By 2030, Africa will account for 53 per cent of the world's population living in hunger, primarily due to climate change and worsening food shortages, the UN warns.

In this episode of Africa Science Focus, reporter Michael Kaloki investigates how scientists are tackling the region’s food crisis by exploring gene editing to develop climate-resilient crops, particularly wheat.

Cristobal Uauy, a project leader in crop genetics at the John Innes Centre in the UK, tells us how gene editing can be used to strengthen wheat's resistance to diseases and increase its nutritional value.

Godwin Macharia, centre director for the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO), says gene editing can improve yields amid a 16 per cent decline in wheat production between 2022 and 2023.

Anna Backhaus, a cereal pre-breeder at the International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA), says gene editing requires robust policies to prevent exploitation.

And Richard Shaw, director of the UK-CGIAR Centre, stresses the importance of international collaboration among organisations and countries to advance gene editing.

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This episode was supported by the UK-CGIAR Centre. The UK-CGIAR Centre, hosted at CABI (CAB International, the parent organization of SciDev.Net), aims to support global food security by bringing together scientists from the UK and CGIAR to form impact-focused research collaborations. This project is funded by UK International Development.

Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at podcast@scidev.net

Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at podcast@scidev.net

By communicating their research, scientists can influence policy and drive meaningful change in society.

Findings from scientific research have the power to address pressing challenges in society, from climate change to disease outbreaks.

But what happens when important discoveries from these studies are left to gather dust in libraries or academic journals?

In this episode of Africa Science Focus, reporter Michael Kaloki speaks with African scientists and researchers about the need for better communication of scientific research.

Jackie Opara-Fatoye, a science journalist and deputy coordinator at SciDevNet, Sub-Saharan Africa, highlights some of the barriers to effective science communication, including limited funding, technical jargon, and poor media coverage.

South African researchers Teboho Mofokeng and Amber Abrams share their experiences using local radio stations and engaging communities to promote their study on water sustainability.

Bosede Afolabi, a Nigerian professor of obstetrics and gynaecology, pushes for increased government funding to expand the reach of scientific research.

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This podcast was supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative which aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of 18 public science funding agencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Africa Science Focus is produced by SciDev.Net and distributed in association with your local radio station.

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.

Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at podcast@scidev.net

Systemic barriers and poor support structures are stifling the progress of women in STEM

Underrepresentation of women in science and technology is limiting the continent's access to different perspectives and innovation, educators in the sector tell Africa Science Focus.

Women account for only 20 per cent of women in science and engineering in Africa and 32 per cent of research and development scientists, according to research by the UN Economic Commission for Africa.

In this episode of Africa Science Focus, reporter Michael Kaloki talks to women in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) about how to break the barriers women and girls face.

He speaks with Adefunke Ekine, educational expert and researcher at the Tai Solarin University of Education in Nigeria’s Ogun state, who says abstract teaching and a lack of female role models are among the problems.

Verdiana Masanja, mathematics professor at the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology in Tanzania, pushes for more inclusive policies in STEM education.

Excellence Joshua, a social entrepreneur and creator of the Techy Train Incubator, a foundation that equips young African women with digital skills, wants to see more support for women in the workforce.

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This podcast was supported by the Science Granting Councils Initiative which aims to strengthen the institutional capacities of 18 public science funding agencies in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Africa Science Focus is produced by SciDev.Net and distributed in association with your local radio station

This piece was produced by SciDev.Net’s Sub-Saharan Africa English desk.

Do you have any comments, questions or feedback about our podcast episodes? Let us know at podcast@scidev.net