other Rubisadt schools in thinks it is worth the sum. “It’s a complete Cameroon and across Africa, to help UNESCO, for example, through the TVE education on offer for our girls, who always lift more and more girls out of poverty Rubisadt-UNESCO Gender Pilot Project, shy away from the sciences,” he says. The by empowering them with science and is working with the Rubisadt Foundation Cameroonian government has also provided technology knowledge. She says that, over alongside the government and local support, and has granted the Foundation the past decade, the Rubisadt Foundation communities to train marginalised girls authorisation to open a conventional school model has proven feasible and is replicable and women aged 15-35 to help reduce for girls taking scientific courses, “which will anywhere worldwide. early school drop-outs living in rural have a specific Rubisadt flavour with a focus areas. The aim is to help them develop an on science and technology”, Lobe says. It is The graduated Rubisadt girls have been entrepreneurial mind and to be creative and now in negotiations with local companies making regular financial contributions to autonomous, serving communal interests and multinationals over scholarship funds ensure the sustainability of the school. Lobe while improving their living conditions and and guarantees of future employment for believes the increasing alumni numbers social status. graduates. implies bigger charitable donations in

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 19 African Network of Scientific and Technological Institutions (ANSTI) ____ Building a brighter future for African researchers Authors: Maina Waruru, SciDev.Net correspondent in Kenya

A lucky break research in science and technology to link- For many years, Irene Wattanga has been up to enable them to pool their human and Location: Headquartered in one of only a handful of women working as material resources and contribute more Nairobi, Kenya a university mathematics lecturer in Kenya. effectively to the application of science and From: 1980 to present She first worked as an assistant lecturer at technology to development in Africa. Implementing Agency: ANSTI (www.ansti.org) the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture ____ and Technology (JKUAT) in Nairobi, before According to ANSTI’s coordinator, becoming a fully fledged lecturer in the late Peggy Oti-Boateng at UNESCO’s Nairobi 1990s. office, its initial aims were to develop a “critical mass of scientists and engineers” Since 1980, an But her desire to become a more by establishing centres of excellence within African academic accomplished master of mathematics – a the ANSTI network’s member universities, by subject widely shunned due to its perceived promoting research and through collaboration network has been difficulty – kept growing. So she applied on research projects, and producing supporting scholars for a doctoral scholarship, an award that textbooks and publications. “ANSTI regularly many crave but few achieve. Wattanga’s commissions member institutions to publish across the continent lucky break came in 2000, when the African policy briefs, discussion papers and books on to achieve their Network of Scientific and Technological emerging issues in science and engineering” Institutions (ANSTI), an NGO that promotes Oti-Boateng says. There are more than postgraduate study the development of African science and 100 such policy briefs and text books, as goals. technology through training and research, well as electronic curricula in science and awarded her a three-year PhD scholarship engineering, and the African Journal of Science to study at the University of Botswana, and Technology. Gabarone. Oti-Boateng explains that “Since 2005, ANSTI Long road to success has hosted a biennial Conference of Vice- Established by UNESCO in 1980 with funding Chancellors, Provosts and Deans of Science, from the UN Development Programme (UNDP) Engineering and Technology (COVIDSET) to and the German government, ANSTI has spent provide a platform for university leaders, the past 30 years providing postgraduate policymakers, development partners, Maina Waruru scholarships, short-term training, visiting international scientific and engineering is a Nairobi-based fellowships and grants to African scholars networks and the private sector to exchange freelance journalist with 15 years to help build their capacity in science, ideas, examine challenges and opportunities, of experience technology, engineering and mathematics explore solutions and forge ahead to ensure specialising in science, higher (STEM). the relevance of these fields in our new and education and development. He changing world.” One of its key outputs is previously worked for Kenya’s leading The network was conceived in response to the qualitative and quantitative analyses of dailies, including The Daily Nation and The Standard, and currently writes for the outcomes of the Conference of African science and engineering university training SciDev.Net, University World News, the Ministers of Science and Technology, held in Africa. In 2005, based on such analysis Indo Asia News Service and Reuters in Dakar, Senegal, in 1974. At that meeting, the Dutch government provided a grant of Foundation’s AlertNet among other the African ministers urged UNESCO to US$ 1.3 million to enhance the capacities in online publications. Maina is one of help African universities and research training and research for African universities. SciDev. Net’s most prolific writers, contributing regularly since 2009. organisations engaged in training and Other development partners such as the

