August 01

• Africa: Let's Make a Success of Failures [opinion]

  Unsuccessful development initiatives offer vital lessons - but only if we are open about failure, says Ben Taylor. Read more »

• Africa: Climate Change 'Causes Rise in Violence'

  Changes in climate, such as increased drought and above-average annual temperatures, have caused a rise in human violence across the world, according to a study published today in... Read more »

July 31

• Africa: Brazil's Rising Interest in Science Ties [analysis]

  The past decade has seen a boom in science collaboration between Brazil and Africa, finds Catarina Chagas. Read more »

• Africa: Basic Science Linked to Faster Economic Growth

  Middle-income countries that focus on basic sciences, such as physics and chemistry, grow their economies faster than nations that invest in applied sciences, such as medicine or... Read more »

• Africa: Professor Peter Piot On Science and Post-2015 Development

  A panel debate at the Royal Society in London last month (6 June) brought together scientists, policymakers, NGOs and the media to discuss the role of science, technology and... Read more »

• Africa: Focus On Gender - Women Can Help Lower Food Losses

  Further investment in agricultural research is essential if we are to avert a global famine caused by inadequate crop yields and a growing population in the coming decades,... Read more »

July 30

• Africa: China to Fund Centres of Research Excellence

  China's science academy is to back five centres of research excellence to extend collaboration with developing world scientists in the fields of climate, water, biotechnology,... Read more »

July 29

• Africa: Half of Key Wild Crops Missing From Gene Banks

  Gene banks are missing more than half the wild relatives of the world's most important food crops - which potentially harbour traits for higher yields, and resistance to disease... Read more »

July 26

• Africa: U.S. Takes Stock of Scalable Agricultural Technologies

  A database of agricultural technologies that may be good candidates for widespread adaptation and adoption to improve food production is under development by Feed the Future,... Read more »

July 25

• Burkina Faso: Biotech Regulation Owes Much to Civil Society

  This was the conclusion of research presented at the Science in Public Conference 2013 by Eveline Compaore, researcher at the University of Nottingham, which hosted the meeting... Read more »

• Africa: Belgian Budget for Research Cooperation Dodges Cuts

  Belgium's programmes for academic cooperation to assist development escaped drastic cuts to their 2013 budgets, bringing relief to hundreds of students in developing nations... Read more »

• Africa: SIP13 - a New Model for Africa's Technological Development

  "Africa lacks technology and it needs technology," said Yao-Martin Donani, a researcher at the University of Nottingham, which hosted the Science in Public Conference 2013 this... Read more »

July 24

• Africa: Science in Public Conference

  SIP13: Does science capacity building in Africa make a difference? Read more »

• Zambia: Love Games try to help raise awareness of HIV in Zambia

  At the Munali Secondary School in Lusaka, an unusual youth club is under way. All eyes are on Humphrey Chileshe, a facilitator who uses sign language to lead an open and frank... Read more »

• Africa: In Perspective - Meeting Local Needs in Science Journalism

  The idea that, to be successful, a technology must meet local needs, conditions and resources, has gradually superseded 'one size fits all' approaches to technological development. Read more »

• Africa: Computer Model Gives Early Warning of Crop Failure

  An international team of researchers has developed a computer model to predict global crop failures several months before harvest. Read more »

July 23

• Africa: Aid Can Make Lives Better, Project Concludes

  Foreign aid can significantly improve economic, social and human development, but practitioners must be open about failure if it is to succeed in the future, concludes a three-year... Read more »

• Africa: Finding the Real Impact of Agricultural Innovation Support

  To measure overall impact, it is best to focus on intermediate outcomes where links are clearer, says Giel Ton. Read more »

July 22

• Africa: Gravity-Powered Lamp to Enter Field Tests

  A cheap new light that could provide an alternative to kerosene and solar lamps in rural areas will enter field testing in Africa and Asia this year. Read more »

July 19

• Africa: Costs of Economic Growth Have 'Outweighed Benefits'

  Development policies should urgently shift from trying to maximise production and consumption towards attempts to improve real welfare, which - unlike growth in GDP (gross domestic... Read more »

July 18

• Africa: Guide Aims to Shift Research Benefits in North-South Collaborations

  A new guide aims to shift the control of benefits coming out of research collaborations from the hands of developed to developing nation partners, by empowering them with know-how... Read more »

• Africa: Focus On Disability - Delivering Equal Access to ICTs

  An Indian technology firm, BarrierBreak, is adapting Western-designed technology that magnifies and reads aloud documents to assist visually impaired people, it was reported. Read more »

July 17

• Africa: Lord Boateng On Africa's Scientific Independence [interview]

  In an interview with SciDev.Net, The Right Honourable Lord Boateng, Trustee of the Planet Earth Institute shares his views on achieving Africa's scientific independence. Read more »

• Africa: Algae Biofuels Deemed Unsuitable for Developing Nations

  Significant uncertainties about the development of algae biofuels and a lack of research and development capabilities make this potential energy source an unsuitable option for... Read more »

July 16

• Africa: Science is Key to Transforming Development

  The recent UN high-level panel report on the post-2015 development agenda alludes to the potential of science, technology and innovation (ST&I) in development. Read more »