The Conversation is an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community. See our work at http://theconversation.com/africa
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The Conversation Africa is an independent source of news and views from the academic and research community, delivered direct to the public. Our team of professional editors work with university and research institute experts to unlock their knowledge for use by the wider public. The Conversation Africa is a non-profit, public benefit organisation. It is supported by a number of donors as well as academic institutions.
Southern Africa faces severe maize crop failures due to the worst drought in years, driven by El Niño. 68 million people need urgent aid. 🌍
The Conversation Africa has published a number of articles explaining the current drought, its connection to climate change, and what governments can do to avert hunger. Here are five essential reads.
The drought is driven by El Niño, an unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean that shifts weather patterns.
, originally from animals, is now a global health emergency. Learn how diseases spread from animals to humans. 🦠
💻 Barry Schoub, University of the Witwatersrand
The behaviour of modern humankind has played a large part in the advent of new communicable diseases.
Hand foot and mouth disease is a fairly common viral infection that mainly affects infants and young children. It can be quite distressing for children and their caregivers as the condition causes painful ulcers in the mouth and blisters on the hands and soles of the feet.
From the
💻 Kerrigan McCarthy,
Hand, foot and mouth disease may not be a public health priority, but parents and caregivers at day-care centres should still be careful about its spread.
A tool was needed to understand what drives people’s food choices in emerging economies.
💻 Nomzamo N. Dlamini, University of Pretoria
A tool was needed to understand what drives people’s food choices in emerging economies.
Despite being crucial to Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector, women lack access to land. The bora custom is making things worse.
💻 Bankolay Theodore Turay, University of Lagos
Despite being crucial to Sierra Leone’s agricultural sector, women lack access to land. The bora custom is making things worse.
It's that time of the year where over two million wildebeest, zebra and other herbivores trek from the southern Serengeti to the lush green grasses of the Masai Mara.🌍
But migratory animals face severe threats as their routes are cut off by human developments, leading to drastic population declines.
💻 Joseph Ogutu, University of Hohenheim
Four of the five contemporary migrations in East Africa are severely threatened and have virtually collapsed.
Kenya’s first post-independence president used his writings to present himself as a leader of an exceptional sort.
💻 Stephen Mutie, Kenyatta University
Kenya’s first post-independence president used his writings to present himself as a leader of an exceptional sort.
🇿🇦 Thabo Mbeki once likened South Africa's economy to a two-storey house, highlighting the stark divide between the modern and informal sectors. This researcher attempts to sum up Zimbabwe's informal sector in a similar way.
💻 John Luiz, University of Cape Town
The informal sector in Zimbabwe is massive. Finding ways to connect it to the formal sector is vital.
🌍 It's that time of year! The Serengeti-Mara migration sees 1.4 million wildebeest and thousands of other animals travel 3,000km annually, following the rains.🦓
💻 Joseph Ogutu, University of Hohenheim
Africa’s great wildebeest migrations are being disrupted by roads, cities and agriculture.
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🦟 South Africa's malaria season runs from September to May, but effective control measures have kept cases relatively low compared to neighboring Mozambique. For find out why...
💻 Chia-Yu Chen, Wits - University of the Witwatersrand and Shüné Oliver, National Institute for Communicable Diseases
In a sense, a malaria-transmitting mosquito is a sick mosquito. This is where bacteria can help.
🇳🇬 Nigeria’s Supreme Court upholds financial autonomy for 774 local governments, strengthening their independence from state governors.
💻 Abiodun Odusote, University of Lagos
A recent Supreme Court judgment in Nigeria on local government will promote democracy and enhance grassroots development.
🇳🇬 The protest in Nigeria took a rather unexpected dimension when some protesters were seen waving and sharing Russian flags on the streets. In reaction, Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu met with the country’s security chiefs and the police made a number of arrests. The Russian embassy in Abuja denied any meddling in Nigeria’s internal affairs.
The concern is that Nigeria’s northern region shares a poorly policed 1,497km border with Niger Republic, where a pro-Russia military junta currently holds sway.
The Conversation Africa asked Olayinka Ajala, an international relations expert who has researched the region for over a decade, what this means for Nigeria.
💻 Leeds Beckett University
Nigeria shares a long border with Niger. With the expanded relationship between Niger and Russia, the Wagner group poses a threat to the region, especially Nigeria.
Nearly 68 million are suffering from drought in Southern Africa, the Sadc has said.