20 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future African Development Bank continue to fund the ANSTI publication of the African Journal of Science and Technology on the recommendation of COVIDSET 2011.

The fifth conference took place in 2013, alongside a meeting for Africa’s education, science and technology ministers – an indication that governments appreciate ANSTI’s role and continue to recognise the critical part that science plays in Africa’s economic transformation and in attaining its © ANSTI development goals, says Oti-Boateng.

Nurturing postgraduates as an increased realisation among African and the fact that many science graduates But it is the mobilisation of resources for governments that science and technology seek careers in more lucrative fields such postgraduate grants such as Wattanga’s are critical to attaining development goals, as banking are also major hurdles to the that has created the most impact. Since its ANSTI is now working more closely with growth of science in Africa. In response, inception, ANSTI has awarded more than 300 the African Union, the African Development ANSTI has been encouraging universities master’s and PhD scholarships to students Bank, and the UN’s Economic Commission to improve working conditions to retain across Africa. They are part of the critical for Africa. teachers and has been encouraging mass of Africa’s scientists and engineers. undergraduates to pursue careers in They work on teaching the application of Spotlight on women science, a difficult task since sectors such science and engineering across various Private-sector bodies are also getting on as banking also prefer analytically minded fields of academia and industry both in the board, with a special spotlight on women. people like science graduates. private and public sectors. Among them, In 2011, the European beauty product there are vice-chancellors of prestigious corporation L’Oréal joined ANSTI’s list of African universities and directors of partners, launching the L’Oréal Fellowship research institutions, ministers of education, for Women Scientists in Sub-Saharan Africa. Shining examples science and energy, and policymakers. Since 2011, in partnership with UNESCO, The ANSTI network encompasses close the L’Oréal fellowship has supported 35 to 200 faculties and institutions in 35 Competition for scholarships has been stiff, PhD scholarships for women, with grants of countries. Wattanga is a shining example with stringent selection criteria. In 2013, for US$20,000 committed to each student. “This of ANSTI’s ability to help scholars – example, there were 150 applications – with project targets young women and those in and women – attain their academic ten of them from women – for just eight mid-level careers aged below 40 years to ambitions. She is now an associate dean places. And the small number of women help them complete their PhD studies,” says at the engineering faculty of Kenya’s applicants reflects the fact that there are not Oti-Boateng. And the scholarships have Multimedia University and says her that many women in STEM, but, according proved popular: 500 women applied in 2013 doctorate enabled her to improve her to Oti-Boateng, more women are now being alone. research skills and use modern scientific encouraged to further their science careers methods to mentor young scientists. after their first degree. They are being given Hurdles to progress priority in awarding of scholarships, and a Besides the struggle to find funding, ANSTI Having succeeded in a subject “considered percentage of available places are reserved has found that some countries have been a male preserve”, she says that her exclusively for them. A lack of funds is still slow to engage with the programme, with teaching mathematics is an inspiration to “a huge challenge, as demonstrated by the the result that these countries have fewer her students both female and male. And high number of applicants and the few we engineers and scientists than others, she has ideas for how ANSTI can continue are able to take,” Oti-Boateng says. Oti-Boateng says. ANSTI is now trying to to empower its students. encourage more universities from these The grants programme’s main funders countries to become members. Other “I wish to see ANSTI plan more are UNESCO and the German Academic challenges include the low numbers of workshops to enable its alumni to Exchange Service (DAAD), with the Carnegie journals produced by African universities, meet and encourage and mentor Corporation of New York and the government the lack of adequate, relevant and updated prospective beneficiaries; see a proper of the Netherlands also making substantial textbooks, and the scarcity of science and alumni association formed; and for joint contributions over the past five years. And, engineering faculties. community projects to be initiated,” she more recently, African governments and says. “This way, the benefits of ANSTI regional bodies have also been showing Inadequate pay for university teachers, a will be felt more widely.” interest. With what Oti-Boateng describes failure to align training with industry needs

