Author(s): Haron, A., Randa, T., Chengo, V., and Atela, J Publisher: Tomorrow’s Cities Type: Opinion May 2021 Theme: Risk DOI: Disasters and their associated risks have continued to evolve in complexity, forms, frequencies, and severity. The COVID-19 pandemic has…
Author(s): Haron Akala, Dr. Joanes Atela and Dr. Asenath Maobe Introduction In August 2017 Mukuru, one of Kenya’s urban slums was declared a Special Planning Area by the Nairobi City County Government. This declaration was a welcome relief to the…
Author(s): Emily Bolo, Tom Randa, Dr. Joanes Atela, Paul Osogo, & Salome Okoth. Introduction It is often said that health is wealth and it’s the desire of everyone, the society, and the community to be healthy. However, this desire is…
By Joel Onyango, Maureen Kabasa When people think about capacity building in Africa, the first thought is always inadequacy of expertise to enhance the capacity within the African context. But when you think about it, Africa has all it needs…
By Joel Onyango, Eileen Lara, Richard Randle-Boggis, Christine Lamanna, Cassilde Muhoza, and Anne Kuria The agrivoltaics concept is anchored on the co-utilisation of land for agricultural production, solar energy generation, and water harvesting. Agrivoltaics idea for ‘harvesting the sun twice,’…
By Lindah Fatuma, Maureen Kabasa and Joel Onyango Climate change is a global phenomenon, which has affected economies differently through high temperatures, droughts, floods among others. For instance, developing countries are more vulnerable to climate change compared to developed countries1.…
By Mourine Chepkemoi (ACTS), Jon Leary (Gamos Ltd.) and Shukri Abdulkadir (Loughborough University). The MECS Kenya team joined forces with Clean Cooking Association of Kenya (CCAK ) and the Ministry of Energy during their Clean Cooking Week this week, 29…
By Joanes Atela, Victoria Chengo, Joel Onyango (ACTS) Cooking with electricity presents a strategic opportunity for a large scale clean energy transformation in Kenya in line with SDG7’s goal to achieve universal access to energy. With over 73% of households…
Authors: Maureen Kabasa, Jackson Wachira and Joel Onyango In this blog, we explore the relationship between the climate change agenda and development in Africa, problematizing the capacity development gaps associated with climate change awareness and response programs. We argue that …
Authors : Deborah Murphy, Jo-Ellen Parry and Joanes Atela. Multilateral development banks (MDBs) have pledged to and are working to increase financing for adaptation in developing countries. For MDBs, alignment with the adaptation goals of the Paris Agreement means scaling…
By Leonard Mabele, CB4ICT Project In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Communications Authority of Kenya (CA) – Kenya’s National Regulatory Authority (NRA), has been deeply engaged on studies to validate the draft of the regulatory framework for Television…
By Erick O. Otieno, CB4ICTD Project Information security and cybersecurity have been used synonymously in the context of information systems security management. It is, however, very common to hear the word cybersecurity being floated in almost every discussion in the…
The exchange of climate information by speaking, writing, or using some other medium, messaged in a practical and useful context contributes to climate communication. This has become increasingly vital in translating science and research, into practice and policy.Timely delivery and…
By Leonard Mabele, iLabAfrica Research Centre, Strathmore University The unveiling of Kenya’s Digital Economy Blueprint in May 2019 promises a great economic transformation driven by a number of factors such as Digital Skills, Infrastructure, Innovation-driven Entrepreneurship, Digital Government among other…
By Morven Macewen Public participation and community empowerment are fundamental to the success of Sustainable Development Goals; particularly, Goal No.7 that seeks to increase the ‘proportion of the population with access to electricity’, SDG 13 that aims at avoiding anthropogenic…
By Victoria Chengo and Joanes Atela, ACTS On 6th May 2019 during the official launch of the ‘Nairobi Disaster Risk Hub’ under the ‘Multi Hazard Urban Disaster Risks Transitions’ project, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Nairobi Risk Hub…
Unpacking Knowledge Systems for sustainable development in East Africa: Practical perspectives from Kenya, Rwanda and Tanzania by Joanes Atela, Fiona Marshall, Nora Ndege, Joanna Chataway, Andy Frost and Andy Hall, Knowledge Systems Project Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) is rising…
By Rasmus Magni, Aalborg University, Denmark. My internship and stay at ACTS is coming to an end, and will therefore l try to recap look back on my time and recap my experience. I am studying Sustainable Energy Planning and…
By Mourine Chepkemoi, ACTS The Next Generation of Low-cost Energy-efficient Products for the Bottom of the Pyramid (known as the LCT project) comes to an end in July 2018. To mark this occasion, the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)…
By Victoria Chengo & Fiona Imbali, ACTS A two week long research capacity building training on the preparation of proposals for the Green Climate Fund (GCF) kicked off at the Elementaita Country Lodge in Naivasha, Kenya. The event organised by…
