Transcript 1. Jesse_Njoka STEM conference 28th to 31st May

STEM-Africa Bi-annual Research conference on
Advancing African STEM Research, Education
and Collaboration
Jesse T. Njoka,
Center for Sustainable Dryland Ecosystems and
Societies
University of Nairobi, Kenya
Environmental Science
 Broadly the science of the interactions between the
physical, chemical, and biological components of the
environment, but with particular attention to the effects
of humans on the natural environment (wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Environmental_science)
 Integrates Ecology, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Soil
Science, Geology, Atmospheric Science and
Geography
 an integrated, quantitative, and interdisciplinary
approach to the study of environmental systems.
Environmental challenges facing Africa
 Natural resource degradation and loss of ecosystems
and ecosystem services
 Loss of biodiversity
 Climate change and climate change impacts
 Bio-safety concerns
 Industrial waste- electronic and others
 Air pollution and related health hazards
 Rapid population growth – more pressure on
land/natural resources
 Urbanization- sanitation and urban waste management
Human Population and
Environment in Africa
Land Conversion
Land cover and Land Use Change
 Deforestation
 Land conversion
 Changes in land productivity
 Land degradation – an estimated 65% of agricultural
land is degraded
 Desertification
About 5 % of Africa is semi arid lands and is occupied by
22 million people
Soil erosion is estimated at about 50 mt per , per hectare
year or 20,000 million mt of nitrogen, 2000 mt of ph, and
41,000 mt og potassium per year.
Biodiversity
 Africa is among the world’s richest biologically –
accounting for 1/3 of global biodiversity
 ¼ of world’s 4700 mammal species , 1/5 (2,000
species) of birds species in the world and at least
2,000 species of fish- more than any other continent
 The African mainland has between 40,000 and 60,000
plant species;
 Eight of the world's 34 biodiversity hotspots are in
Africa
Transboundary environmental issues in
Africa
Examples of four trans-boundary issues of
importance to Africa:
 1. Trans-boundary ecosystems and protected
areas;
 2. Trans-boundary water resources;
 3. Trans-boundary movement of people; and
 4. Trans-boundary movement of pollutants
New approach
 Africa’s new approach to environment: move from
looking at environmental issues as a constraint to
development to seeing the environment, if well
managed, as an opportunity for development -environmental goods and services (UNEP, 2006)
Environmental degradation in Africa-facts
and figures
 Land degradation most common form of
environmental degradation
 Africa is the most affected by land degradation – SSA
has the highest rate of deforestation in the world
(UNEP,2006)
 About two thirds of Africa’s productive soils have
already degraded (CIDA, 2011)
 6 million ha of productive land lost annually (Bationo et
al., 2006)
 Deforestation - over 4 million ha annually (Bationo et
al., 2006; FAO)
Environmental degradation in Africa-facts
and figures
 African drylands- 73% is degraded and 51% is
severely degraded (Bationo et al., 2006)
 Declining of marine resources
 Declining water and air quality
Impacts of environmental degradation
 Impacts most severe in drylands
 An estimated 40 percent of the continent's
population lives on lands under stress (CIDA, 2011)
 Declining agricultural productivity-over 50% loss for
some areas in a given year (Nellemann et al., 2009)implications on food security
 Increasing vulnerability of natural resource-based
livelihoods – more destitutes due to a degraded
NRs, displacement
 Aggravation of poverty – about 485 million people
affected by land degradation (Bationo et al., 2006)
Facts about science/research in Africa
 Low levels of research
 Little scientific output from Africa- Africa accounts for
less than 2% of the global output (ATPS, 2010)
 Low investment in research by countries- many still
invest less than 1% of GDP (ATPS, 2010; INASP)low public funding
Existing and new partnerships and
networks on higher education in Africa
 Association of African Universities (AAU): forum for
consultation, exchange of information and co-operation
among institutions of higher education in Africa
 Mainstreaming of Environment and Sustainability in African
Universities (MESA) Partnership- membership is over 90
universities. Developed to mainstream environment and
sustainability into teaching and research in universities
 Regional Universities Forum (RUFORUM): consortium of 29
universities (COMESA) region. Forum for capacity building in
agriculture (research & training)
 University Science, Humanities, Law, and Engineering