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 21 Solar Villages ____ A West African solar revolution Authors: Christophe Assogba, SciDev.Net correspondent in West Africa and Ntaryike Divine Jr, SciDev.Net correspondent in Cameroon

From darkness to light administrative headquarters, school, town When the Sun goes down in many villages hall and mosque are powered by solar energy. Location: Benin, Burkina Faso across Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali, most And so is the village’s health centre, which is and Mali From: 2009 to present activities cease. Shops close, business stops equipped with a refrigerator, freezer and solar Implementing Agency: for the day, and children are forced to do water heaters. Solar street lights illuminate UN Development Programme their homework by the light of polluting the marketplace and the villagers have solar- (www.undp.org) and hazardous kerosene lamps or candles. powered cookers, units for keeping milk cool Benin: Agence Béninoise de Rural connection to the national power and facilities for charging batteries. l’Electrification Rurale et de la grid in these countries is expensive and a Maîtrise d’Energie (ABERME) logistical minefield. But there is a realistic Three hundred kilometres away, in Tinkaré, (http://aberme.org/) Mali: Centre National de solution, which some remote communities Mali, solar power activates the village wells’ L’Energie Solaire et des Energies are beginning to embrace: solar power. Benin, water pumps, now making the two poorly Renouvelables (CNESOLER) Burkina Faso and Mali are ideally suited to kept gasoline- and diesel-powered generators Burkina Faso: Société Nationale solar photovoltaic power: every year, they unnecessary. In Burkina Faso, some 600 d’Electricité Burkinabè (SONABEL) receive up to 3,000 hours of intense sunlight, households in six villages have been fitted with (www.sonabel.bf) which could be harnessed to provide much- solar power. “Life now goes on well beyond ____ needed energy to isolated communities. nightfall and children can read and revise for their lessons for longer periods,” says Rosalie Supported by the UN Development Congo, country coordinator of the Global In 14 off-grid Programme (UNDP), 14 villages across the Environment Fund. At Boala in the north of the villages across West region – Hon, Koussoukpa, Sirakorola, Tinkaré, country, household breadwinners say they are Bilinga, Bougouré, Fili, Kalsagado, Kayéré, spending less on kerosene and torch batteries. Africa, the Sun is Kire, Son, Yallé, Ziga, Leba – now have access being harnessed to life-changing solar power. Community ownership These solar electrification projects are mostly to provide energy Powering West Africa funded by the UNDP, but community donations for lighting, Since 2009, when the project launched, much are also a key component: most of the has changed. The villages now have solar- population pay small, voluntary subscriptions, cooking and powered lights and cookers, can charge their which has the added benefit of boosting even community mobile telephones and even watch television community involvement and ownership on their communal set. of the projects. In Sirakorola, for example, television. villagers contributed ten per cent of the total In Hon and Koussoukpa, Benin, 308 of around production costs, which are estimated at 1,000 households are now solar-powered. 34 million CFA francs (around US$70,000). In Sirakorola, in southwestern Mali, the People also contribute towards the costs of maintenance and infrastructure renewal. In Christophe D. Ntaryike Divine Jr is a participating communities, each beneficiary Assogba is an journalist and alumnus of the US family pays a monthly fee for the technical investigative journalist, State Department’s International maintenance of solar installations. In Burkina a science journalist, Visitor Leadership Programme for Faso’s solar villages, for example, the amount an author and a PhD investigative journalism. He is the student in archaeology based in Benin. He Voice of America’s correspondent in Cameroon and per family is US$10. has freelanced for SciDev.Net since 2011 a stringer for several news outlets, including the about science issues in Benin and the wider Associated Press, SciDev.Net, Think Africa Press and Solar electrification requires thorough West Africa region. He is also the president Africa Report. He was named Cameroon Journalist maintenance and therefore training. Funded of the Association des Journalistes et of the Year in 2009 and won an award for Best by the UNDP and national governments, Communicateurs Scientifiques du Benin and Discovery Story in 2010. He graduated in October the West Africa Forum of Science Journalists 2012 with a distinction in science journalism solar power specialists train villagers in and Communicators. cooperation. installation, maintenance, network operations