Back in March researcher Wandile Sihlobo revealed food security is being affected by El Niño-induced dryness - threatening maize harvests in South Africa, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
💻 Stellenbosch University
The whole southern Africa region has taken strain and will see a significant reduction in the volume of the crop produced.
🎶 Remembering Nigerian music icon Onyeka Onwenu, whose legacy inspired generations. Gone too soon at 72. 🌟
💻 Austin Emielu, University of Ghana, Legon
Onyeka Onwenu, Nigerian musician, political activist and documentary maker, died on 30 July 2024.
🌍 Africa calls for full representation in the UN Security Council to address historical injustices and enhance global governance.
💻 Sithembile Mbete, University of Pretoria
New threats to international security can only be resolved by a UN security council that represents the interests and perspectives of all humanity.
📈 Ethiopia's macroeconomic reforms, backed by IMF and World Bank, promise significant regional impact and a potential US$20 billion financial boost.
💻 Tsegay Tekleselassie, Wellesley College
Ethiopia’s macroeconomic policy shift holds the promise of significant progress, but success is far from certain.
Some alcoholic drinks in Nigeria encourage r**e and other forms of sexual violence against women. The government needs to do more to stop this.
💻 Emeka Dumbili, University College Dublin
Some alcoholic drinks in Nigeria encourage r**e and other forms of sexual violence against women. The government needs to do more to stop this.
🦟 Every year, mosquitoes kill more people than any other animal. According to the World Malaria Report (2023), the African continent bears the brunt of the most deadly mosquito-borne disease, malaria. Africa has 94% of the cases and 95% of the deaths.
One tool that’s being considered in the fight against malaria is genetic modification.
Several research projects around the world are looking to use genetically modified mosquitoes to stop the spread of malaria in Africa. Abdoulaye Diabaté, a medical entomologist from Burkina Faso and world leading malaria researcher, is at the forefront of some of this work. For (marked on 20th August annually) he shares insights into how the technology operates and the research he’s working on.
💻 Institut de Recherche en Sciences de la Santé
Target Malaria
Mosquitoes can be genetically modified to help reduce the number of malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and therefore malaria transmission.
🌾 Climate-smart farming boosts maize yield and crop variety for small-scale farmers in South Africa's North West province, enhancing food security.
💻 Abeeb Babatunde Omotoso and Abiodun Olusola Omotayo, North-West University
Hundreds of small-scale farmers in South Africa’s North West province who switched to eco-friendly, climate-smart farming have seen their maize harvest shoot up and their soil improve.
🏅 Kenya tops Africa's medal tally at the 2024 Paris - but a new strategy will be needed to keep winning 🇰🇪
💻 Wycliffe W. Njororai Simiyu, Stephen F. Austin State University
Kenya has been the leading African country at the games for almost a decade, but medals are harder and harder to secure, so the country must be innovative.
El Fasher is experiencing a humanitarian crisis, with the Rapid Support Forces encircling the city, preventing civilian escape.
Our top reads on :
Mpox: what to watch out for, treatment and what to worry about - https://theconversation.com/mpox-what-to-watch-out-for-treatment-and-what-to-worry-about-233466
Mpox cases are soaring in Africa – what must be done to prevent a global pandemic - https://theconversation.com/mpox-cases-are-soaring-in-africa-what-must-be-done-to-prevent-a-global-pandemic-236609
The outbreak in Africa was neglected – it could now turn into the next global pandemic https://theconversation.com/mpox-outbreak-in-africa-was-neglected-it-could-now-turn-into-the-next-global-pandemic-236893
🌳 Many people have never heard of a red colobus, yet they are Africa’s most imperilled group of monkeys. Conservation efforts are crucial to save these unique species! 🐒
💻 Joshua M. Linder, James Madison University and Nelson Ting, University of Oregon
The 17 types of red colobus monkey living in Africa’s forests are among the first large mammals to be killed off by hunters. Protecting the red colobus could therefore protect the entire forest.
🌿 The Niger Delta's rich biodiversity is threatened by decades of severe oil pollution, with millions of barrels spilled since 1958. 🌊
💻 Omeje Maxwell, Covenant University
Nigeria must enforce its environmental laws to protect people living in the Niger Delta and their environment.
"There is no doubt that a disease in one corner of the world can suddenly become a global heath threat. It’s time the global health system woke up to this reality."