By Victoria Chengo, ACTS On 10th – 11th April 2018, the Transforming Energy Access (TEA) stakeholder workshop was held in Kisumu. It was organized by the African centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) in collaboration with the UK-based Low Carbon for Development…
Dr. Catherine Kilelu , 3R Kenya Project Coordinator – ACTS From 15 – 17th November 2017, various stakeholders in the Dairy industry in Africa gathered in Johannesburg for the African Dairy conference and Exhibition organised by the East and Southern…
The African Centre for Technology Studies- ACTS has been ranked among the top 3 climate change think tanks globally in the 2016 think tank ranking. The ranking also shows that ACTS is the top think tank on climate change in…
Dr. Joanes Atela, ACTS Kenya has witnessed a proliferation of research interventions on both international and national fronts. The country is a host to renowned research and development agencies such as the CGIARS, UN bodies plus several regional research, advocacy…
By Dr Sandeep Napa, Project Manager, Institute for Transformative Technologies (ITT) – Low Cost Technologies Project My parents brought us up in a home of generosity. While I had always been interested in social change, I didn’t do much until…
By Ruth Njuguna, Head of Clinical Operations, Institute for Transformative Technologies – Low Cost Technologies Project “Excuse me Daktari, please tell me if my baby is OK”, The woman in the queue said desperately. This woman, 27-year-old Nancy was in…
By Dr. Joanes Atela, ACTS Acknowledgement: This blog was written with the aid of a grant from the International Development Centre (IDRC), Ottawa, Canada. The 22nd Conference of Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change which took…
Some thoughts for the Policy Landscape on IP By Prof Berhanu Abegaz, The African Academy of Sciences(AAS) and Hailemichael Teshome Demissie, PhD, ACTS. Additive manufacturing, popularly known by the colloquial ‘3D printing’, is a process of making three dimensional solid…
By Prof Henry Thairu Chair of the Commission for University Education, and Director of Consultancy Services, Kenyatta University, Nairobi, Kenya. Early this year, the BBC ran a headline story by the Director of the OECD’s Directorate of Education and Skills,…
By Joanes Atela, Claire Quinn, Albert Arhin, Lalisa Duguma and Kennedy Mbeva Africa is mentioned in almost every climate change research and policy as the most vulnerable, the most exposed and the most affected continent by climate change. Global solutions…
By Dr. Joanes Atela, ACTS Background This week from 23rd-27th May, 2016, delegates drawn from across the world are gathered at the UNEP headquarters in Nairobi to participate in the second session of the United Nations Environment Assembly (UNEA-2) to deliberate…
By Dr. Cosmas Ochieng, former Executive Director, ACTS and Dr. Hailemichael Teshome Demissie, Senior Research Fellow, ACTS It is common tradition that every nation wants to make and preserve their leaders’ portraitures in the best way possible commissioning the best…
By Prof. Bitange Ndemo, Associate professor, University of Nairobi “3D Printing has the potential to revolutionize the way we make almost everything.” President Barack Obama Did you know that in 1990 a novel project to manufacture motor vehicles in Kenya…
By Dr. Joanes Atela, ACTS In March, researchers, knowledge brokers and funders gathered in Pretoria, South Africa to share lessons and experiences on how a decade of ESRC-DFID research support has impacted on poverty reduction.The Conference came just a few…
If the INDCs are going to be the foundations of a global climate solution, we need to make sure they are durable and clear, argue experts By Pieter Pauw and Kennedy Liti Mbeva The Paris climate summit was a diplomatic triumph,…
By Mourine Cheruiyot, ACTS Technology is evolving rapidly and it is influencing consumers’ behaviors, their daily lifestyle, marketing, and business activities. User acceptance of technology is a critical key factor to determine its success. I am involved in a project that…
By: Prof. Torbjörn Fagerström, Dr. Roy B. Mugiira and Prof. Lisa Sennerby Forsse a) Värtavägen 39, SE 115 29 Stockholm, Sweden, b) Directorate of Research Management and Development, State Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology,…
By Ms. Jully Senteu and Joel Onyango Heaps of garbage and polybags scattered as far as the eye can see are regrettably a common sight in most urban and peri-urban centers across the country. It is disheartening, when you drive across…
By Dr. Sajitha Bashir, World Bank The scale of China’s engagement in Sub-Saharan Africa is impressive and is expected to grow substantially if future projections of Chinese investments materialize. By 2013, China accounted for a quarter of all SSA trade.…
Think Mobility By Prof. L Alan Winters – Professor of Economics, University of Sussex, also of CEPR, IZA and GDN Mobility would seem to be the very essence of trade: if things don’t move, there is no trade. This is…
By Dr. Cosmas Ochieng, former Executive Director, ACTS Abstract A combination of robust economic performance and an uptick in scientific and technological indicators over the last two decades has given rise to exuberant assessments of Africa’s development prospects in the 21st…