22 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future and equipment renewal. Prior to the implementation phase of the project in Burkina Faso, six illiterate rural women aged between 40 and 50 were selected from across the country and sent to the Barefoot College in New Delhi, India, for six months hands-on training on solar energy systems installation, maintenance and network expansion. “The women, all mothers, were selected by their various communities in a democratic manner and basically on the basis of their contribution to the growth of their communities,” explains Congo.

Upon completion of the course, each of the Singh Women/Gaganjit © UN women returned home to install solar power units that are now supplying electricity to on money they would have spent buying The technical problems that face some 100 homes in each of the six villages. kerosene and charcoal. communities using solar power include the They are now qualified solar engineers delay in the delivery of some replacement and work almost full time in electronic Nana Sangaré, deputy mayor and chair parts and equipment; which can leave workshops built for the participating villages. of a women’s association in Sirakorola the public places or families without light They are tasked with maintaining the units situated some 120 kilometres from the for months. “If we have a mechanical and they get ten per cent of the monthly capital Bamako says she now comfortably breakdown,” says Sangaré, “we don’t 5,000 CFA francs [about US$10] paid by every provides for her seven children’s needs need to go all the way to Bamako to find household connected to the supply grid as from increased income she makes from a technician anymore”. In fact, we have a monthly fee. In addition, each of the newly selling vegetables and locally made yoghurt. our own spare parts stores. In Burkina trained engineers must train another woman “Before this project, we didn’t have any Faso, village spare parts supply shops and from their community as their assistant. income at all. Now I earn 3,000 CFA francs maintenance workshops set up as part daily (around US$6).” of the project are mostly run by women. The UNDP says that in Mali, with 99 per When revenues fail to cover the costs of cent of rural communities off the national In Benin, Burkina Faso and Mali, the UNDP maintenance and spare parts, communities electricity grid, the advent of solar power provides the bulk of financial support for turn to the government or NGOs to help is encouraging economic activities. Women the projects with the rest coming from them. Sometimes, local authorities step in are watering their small-scale vegetable the various country governments and to fix technical problems. farms with solar-powered pumps and saving community contributions.

