By Edwin Naidu
The Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) has demonstrated the value of regional collaboration throughout sub-Saharan Africa. The initiative comprises 17 public science funding agencies and continues to grow and evolve.
Regional collaboration has been central to peer learning and collective action, playing a transformative role in the African science landscape.
The SGCI is transforming Africa’s science, technology, and innovation landscape by placing governments and the research community at the forefront of science, technology, and innovation research to address their priorities and drive meaningful change.
Abraham Mathodi, acting deputy director of Botswana’s Ministry of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, emphasised the crucial role of partnerships in addressing Africa’s challenges through science collaboration.
Although Botswana does not yet have a dedicated science agency, it has demonstrated a strong commitment to research and innovation through active participation in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI).
Speaking during the 2024 Annual African Science Granting Councils Meeting in Gaborone, Mathodi said local impacts on communities should be felt across the continent.
He said Botswana’s active participation in initiative was a catalyst for accessing broader collaborative opportunities. Through the SGCI, Botswana has engaged in initiatives like the National Research Foundation’s OR Tambo Africa Research Initiative and the Africa-Japan collaborative research programme (AJ-Core).
Mathodi explained that SGCI membership has enabled Botswana to join the Global Research Council (GRC). This has helped to expand its network and access to potential funders significantly.
It also opened doors to the Global North and enabled collaboration that was previously inaccessible. Mathodi stressed that these resilient partnerships helped to foster co-production among research communities across different nations.
While many collaborative projects were still in the research phase, Mathodi expressed strong confidence in their potential to improve lives in Botswana.
He cited a project presented by the Botswana University of Science and Technology as an example of the transformative potential of these collaborations. He reckons that the impact of these projects, once completed, would be substantial. Many communities would benefit.
Reflecting on Botswana’s SGCI and GRC conference hosting in November 2024, Mathodi was excited about the opportunity. He noted that this was Botswana’s first time physically hosting the event. Previously, the southern African nation partnered with Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso for a virtual conference hosting during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Mathodi said that the conference provided a clear roadmap for the SGCI. It also helped raise local stakeholders’ awareness about the SGCI and GRC. He was particularly pleased to observe local universities engaging with potential partners. This occurred both during and outside of the meetings. This, according to Mathodi, aligned with the SGCI’s goal of providing a platform for stakeholders to establish a presence in the global research landscape.
Furthermore, Mathodi was optimistic about the long-term impact of these collaborations on the nation’s progress.
It was critical to leverage partnerships, particularly within the SGCI, to create resilient and sustainable funding models for science collaboration in Africa, according to Cephus Adjei Mensah, director for research, statistics, and information management and head of the Research Council of Ghana.
He emphasized co-creation as a core requirement. Mensah said the long-term Africa, water, energy and food programme was a successful example of multiple science granting councils pooling resources. This spoke to co-creating research calls and allowed for greater impact than individual councils funding projects internally.
Mensah also mentioned the DEMO forum and the National Research Foundation’s COVID-19 Africa Rapid Grant Fund as initiatives that have fostered funding resilience and sustainability.
He highlighted the importance of leveraging science granting councils as key tools for building partnerships and fostering independence in African science ecosystems. He emphasised peer-to-peer learning through forums, workshops and collaborative research. A successful collaboration with Zambia was highlighted as an example.
He noted that the SGCI has enabled connections to external networks. This helped increase visibility and recognition for councils.
Mensah explained how councils could act as enablers. They could do this by linking institutions and experts. And could also influence funding decisions through demonstrated expertise.
Regarding visibility, Mensah described how Ghana’s council has established itself as a recognised entity through the SGCI. They have focused on accessibility, rapport-building and targeted engagement through collaboration with various stakeholders within the research ecosystem.
Participation in the SGCI has also opened doors to global platforms. The Global Research Council has provided opportunities. Best practices and the ability to influence policy were shared.
Mensah praised Ghana’s involvement in shaping the national agenda for science, technology and innovation, which he said demonstrated the council’s growing influence.
Mensah suggested that councils improve their internal mechanisms for documenting and communicating their work. This would include developing policy briefs and tracking success stories.
He also desired to learn from other councils’ experiences in addressing administrative and policy challenges. Looking ahead, Mensah hopes to strengthen Ghana’s council by leveraging past achievements and exploring new opportunities.
He envisions the council becoming a policy driver and advisor on research funding, forging new partnerships, and enhancing cross-border research collaboration. He wants to learn from other councils’ best practices to address challenges and improve the effectiveness of his own council. Ultimately, Mensah wants to enhance the capacity of African science granting councils to be stronger and more impactful.
Professor Anicia Peters is the CEO of the National Commission on Research, Science, and Technology (NCRST) in Namibia. She elaborated on the need for flexibility in funding research aligned with shifting national priorities. These must be focused on food security, energy and rare earth mineral beneficiation. She emphasised three key areas to bear in mind, including the importance of broad funding topics, collaboration across African councils and capacity building.
To this end, she said Namibia is part of a newly launched African Innovation Agencies network. The gathering worked to foster innovation, startup incubation and capacity building across the continent.
NCRST supports research in healthcare AI, food systems, waste management, biomass and green technologies, leveraging SGCI initiatives.
Namibia has signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOUs) with Zambia and Zimbabwe for joint research funding and projects.
Intra-African collaboration is crucial for strengthening research ecosystems. This could help reduce the reliance on North-South partnerships.
Peters said small seed grants could attract further funding. It could also expand partnerships. However, governments must commit financial contributions to ensure equal partnerships in global research collaborations.
Funding research enhances national confidence and attracts global funders. The Professor said Namibia has gained visibility at the United Nations, African Union and international forums and has positioned itself as a key player in science, technology, and innovation.
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