By Prof. Michael Lofchie, Department of Political Science, UCLA A vehicle for progressive change or more of the same? History offers sobering lessons for those concerned with the prospects of broad based development in Africa. Entrenched political oligarchies do not willingly surrender…
By Dr. Joanes Atela, ACTS Unpacking Public Private Partnership (PPP) Public-private partnership (PPP) has become a central driver of climate change actions- both in negotiations and implementation. Whether on clean energy, sustainable forest management or even climate smart agriculture, PPP…
By Winnie Khaemba, ACTS Context ‘You have been negotiating all my life’ lamented a Youth NGO’s Constituency (YOUNGO) representative while making an intervention at a UNFCCC COP 17 session in Durban, South Africa in 2011. Four years on, the world is…
By: Kennedy Liti Mbeva, ACTS Energy poverty is one of the major challenges holding back Africa’s transformation agenda, as clearly articulated in the African Union’s Agenda 2063[1]. About 70% of the African population is not connected to the electricity grid, yet…
By Dr. Joanes Atela, ACTS Sustainable development Sustainable development (SD) remains a landmark policy and global development agenda since the 1992 Convention on Environment and Development. Anchored on the Brutland Commission report ‘Our Common Future’, sustainable development articulates the urge to…
By Dr. Cosmas Ochieng, former Executive Director, ACTS “In our world in which the generation of new knowledge and its application to change the human condition is the engine which moves human society further away from barbarism, do we not have…
Prof. Calestous Juma, who founded ACTS in 1988, has been honored with a Lifetime Excellence Award. He was among key visionaries who were honored for making significant contributions to the world of Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) as a tool…
The inaugural cold-chain foundation course was held on May 20th – 24th at ICIPE campus. The training program aimed to contribute to capacity strengthening on cold-chain logistics in the agri-food and health sectors. The course attracted participants from government agencies,…
Despite a wealth of data and insights from climate scientists, translating these findings into tangible steps remains a daunting challenge. Participants engage in a group discussions during the knowledge brokering workshop focusing on bridging the gap between climate research and…
The AFNS Programmes and Kiriita Dairy Cooperative hosted the farmers’ business forum in Lari Sub-County, Kiambu County on 14 May 2023. The event aimed to address critical challenges faced by local farmers. The discussions primarily focused on issues such as…
Participants of the stakeholder workshop held on March 19, 2024 at Maanzoni Lodge, Kenya. It attracted over 35 participants. Kenya has made significant strides in its renewable energy sector, with an estimated 88% of its grid mix in 2022 derived…
Four PhD students – One female and three male – have been selected to take part in this year’s AfricaLics Visiting Fellowship Programme (VFP). The successful candidates were selected from a pool of 84 applicants by a distinguished committee comprising…
The bootcamp was meant to enable Kenyan innovators to access Flat6Labs’ US$95 million Seed Fund. The fund aims to nurture the growth and development of early-stage tech startups in Africa. Participants of the Tech Startup Bootcamp hosted by the ACTS-led…
The ACTS-led Green and Digital Invocation Hub (gDIH) conducted training for MSMES to strengthen their capacity in environmental, social and governance (ESG) and carbon credits. Gender Youth and Inclusive Development (GYID) programme lead at ACTS, Dr Caroline Mbaya, presiding over…
ACTS, working closely with partners, is setting up an innovative technology in aquaculture that is expected to change fish and seaweed farming in Kenya’s Coast The Blue Empowerment project team join community members during the launch of the Integrated Multi-Trophic…
ACTS is at the centre of a pioneering sustainable cold-chain solution project that is set to exponentially increase income for smallholder farmers in Kiambu County, Kenya Poor infrastructure, lack of proper storage facilities and limited access to markets contribute to…
ACTS and partners in South Africa and Ghana are conducting a study to explore public policy interventions necessary to cement decent work and sustainable livelihoods, in the context of green energy transition, particularly for women and youth. Dr. Joel Onyango,…
How can we develop shared, future scenarios for a circular bioeconomy in Kenya’s dairy sector? And why is it important? A graphic artist illustrating future scenarios for a circular bioeconomy in Kenya’s dairy sector under the VALORISE project which aims…
By mainstreaming gender equality and inclusivity, this initiative not only seeks to drive scientific excellence but also foster equitable and inclusive growth across the continent. Africa holds immense potential for global scientific and technological advancements. However, unlocking this potential requires…
By encouraging participation from diverse stakeholders – academia, private sector, civil society and the general public – Science Granting Councils (SGCs) can tap into a wealth of knowledge, expertise and experiences, enriching the policy-making process. Heads of Science Granting Councils…