Reaping the benefits products refrigerated and I sell them the is not too expensive, requires no major Greeted with joy by the villagers, the next day. But before, I just threw the spoiled maintenance and the average lifetime of a introduction of solar energy has given ones away unsold and suffered much loss. PV [photovoltaic] module is 20 years. The rise to popular festivals of culture and The electricity has helped me to improve only difficulty is the management of end- art. And Fatoumata Sangaré, president of my income.” Sane is now even considering of-life materials that are hazardous waste,” Sirakorola’s Women’s Association, says going further afield to sell her products. he says. the solar equipment helps greatly with women’s daily tasks. The villagers say solar At the solar power project launch in There are plans afoot to roll out the project electrification has generated additional Burkina Faso’s northern region, Khalil to other parts of Benin, but the UNDP warns revenue through a “virtuous circle of local Boukari Bara, the regional governor, that there must be clear signs of feasibility. development”. said: “The electrification of these areas To ensure sustainability at la Boucle du provides benefits, and access to modern Mouhoun community in southwest Burkina Seydou Coulibaly, a shopkeeper in opportunities, production and marketing. Faso, for example, villagers have set up a Sirakorola’s market, explains: “Since we It contributes to job creation, and the seven-member management committee had solar energy in the village, my business determination of young people to stay on that include four women to manage has been more successful. Before, when their land and fight against poverty.” subscriptions and maintenance spending. the darkness set in, I closed my shop. The example has been replicated in all But now I sell late into the night and my For Rudolph Attédé, an electronics engineer the country’s six beneficiary communities, business has grown.” specialising in renewable energy in Benin’s with the goal of using generated profit economic capital, Cotonou, solar energy’s to purchase more material for network And Buchi Sane, a Sirakorola vegetable advantages for rural communities are extension. seller, says: “With the electricity, I keep my well established. “Firstly, the material

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 23 The South African Telemedicine System ____ Mobile technology supports front-line health workers Author: Munyaradzi Makoni, SciDev.Net correspondent in South Africa

Powering the community software development company initially set Primary healthcare in South Africa is up to support organisations that wanted to Location: Cape Town, South Africa notoriously overstretched and under- collect various data using mobile technology From: 2012 to present resourced, making the daily demands of in fields including healthcare. In 2006, Clyral Implementing Agency: record-keeping, home visits and patient created Mobenzi Researcher, which allows South African Medical Research monitoring a challenge for workers. organisations to capture relevant statistics Council (www.mrc.ac.za), Telemedicine – the remote provision in remote locations using standard mobile University of Western Cape of healthcare using information and (www.uwc.ac.za), phones. So when, in 2007, the Health Health Systems Trust (www.hst.org. communications technology (ICT) – holds Systems Trust (HST) – a South African non- za), and great promise for a country with a healthcare profit organisation that promotes primary North West Department of Health worker shortage. It is also an opportunity for healthcare delivery across Southern Africa (www.dohsoc.nwpg.gov.za) innovative private service providers. – needed to collect primary healthcare ____ information in rural communities, it turned to Mobenzi (www.mobenzi.com) – a company Mobenzi. South Africa’s that provides technology and professional services to organisations involved in The Mobenzi team used mobile phones to overstretched primary research, statistics collection, logistics and collect data on health from communities healthcare service is community service delivery – provided the – and was so successful that Clyral’s answer. Using a mobile-powered programme engineers went on to develop a full-scale being reshaped by a that aims to manage healthcare more generic platform to collect information from project that uses mobile efficiently, Mobenzi has become the backbone the field through mobiles. Friedman says of a project to reengineer public healthcare. the organisation has been expanding its technology to improve Previously, all record-keeping, reporting capabilities ever since. people’s health. and planning was paper-based, severely limiting timely access to information, says Piloting innovation Andi Friedman, Mobenzi’s director. In 2012, a pilot project, using a refined version of Mobenzi, was launched in the “The logistical and administrative burden country’s North West province. The project on public healthcare workers jeopardises was commissioned by the Medical Research Munyaradzi the ability of these teams to deliver on Council and the University of the Western Makoni writes their mandate to provide efficient primary Cape in collaboration with the North West about science from Cape Town, South healthcare, and lack of data makes Department of Health and HST. Africa. He mainly decision-making difficult,” he says. Mobenzi writes about African science research has radically streamlined this process. A It aimed to demonstrate the role mobile for SciDev.Net, about higher education portmanteau of ‘mobile’ and the Zulu word technology can play in supporting the work for University World News and about the ‘umsebenzi’ (which means work), Mobenzi of community health workers – the majority research funding landscape in Africa for Research Africa. His articles have enables community health workers to feed of whom are women. These are the outreach appeared in Research Caribbean and information into their mobile phones, which teams that provide services to communities other outlets. In 2011, he was awarded then sends state of patient’s health to a otherwise lacking healthcare access. a Research Africa/IDRC science centralised computer system. journalism fellowship. He is one of The project involves three clinics, one team SciDev.Net’s most regular contributors, continuously reporting in news, blog Mobenzi itself dates back to 2004, when it leader, and ten community health workers posts and features since 2008. was developed by Clyral, a Durban-based who service more than 1,600 households.

