May 20

• Africa: African Soil Diversity Mapped for the First Time

  A team of international experts has drawn up the Soil Atlas of Africa - the first such book mapping this key natural resource - to help farmers, land managers and policymakers... Read more »

May 17

• Kenya: GMO Ban Has No Legal Basis, Official Says

  A senior Kenyan government official has dismissed last year's ban on the import of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) into the country - calling it ill-advised and lacking the... Read more »

May 15

• Benin: Farmers Feeling the Cost of Rice Pests

  Insect pests that attack stored rice are causing financial losses to farmers in Benin, researchers report in the first such study of the crop in the country. But they also found... Read more »

May 13

• Africa: Web Tool Tracks Insecticide-Resistant Malaria Mosquitoes

  An online mapping system to track insecticide resistance in malaria-causing mosquitoes around the world has been launched. Read more »

• Kenya: Kenya Goes Digital to Report Drug-Safety Issues

  Kenya has developed an electronic reporting system to speed up the tracking of adverse drug effects and substandard medicinal products. Read more »

May 8

• Africa: Agricultural Intensification Could Run Up High Bills in the Long-Run

  Maximising crop yields on existing farms in an effort to stem rampant land clearance in developing countries may become financially untenable in the long-term, researchers say. Read more »

• Africa: China - Joint Medical Research to Deepen

  China will deepen joint medical research with Africa, particularly in training African medical scientists. Read more »

• Africa: Revealing Barriers Faced by Women Entrepreneurs

  Researchers in Africa are collaborating on a project that aims reveal the barriers affecting women who run micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). Read more »

May 2

• Africa: Can Economic Development Restore Lost Biodiversity?

  Economic development can lead to increased biodiversity restoration in Sub-Saharan Africa, on a similar scale to its loss due to development, according to a study. Read more »

April 25

• Africa: Leading Malaria Vaccine Trial Deemed Disappointing

  A follow-up of a phase II study for a malaria vaccine candidate has found that its efficacy declines over time. Read more »

• Africa: Women Are 'Key Drivers' in Climate Change Adaptation

  Plans to protect ecosystems and help people adapt to climate change ― also known as ecosystem-based adaptation (EBA) ― must involve vulnerable groups, including women and... Read more »

April 24

• Africa: Schistosomiasis Control a Route to Cutting HIV in Africa

  The transmission of HIV in Sub-Saharan Africa could be slashed if efforts are made to combat the spread of the waterborne disease schistosomiasis by providing clean water,... Read more »

April 23

• Africa: Online Platform to Boost Access to African Stats

  Twenty African countries are set to benefit from a data platform on developmental issues such as the Millennium Development Goals aimed at improving access to quality information. Read more »

April 19

• Africa: Cellphone Microscopes - a How-to Guide

  Tiny microscopes that can be fitted onto any mobile phone with a camera and used to diagnose illnesses in remote areas may have the potential to revolutionise healthcare in... Read more »

• Africa: Sustainable Intensification 'Can Work for African Farmers'

  Smallholder farmers in Africa must participate in research to ensure higher crop yields and to fend off hunger as the continent's population grows, according to a report published... Read more »

April 18

• Burundi: Agriculture Sector Taps Into Belgian Funds

  The international donor community is showing signs of renewed interest in Burundi's research and development (R&D), with a Belgian initiative aiming to rebuild human capacity... Read more »

• Africa: Low-Cost Wireless Tech Can Help African Development

  Low-cost wireless communications offer a practical alternative to traditional wired systems in Africa, and further development of such communications can help overcome research... Read more »

April 16

• Africa: Brics Agree Development Bank and Science Forum

  The five BRICS countries agreed to set up a development bank, a forum of science ministers and a council for researchers and academia at their forum in Durban, South Africa, last... Read more »

• Malawi: Selenium Deficiency 'Endemic' in Malawi

  Low availability of selenium, an essential human micronutrient, in Malawian soils is responsible for its deficiency among the country's population, a study has found. Read more »

April 10

• Africa: Mhealth 'Could Save a Million African Lives By 2017'

  Mobile health (mHealth) applications such as text messages could save more than a million lives in Sub-Saharan Africa over the next five years, according to a report. Read more »

• Burundi: Farmers Set to Embrace Hybrid Maize Seeds

  Farmers in Burundi are set to benefit from new high-yielding, fast-maturing hybrid maize seeds that are also resistant to maize streak virus. Read more »

April 9

• South Africa: HIV Drug Resistance Test to Dramatically Slash Costs

  Researchers in South Africa have developed a low-cost tool to test for HIV drug resistance, potentially opening the door to improved treatment for users of antiretroviral drugs... Read more »

April 5

• Africa: Famine Forecasting Systems Still Failing to Spur Action

  Further scientific improvements to famine forecasting will do little to save more lives without reforms to the way in which the humanitarian community uses them, according to a... Read more »

• Africa: Biomedical Research Fellowship Aims to Build Capacity in Africa

  Two European research bodies are collaborating on a clinical research fellowship scheme to train biomedical students in Sub-Saharan Africa, with the first open call for... Read more »

• Uganda: Uganda Steps Closer to Creating Science Ministry

  Uganda's parliament has passed a bill paving the way for the creation of a science ministry, which will spearhead and harmonise the development of science, technology and... Read more »