ACTS is at the forefront of generating and translating knowledge into action to spur sustainable development The late Prof. Calestous Juma, who founded ACTS in 1988, and a renowned Harvard University professor and champion of STI in Africa, succinctly encapsulates…
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have launched two new Model Quality and Performance Guidelines for Off-Grid Refrigerating Appliances and Model Regulation Guidelines for Energy-Efficient Ceiling Fans These guidelines were launched on October 22, 2023…
The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) has won a competitive bid to establish and operate the Green Digital Innovation Hub (gDIH) in Kenya. While making the announcement on 30th June, 2023, the GIZ Digital Transformation Centre (GIZ-DTC-SKIIVE) team in…
ACTS is leading a consortium that aims to fabricate 500 low cost dryers over 5 years intended to reach over 40,000 smallholder farmers. Solar dryers can significantly reduce post-harvest losses by providing a low-cost, energy-efficient method for preserving crops, fruits,…
ACTS is coordinating publication of a new book on decolonising knowledge and learning systems in the Global South. This book will explore knowledge and learning systems and the current efforts to decolonize these systems in the Global South and beyond.…
The book covers research approaches used in major disciplines such as natural sciences, humanities, education and economics. A new book on research methods and scientific communication will soon roll of the ACTS Press. The book, Research Methods and Scientific Communication:…
As a research, policy and technology-oriented organization, Konza Technopolis provides an ideal location for ACTS to actualise its mission of strengthening the capacity of African countries and institutions to harness science, technology and innovation for sustainable and inclusive development. Members…
ACTS is spearheading development of a new regional strategy on innovation and technology transfer for the East African Community (EAC). The strategy will guide the region to exploit existing opportunities within the innovation ecosystem and with a view to harnessing,…
ACTS is among three Kenyan organisations selected to implement the Trans-Path project on learning and management of water resources. The new project sets out to establish an international network of academics, postgraduate researchers, policy makers, activists, and water stewards for…
ACTS was represented by the Executive Director, Prof. Tom Ogada and the head of the Science, Technology & Innovation, Knowledge and Society (STIKS) programme, Dr Agnes Lutomiah. Ethiopia’s Minister of Technology and Innovation, Dr Belete Molla (left) when they met…
A committee has already been constituted to coordinate the process of developing a curriculum and put in place the necessary structures to actualize the idea. The AI4D Africa Scholarship network has started the process of launching a new master’s degree…
ACTS in collaboration with the Centre for Research in Energy and Energy Conservation (CREEC) is promoting adoption of a relatively new agricultural technology – Agrivoltaics Agrivoltaics, also known as agrophotovoltaics, is a method of combining agriculture and solar energy production…
Multi-criteria mapping involves comparing and analyzing different options based on a set of pre-defined criteria, which could include cost, time, quality, risks, resources and stakeholder preferences. Participants of the multi-criteria mapping workshop under the Blue Empowerment project pose for a…
ACTS Executive Director, Prof. Tom Ogada, implored AI4D Africa scholars to focus on completion of their PhD studies and strive to generate new knowledge on AI and ML to address key socio-economic challenges facing the continent. The AI4D Africa Scholarship…
The conference provided a platform for early career researchers to develop their presentation and networking skills while building collaborative relationships with other researchers. The impact of COVID coupled with undesirable environmental and social effects – including climate change and excessive…
The 2023 cohort will get the opportunity to participate in a one-year fellowship programme combining online activities with a study period of 3 months at the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. Six PhD students – four female and two male…
The workshop was meant to provide an opportunity for the Science Granting Councils (SGC), collaborative technical agencies (CTAs) and relevant stakeholders to share experiences and lessons learnt from the activities of SGCI-2. ACTS and Ghana’s Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology,…
The webinar series that commenced in June 2022 bring together a diverse pool of scholars from all over the world and culminated in a summer school held in Egerton University from 21st -27th October 2022 Decolonizing knowledge and learning systems…
Dr Joel Onyango, reflects on the trip that aimed to enhance partnerships and staff exchanges within the Africa UniNet network of research institutions and universities in Austria and Africa. By Dr Joel Onyango, Head of Climate Resilient Economies (CRE) programme,…
ACTS is at the centre of an initiative that seeks to strengthen the capacity for trans-disciplinary research in Africa. Under the umbrella of the Consortium for Trans-disciplinary Futures Research (CTFR), the initiative aims to strengthen collaboration among the African universities,…