Patients’ records are centralised and now report births with an automated text the successful planning and implementation accessed through Mobenzi, which message notification sent to community of public health projects, and that initiatives community health workers can update from health workers. The outreach team piloting such as Mobenzi will play a more prominent the field, and the programme has become the project currently services more than role in future health interventions. a management tool for their workflow and 1,200 patients and more than 8,000 patient patient visit scheduling. visits have taken place. They have facilitated As personal health information will be more than 250 clinic referrals, with 70 per transmitted remotely, fears have been raised The programme has support tools that cent of clients taking up referrals. on how this data will be shared, stored and enable community health workers to managed by health practitioners. To protect identify and treat conditions, while allowing Reaping the rewards of people’s right to privacy Visser says they for remote consultations and the referral innovation took measures to safeguarding patients’ of cases to specialists electronically. In May 2013, Mobenzi was shortlisted for health information falling into wrong hands. Inbuilt text messaging enables interaction the second Innovation Prize for Africa, which “Issues such as standards, data security, with patients as well as appointment celebrates practical solutions to some of confidentiality and ensuring valid and reminders. Community health worker the continent’s most intractable problems. reliable back-up systems were important activities, workloads and data verification Friedman says the success of the project considerations when planning projects of are recorded, and the web interface allows hinges on its participatory approach, with such nature,” she says. for supervision, reporting and entry of new feedback from all stakeholders – particularly information. Mobenzi supports 500 different those on the ground – being used to guide handset models, including most low-cost each iteration. feature phones. The approach accommodates a flexible Costs and sustainability Streamlining healthcare technology platform, enabling quick Friedman says South Africa’s national Friedman explains that, to date, the Mobenzi configuration as requirements change. In development plan has committed to pilot scheme has enabled automated visit addition, a multidisciplinary team – including the community health worker-based scheduling in accordance with the latest health experts, research scientists and approach, and that the anticipated costs government guidelines for prenatal and engineers – enables rapid decision-making, for empowering these workers using postnatal care for children under five. The he says. “Outreach teams are the primary mobile technology will be a fraction project has facilitated electronic referrals stakeholders impacted by the technology. of what it costs to run the primary and feedback on referral outcomes, and By empowering these teams to be more healthcare programme. healthcare workers can now manage their effective, improving links to primary entire workload, including helping patients healthcare facilities and providing support The project is already being replicated, comply with treatment plans, Friedman says. to front-line care workers, the communities with training under way for two they serve will benefit,” says Friedman. additional teams in the Western Cape Mobenzi also enables the submission of that will focus on detecting tuberculosis official reports of workers’ rosters and care Ronel Visser, HST’s acting chief executive and providing treatment support. monitoring distribution. And clinics can officer, says good-quality data is crucial for

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 25 Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa (MARA) ____ Digitising malaria hotspot maps saves lives Author: Munyaradzi Makoni, SciDev.Net correspondent in South Africa