, once neglected, now poses a global threat. Recent outbreaks have spurred more research since 2022 than in the past 60 years. 🧬
💻 Wolfgang Preiser, Cheryl Baxter and Jean Nachega, Stellenbosch University
The global health system needs to wake up to the reality that an outbreak in one part of the world is a concern for everyone.
Inequality in the world – how did we get here and where are we going?
Watch Prof. Sanjay G. Reddy from The New School presenting the at Wits’ Southern Centre for Inequality Studies titled "The Political Economy of Global Inequality: A Drama in Three Parts".
The lineup for The Conversation Africa's virtual seminar series has been announced. You are invited to join some of Africa's leading experts in health and science discussing exciting AI health innovations in women’s health and drug discovery and development.
This discussion should cover investing in health innovations, strengthening health systems, AI innovation and public health and advancing drug discovery and development - and much more.
Register NOW for "From telemedicine to AI" on https://bit.ly/3Ae45eX
in partnership with The Africa Health Tech Podcast
Despite its stark reality, there is a potential path forward for Sudan if peace can be found. Targeted interventions and support, as well as rebuilding infrastructure, can address various challenges.
💻 Khalid Siddig, James Thurlow, Josée Randriamamonjy, Mariam Raouf, Mosab Ahmed, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI)
Despite its stark reality, there is a potential path forward for Sudan if peace can be found.
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Our top reads on #Mpox: Mpox: what to watch out for, treatment and what to worry about - https://theconversation.com/mpox-what-to-watch-out-for-treatment-and-what-to-worry-about-233466 Mpox cases are soaring in Africa – what must be done to prevent a global pandemic - https://theconversation.com/mpox-cases-are-soaring-in-africa-what-must-be-done-to-prevent-a-global-pandemic-236609 The #Mpox outbreak in Africa was neglected – it could now turn into the next global pandemic https://theconversation.com/mpox-outbreak-in-africa-was-neglected-it-could-now-turn-into-the-next-global-pandemic-236893 #HealthAndMedicine
Inequality in the world – how did we get here and where are we going? Watch Prof. Sanjay G. Reddy from The New School presenting the #SCISAnnuallecture at Wits’ Southern Centre for Inequality Studies titled "The Political Economy of Global Inequality: A Drama in Three Parts".
3 tips to keep you safe on social media, in a time of fake news and dodgy influencers - https://theconversation.com/social-media-disinformation-expert-offers-3-safety-tips-in-a-time-of-fake-news-and-dodgy-influencers-235118 💻 Fabrice Lollia, Université Gustave Eiffel #ScienceAndTech
Professor Sanjay G. Reddy will be the keynote speaker at the #SCISAnnualLecture on Thursday evening. Learn about the history of inequality across sectors like technology and markets. REGISTER NOW to attend the event in person in Joburg (on https://bit.ly/46hOWoE) or to attend via zoom (on https://bit.ly/4bW0GOL). Southern Centre for Inequality Studies
🚨| Register now to attend the Wits - University of the Witwatersrand's Southern Centre for Inequality Studies Annual Inequality Lecture presented by Prof Sanjay G. Reddy of The New School for Social Research in New York. The lecture is titled “The Political Economy of Global Inequality: A Drama in Three Parts”. 📅| 15 Aug 2024 ⏲️| 14:30 - 18:00 Register now to attend in person or virtually at https://tinyurl.com/bdhtpvj9 #SCISInequalityLecture #SCISAnnualLecture
Teenage girls in Africa face shocking rates of intimate partner violence against them. 💻 Anthony Idowu Ajayi, African Population and Health Research Center #intimatepartnerviolence #HealthAndMedicine
Virologist Cheryl Walter explains the history of mpox, the symptoms and why we should be worried about virulent virus mutations on the continent - https://theconversation.com/mpox-what-to-watch-out-for-treatment-and-what-to-worry-about-233466 💻 University of Hull #HealthAndMedicine #mpox
Sport sociologist and former boxer Anne Tjønndal shares a history of women’s Olympic boxing and the social issues it has faced - https://theconversation.com/womens-boxing-in-olympic-storm-who-is-algerias-imane-khelif-and-what-are-the-issues-shes-facing-236175 💻 Nord universitet #ArtsCultureAndSociety #Paris2024 #Olympics
We've teamed up with Wits Southern Centre for Inequality Studies for their Annual Inequality Lecture. For more details on the lecture, presented by Prof Sanjay G. Reddy and titled "The Political Economy of Global Inequality" visit https://tinyurl.com/bdhtpvj9 #SCISInequalityLecture #SCISAnnualLecture
