Alex Rose-Innes
Without natural capital, all species and ecosystems would become defunct. And without scientific innovation providing research and the tools to care for the earth, the Earth’s billions of inhabitants would not be able to continue a sustainable lifestyle.
Science is fundamental to finding solutions to climate change. Research is applied to drive a cohesive strategy with nature at its core, to assist with conservation decisions offering the best social, economic and environmental benefits. We look at six unique innovations which would not have been possible without scientific research. Some of these help humans, others help animals, but all help to secure a friendlier and greener environment for the next generation of earth dwellers.
Across Africa, especially female scientists from countries such as Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa and Cameroon, to name but a few, are making huge strides toward greening the planet through exemplary research projects.
According to Dr Madaka Tumbo, lecturer at the Institute of Resource Assessment (IRA), University of Dar es Salaam, the importance of African-led innovation could never be over-emphasised to meet the continent’s challenges in the face of climate change.
Green Africa takes a look at five female African scientists and their projects:
Cameroon’s Dr Dieudonne Alemagi studies and identifies strategies for advancing the implementation REDD+, a mechanism to support developing countries to reduce emissions by promoting the conservation and the sustainable management of their forests.
Dr Stella Kabiri-Marial from Uganda’s Mukono Zonal Agricultural Research and Development Institute focuses her research on green-energy driven technology solutions to support on-site fertiliser production in Africa. Her aim is to provide cost-affordable, green-made nitrogen fertilisers to local small-scale farms.
Dr Asanterabi Lowassa from Tanzania’s Wildlife Research Institute
aims to provide a broad understanding of the impact of gender inequality on climate change and mitigation measures/coping strategies to influence policy and decision makers to develop a gender-responsive approach.
Dr Mary-Jane Bopape from the South African Weather Service focuses on the improvement of thunderstorm simulations over Southern Africa using numerical weather prediction models through modification of the boundary layer and microphysics parametrisation schemes. Output from these models would also be used to develop products for the agriculture, water, disaster risk reduction and energy and health sectors.
Dr Rondrotiana Barimalala from the University of Cape Town in SA addresses
African island states over southwest Indian Ocean (SWIO) region threatened by the impacts of climate change. With a particular focus on Madagascar, her project will contribute to scientific understanding of climate variability and change on the island in order to integrate a science-based knowledge into the country’s climate-sensitive decisions, climate change adaptation and mitigation plans as well as on the national risk awareness.