Mapmaking for malaria control West had an office in Bamako, Mali, while [CAPE TOWN] Malaria is one of the world’s English-speaking West had a base in Location: South Africa, Africa biggest killers. In 2010, an estimated Navrongo, Ghana. Yaoundé, Cameroon hosted (phase I); Swiss Tropical and 660,000 people lost their lives to the disease the Central Africa office, Nairobi, Kenya Public Health Institute (Swiss – most of them children in Africa, where a hosted the East Africa post and Durban in TPH), Basel, Switzerland (phase II) child dies from malaria every minute. Until South Africa became home to the Southern From: 1996 to 2010 recently, however, it was difficult to access Africa centre. Implementing Agency: The Special Programme for information about the locations of Africa’s Research and Training in Tropical malarial hotspots or how they are influenced The project built expertise among local Diseases (TDR), a co-sponsored by the weather there. Information about malaria control staff to enable them to programme of UNICEF, UNDP, the the continent’s malaria distribution was reference the collected data, and it trained World Bank and WHO scattered across published and unpublished epidemiologists, medical doctors and (www.who.int/tdr) documents, often gathering dust in libraries. researchers. In total it trained: 33 people to ____ use GIS (geographic information systems) But now, thanks to a digitised malaria and databases, 23 to study climate change Since 1996, an African- mapping database that brings together all effects on the spread of the disease and 45 available malaria data, the disease no longer to interpret the results for people who might European collaboration has the ‘blind killer’ status of past decades. want to use them. Eight people got master’s has been collecting MARA – Mapping Malaria Risk in Africa degrees and PhDs on malaria. (www.mara.org.za) – was launched in 1996, widespread data on with initial support of US$10,000 from the Malaria in bits and bytes malaria to help map WHO’s Special Programme for Research and The mapping project tracked down Training in Tropical Diseases (TDR) to map information on malaria prevalence from prevalence and drive information on malaria prevalence across both published and unpublished sources appropriate health Africa. The project’s first phase (1997-1998) to identify malarial mosquito hotspots, aimed to produce an accurate atlas of disease prevalence and the weather responses. malaria risk for Sub-Saharan Africa. conditions that fuel transmission. The MARA database contains more than The project was set up as a pan-African 13,000 malaria prevalence surveys collected enterprise, not owned by any specific over 12,000 locations – with 37 per cent in organisation but coordinated by South Southern Africa, 33 per cent in West Africa, Africa’s Medical Research Council, in the 25 per cent in East Africa and five per cent in Munyaradzi spirit of open collaboration. A group of Central Africa. The data remains live but no Makoni writes about science from scientists, based at institutions across Africa new material is being added. Cape Town, South and Europe, worked together on the project. Africa. He mainly Further funding came from donors including The project then disseminated this writes about African science research Canada’s International Development information to national and international for SciDev.Net, about higher education Research Centre (IDRC), the Wellcome Trust, policymakers, distributing 3,000 poster- for University World News and about the research funding landscape in Africa TDR and the Multilateral Initiative on Malaria sized malaria distribution maps to malaria for Research Africa. His articles have (MIM), and the Roll Back Malaria Partnership. control programmes, health departments appeared in Research Caribbean and African institutions contributed through and research institutions in malaria endemic other outlets. In 2011, he was awarded expertise, staff time and facilities. countries. a Research Africa/IDRC science journalism fellowship. He is one of SciDev.Net’s most regular contributors, Five regional centres – each using a Whereas previously the absence of continuously reporting in news, blog standardised data collection system, were centralised records had made choosing posts and features since 2008. established across Africa. French-speaking appropriate solutions very difficult, the