There is no conversation without you. Thank you to all our readers who contributed to our annual donations drive in support of journalism they can trust. Your donations will help us to keep producing fact based articles, for free. (If you still want to support our cause, please visit - https://www.givengain.com/campaign/the-conversation-africa-journalism-you-can-trust) #SupportFactBasedJournalism
Southern Africa is home to 22,137 of the world’s 23,432 white and black African rhinos. But they’re facing grave threats because of a warming planet. Now, the first study of how climate change affects rhinos has found that they will cease to exist in Southern Africa’s national parks if the world takes the worst-case scenario climate change pathway. Researcher Timothy Randhir explains what governments and parks can do to prevent this from happening - https://theconversation.com/rhinos-cant-sweat-making-them-vulnerable-to-overheating-global-warming-could-wipe-them-out-in-southern-africa-223014 💻 UMass Amherst #EnvironmentAndEnergy
Most people probably think of hippos in terms of their activities in the water, where they do spend much of their time. But they are amphibious animals that spend about one-third of their time on land. So given their giant size (typically around 1400 kg), is it safe to assume they'd be ponderous and slow on land? https://theconversation.com/hippos-dont-fly-but-the-massive-animals-can-get-airborne-235120 💻 John R. Hutchinson, The Royal Veterinary College (RVC) #ScienceAndTech
There is no conversation without you. Thank you to all our readers who contributed to our annual donations drive in support of journalism they can trust. Your donations will help us to keep producing fact based articles, for free. (If you still want to support our cause, please visit - https://www.givengain.com/campaign/the-conversation-africa-journalism-you-can-trust) #SupportFactBasedJournalism
The world has lost a significant musical ambassador for the Mande people of west Africa – the virtuoso kora player, composer, and collaborator from Mali, Toumani Diabate. More - https://theconversation.com/toumani-diabate-the-famed-musician-from-mali-who-took-the-kora-to-the-world-235542 💻 Roderic Knight, Oberlin College and Conservatory #ArtsCultureAndSociety #ToumaniDiabate
Male lions in a Ugandan game reserve are making a risky 1,5km swim, braving crocodiles and hippos, it is thought to find females. Read all about the potential factors leading to this previously-unobserved behaviour - https://theconversation.com/lions-in-a-uganda-park-make-a-perilous-journey-across-a-1-5km-stretch-of-water-study-suggests-the-drive-is-to-find-mates-233807 💻 Alexander Richard Braczkowski, Griffith University/ Christopher J. O'Bryan, Maastricht University/ Duan Biggs, Northern Arizona University and Robynne Kotze, University of Oxford #EnvironmentAndEnergy
Women’s Football in Africa, the first in-depth book on the subject, traces the history of women’s soccer from initially being banned through to today’s growing numbers of fans and broadcasting potential https://theconversation.com/women-football-players-in-africa-have-overcome-enormous-barriers-new-book-tells-the-story-231314 💻Chuka Onwumechili, Howard University #ArtsCultureAndSociety
Virologist Cheryl Walter explains the history of mpox, the symptoms and why we should be worried about virulent virus mutations. Read more - https://theconversation.com/mpox-what-to-watch-out-for-treatment-and-what-to-worry-about-233466 💻 University of Hull #HealthAndMedicine #mpox
Nigeria has many freshwater ecotourism attractions but the impacts of human activities are likely to pose a growing threat to these once-pristine freshwater systems. 💻 Emmanuel O. Akindele, Obafemi Awolowo University #EnvironmentAndEnergy
Gerald “Mac” McKenzie passed away on 29 April 2024. He will be remembered as a renegade spirit and innovator in South African music. The composer and bassist changed Cape Town’s goema music tradition forever. Growing up in the city’s carnival culture, he helped form The Genuines, combining styles like rock, punk, classical and jazz with the music of his childhood. Valmont Layne has studied Cape Town’s music history, including McKenzie’s contribution. We asked him three questions - https://theconversation.com/goema-superstar-how-composer-mac-mckenzie-reshaped-the-sound-of-cape-town-232335 💻 The University of the Western Cape #ArtsCultureAndSociety #Goema
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