By Henry Neondo The government of Uganda is ready to host the African Regional Climate Week from March 3-4 to build regional momentum for the annual UN Climate Change Conferences and drive forward regional implementation of the Paris Climate Change Agreement. The Regional Climate Week will provide a platform for representatives of national and subnational governments, cities,…
Africa urged to fast-track adoption of second-generation resistant maize varieties
By Joshua Masinde Scientists are calling for accelerated adoption of new hybrid maize varieties with resistance to maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease in sub-Saharan Africa. In combination with recommended integrated pest management practices, adopting these new varieties is an important step towards safeguarding smallholder farmers against this devastating viral disease. A new publication in Virus…
COVID-19: New Loan Guarantee Facility Unlocks Over $30M for private sector Healthcare in five African Countries
By Adelyn Wangusi A new emergency loan guarantee facility makes more than USD$30 million available to private, small- and medium enterprise (SME) health providers in five high malaria burden African countries. The loans will support healthcare providers in Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Tanzania, and Uganda to continue offering essential health services, including malaria treatments, to…
Delivering improved maize seed against all odds
By Joshua Masinde As one of the pioneer homegrown seed companies in Uganda, Farm Inputs Care Centre (FICA) has become one of the leading players in the seed sector value chain. Since its inception in 1999, it has played a significant role in variety development and maintenance, seed production, and processing, packaging and marketing. The…
Amref Launches Study on COVID-19 Response Governance
By Adelyn Wangusi Amref Health Africa has launched the COVID-19 Response Governance Mapping Initiative, a study on the sustainability and effectiveness of COVID-19 response efforts implemented in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Senegal, and Malawi. The initiative is a joint project between researchers based at AMREF International University (Kenya). The University of Edinburgh (Scotland), the Somali…
Weak research funding hampers Africa Covid-19 clinical trials
By Joseph Checky Abuje Africa’s weak funding for research, poor research governance structures and weak health systems continue to hamper its place in vaccine development. Dr Borna Nyaoke-Anoke, a Senior Clinical Project Manager at the Drug for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) during a webinar seminar with African science journalists that while the researchers in…
Farmers need seeds they can trust
By Joshua Masinde Seed companies play a crucial role in delivering improved seed varieties to smallholder farmers. Masindi Seed Company Limited, located in Uganda’s mid-western region, is one such enterprise. It traces its beginnings back to the Masindi District Farmers Association (MADFA) more than a decade ago. At the time, the association, which was…
Experts attribute deforestation, climate change to heavy rains in East Africa
By Checky Abuje East African countries of Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda among others are badly hit by flooding leading to the destruction of homes, infrastructure and lives. As the result of the intensive and prolonged rainfall there is the rise in water levels of major water bodies and flooding in several areas of these countries,…