26 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future © Sarah Filbey © Sarah Project Villages © Millennium new data systems help countries identify Counting the score HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases. MARA transmission periods, implement control Boutsika, who has been at MARA’s helm was also one of 700 projects – selected for programmes and tailor control measures from 2006, says a project highlight is the their exemplification of practical solutions according to individual contexts – which also first accurate assessment of the malaria to challenges – presented at the EXPO2000 saves valuable resources. Rajendra Maharaj, burden in Africa, which has been made world fair in Hanover, Germany. The director of the Malaria Research Unit at possible by advances in geographical programme owes its success to its strong South Africa’s Medical Research Council, modelling. “We can now give useful answers team of investigators from participating says the project has a strong legacy in with regards to malaria,” she says. organisations, Maharaj says: “The big lesson the support it provides for the planning of was inter-country collaboration, which is malaria control programmes. MARA has made its results available through essential for malaria control.” the technical reports published regularly Konstantina Boutsika, an epidemiology on its website in both English and French. and public health researcher from the The programme’s main beneficiaries have From struggles to success Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute been identified as scientists, malaria control It has not all been smooth sailing, however. (Swiss TPH), in Basel, Switzerland, programme staff and local communities. The main challenge was the collection of where the database is now hosted, says non-digitised data, explains Maharaj. “But the original maps are still available as Maharaj says the scheme helps alleviate this was overcome by teamwork, whereby downloads from the MARA website, as disease and death, especially in children malariologists from all walks of life is a CD-rom developed by South Africa’s and pregnant women, and has contributed worked within ministries, academic and Medical Research Council to enable easy to the efforts to reach the sixth Millennium scientific institutions to source data that access to MARA project data. Development Goal (MDGs) on combating was stored in archive boxes, university libraries and government storerooms,” he says. And Boutsika adds that obtaining funding to sustain the programme was difficult because harmonising various databases required a heavy investment.

When funding for research ran dry in 2006, the project was given a new lease of life by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and Swiss TPH, and moved from Durban to Basel, where phase II was launched. In 2009, the software team at Swiss TPH merged the MARA databases from phases I and II and developed a new web interface.

Since then, the MARA database has been in the public domain accessible to registered users and can be downloaded in different formats. Boutsika says researchers individually continue to collect data in Africa and use the MARA database as a sounding board.

Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 27 Africa: A poster child for putting science to the heart of global development

At SciDev.Net we have been reporting on the role of science and technology in Africa’s development since the launch of the website in 2001. At the time we saw the opportunity the internet offered to disseminate freely information about scientific and technical innovation for an audience that would not normally have easy access to journals or research papers.

There are now countless websites posting stories about science, and those posting on global development. But we remain one of the few bringing news and analysis, through the eyes and work of people living and working in developing world regions.

Africa has always been an important site for us, and we now have three regional desks, in Cairo, Nairobi and Dakar, covering stories in English, French and Arabic. This growth in coverage has followed the boom of Africa’s economies and support for science.

Over the past twelve years we have reported on thousands of initiatives, and have mapped their rise, and sometimes demise. There have been hopes, grand plans, fears, setbacks and outright failures. But to ensure none of this has been in vain, we must be vigilant about documenting our collective human effort and learning from its result.

In this booklet we focus on the success stories. Those that showed how science and technology can, indeed, help drive local development, providing a range of outcomes from equitable employment to education and affordable energy. We worked hard with our network of local correspondents to identify these stories and examine what it is that made them successful. How is it that they have managed to grow and stand out, winning awards and support from local populations?

But it also looks at the challenges they had to face, in their struggle for sustainable and equitable development.

We would like to thank UNESCO and IDB for this initiative and the scientists and entrepreneurs, citizens and journalists that made each of these stories possible.

Nick Perkins, Director Mićo Tatalović, News Editor

28 / Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future Africa’s Minds Build a Better Future / 29 There is a growing consensus that the incorporation of science, technology and innovation in the development process is an essential component to addressing the needs of underserved populations. It is also recognized that gaps and bottlenecks in various fields such as education, health, agriculture and energy can be resolved with applied technologies and innovations adapted in a sustainable manner to the local environment.

Over the past decade, many science and technology projects in Africa that address development have been initiated with great success and creative innovation. This explosion of activity has created an opportunity for the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), in partnership with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to document the results and processes of these initiatives so that other African countries can also benefit from the lessons and experiences of others. In collaboration with SciDev.Net and their network of local correspondents in Africa, these eleven stories from throughout the continent aim to share the various achievements, challenges and ideas on how science, technology and innovation can contribute to a better quality of life and sustainable development.

United Nations Islamic Educational, Scientiﬁc and Development Cultural Organization Bank