According to a recent survey conducted by ACTS, Eastern Africa is leading in the adoption and deployment of digital agricultural technologies in the continent. Findings of the survey, which sampled 34 producer organizations across 9 African countries, reveal that East…
ACTS has begun implementing a new programme to support Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in managing research and innovation projects in Africa. The three year programme aims to strengthen the capacities of SGCs to fund and manage research and innovation projects…
The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) believes that research, capacity building and policy incentives are key drivers of knowledge creation, dissemination and application. Generating new knowledge, enhancing the skills of individuals and organizations, and creating a supportive policy environment…
The NGO source’s Equivalency Determination (ED) completed their analysis and was able to certify ACTS as equivalent to a Certified Public Charity. NGOsource’s Equivalency Determination (ED) on File “badge” means that ACTS has been determined by NGOsource to be equivalent…
ACTS will support the development of a cadre of Africa-centred researchers, analysts and policy makers on STI, knowledge and society, knowledge utilisation, technology transfer, intellectual property, STI roadmaps for SDGs and evaluation of the impact of STI on the development…
Policymakers in Africa will soon have a new framework to guide them in formulating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating policy interventions. The framework is expected to foster environmental sustainability, achieve more equitable income distribution and meet other social challenges, particularly for…
The building blocks of this strategy have already been laid out in form of a comprehensive mapping study that paves way for structured interventions intended to catalyse conversion of innovative ideas and start-ups into commercially viable enterprises. ACTS is working…
The 3rd Calestous Juma seminar focused on exploring how AI and ML solutions can be deployed to accelerate realization of SDGs in Africa. Africa risks lagging behind in achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs if the continent does not embrace and…
The research initiative – Valorise – will focus on finding efficient ways through which organic wastes resulting from dairy production processes can easily be converted into useful products. A cross-section of participants during the Valorise project workshop held in Nairobi,…
ACTS is set to launch a new research project to explore novel ways of managing water resources in river basins and wetlands in Kenya. The project will focus on developing relevant knowledge and tools to solve water-related challenges and strengthen…
PhD students under the Vising Fellowship Programme (VFP) converged in Nairobi for a five-day workshop held from 22nd to 26th August 2022. The programme aims to assist African PhD students working in the field of innovation and development to improve…
The second cohort of 9 Artificial Intelligence for Development in Africa (AI4D Africa) scholarship programme are now on board. This brings the total number of scholars in the programme to 30, including 16 who joined in the first cohort. It…
The AfricaLics PhD Academy provides an opportunity for PhD students enrolled at African universities who work in the field of innovation and development studies to gain more knowledge of this burgeoning field, meet leading academics and receive feedback on their…
Partners have established regional e-cooking hubs in Nakuru, Kitui, Makueni, and Kisumu to catalyse electric cooking adoption through the local champions. ACTS is driving a new national strategy aimed at increasing the use of clean cooking methods to reduce over-reliance…
The IMTA technology involves building special cages along pre-identified areas of the ocean which will allow women to cultivate seaweed and also rear fish in the same system. Anew integrated agricultural technology is set to positively shift the economic dynamics…
The Centre is working closely with government agencies, development partners and the private sector to accelerate transition to inclusive sustainable and resilient cold-chains by tapping into clean energy options and refrigeration. Dr. Catherine Kilelu, ACTS’ head of Agriculture, Food and…
The African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) is subtly shifting Africa’s research-policy-practice paradigm in science, technology and innovation (STI). This shift is characterised by re-designing policy frameworks related to STI, building the capacity of relevant actors and bridging the gap…
ACTS is set to unveil a new strategic plan for the period 2022-2026. This is the seventh strategic plan (2022-2026) which builds on the achievements and lessons learned from the sixth strategic plan (2019-2021). A mid-term evaluation of the sixth…
Traversing economic, agricultural and health sectors, Artificial Intelligence (AI) based solutions are redefining how we diagnose and solve common and pervasive challenges across the continent. A growing cadre of African scholars are increasingly tapping into the power of artificial intelligence…