Partnerships in Africa: partnership of 8 Anglophone
Universities for sustainable institutional and human capacity
Existing and new partnerships and
networks on higher education in Africa
 Pan African University (African Union University):
launched 2011. Based on existing centres across the
continent, seeks to promote science and technology in
Africa and a strong link between scientific research and
economic development
Specialized centres
i. University of Nairobi: Centre for Sustainable Dryland
Ecosystems and Societies- among 11 other
partnerships under US HED initiative –focuses on
research and development in dryland environments in
Kenya
Role of science in implementation of
global environmental conventions
Conventions and multilateral environmental
agreements.:
UNCBD, UNCCD, UNFCCC, CITES, Ramsar Convention on
wetlands of international importance, Stockholm Convention
on Persistent Organic Pollutants, among others
Role of science in implementing global conventions:
Scientists play a crucial role in formulation of international
environmental agreements ;
Through Science and Technology Committees (STCs);
 Linking the conventions to a diverse scientific network could
improve implementation
Scientists vital in updating initial evidence and devising
Challenges to environmental science in
Africa
 Weak science and research capacities in terms of
human and financial resources
 In most countries, there is disconnect between
research institutions and universities –students get
little practical science training
 Institutional weaknesses e.g. for strategic promotion
of resource networking for adoption and absorption of
available technologies’ (Masinda M.T., undated)
 There is limited interest by the private sector in
advancing research findings
Challenges to environmental science in
Africa
 Most universities are funded from public resources
(often foreign funding), and with dwindling government
spending university research programmes are affected
 Environmental science in Africa doesn’t seem to
command high profile political attention compared to
other disciplines
 Lack of facilities such as GIS tools limits the application
of environmental expertise e.g. in policy making and
development planning.
Recommendations for
strengthening environmental
science in Africa
1. Stronger link between science and practice e.g. Hands-on
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
exposure for students: provision for private/NGOs/Public
to engage students
Support more African partnerships programmes to
replicate success from existing partnerships/networks
Strengthen collaborative science, technology and
Innovation programmes and projects across Africa.
Strengthen public-private sector partnerships to
strengthen research and industry link as well as leverage
resources for research
Support evidence -based policy making in relation to
environmental issues-all
Capacity building at all levels-community, county, nationalinstitutions influence environmental outcomes.
Information sharing through networks & role of media
8. Greater role of Regional Economic Communities in
environmental matters
9. Establishment of special environmental sponsorship funds
to bridge gap in public funding
10. Policy review- review of education policy to scale-up
environmental science as key contribution to sustainable
development
11. Policy incentives – e.g. tax incentives like rebates, or tax…
for companies for environmentally sound innovations and
investment in environmental research
References
1. ATPS (African Technology Policy Studies Network ), 2010.
2. Bationo et al., 2006. African Soils: Their Productivity and Profitability of Fertilizer
Use. Background Paper Prepared for the African Fertilizer Summit June 9-13,
2006 Abuja, Nigeria.
3. FAO- http://www.fao.org/docrep/X5318E/x5318e02.htm (23 May 2012)
4. CIDA, 2011. Land degradation: Overview. http://www.acdi-cida.gc.ca/acdicida/ACDI-CIDA.nsf/eng/JUD-121164957-TLW (28 May 2012)
5. INASP (The International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications).
http://eventos.bvsalud.org/bireme/ifse-rio/present/Neil_Pakenham.pdf ( accessed
28 May 2012).
6. Masinda M.T., (undated) . National Systems of Innovation: Implications on Science
and Technology Policies in Sub-Saharan Africa. Centre for Policy Research on
Science and Technology, Report no. 98-05
7. Nellemann, C., MacDevette, M., Manders, T., Eickhout, B., Svihus, B., Prins, A. G.,
Kaltenborn, B. P. (Eds)., 2009. The environmental food crisis – The environment’s
role in averting future food crises. A UNEP rapid response assessment. United
Nations Environment Programme. ISBN: 978-82-7701-054-0
8. UNEP, 2006. Africa Environmental Outlook 2. Our environment, Our wealth.