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Sub-Saharan Africa

News

Here is a list of the latest articles

A mobile phone

Wikipedia to be free on mobiles in Africa, Middle East

Access to the online encyclopaedia Wikipedia will be free from mobile phones for Orange customers in Africa and the Middle East.

13 February 2012 | EN

Farmers with mobile phones

Software apps for African farmers win prizes

Software applications, or apps, that help solve East African farmers' climate problems have received cash prizes in the Apps4Africa competition.

8 February 2012 | EN

Ugandan boys eating

Monitoring software may help stabilise food prices

Newly-developed software to monitor food prices of staple crops may help reduce volatility in food prices in many Sub-Saharan countries.

1 February 2012 | EN

Oedaleus asiaticus juvenile locust

Nitrogen fertiliser 'could prevent locust swarms'

Contrary to popular belief, locusts are hampered by nitrogen-rich food — a finding which could be exploited to control swarms.

27 January 2012 | EN | ES | 中文

Infant being immunised

Areas with low malaria rates 'need mass vaccination'

A modelling study of a promising malaria vaccine finds low transmission areas would benefit the most from mass vaccination.

25 January 2012 | EN

A fisherman in Kenya

Gaps in traps make for sustainable fisheries

Traps that let juvenile and small fish escape have increased the sustainability of fisheries — without affecting fishers' livelihoods.

23 January 2012 | EN | ES

Ziziphus fruit in Mozambique

Trees near homes boost incomes, sequester carbon

African smallholders could benefit from both cash crops and carbon payments by planting trees such as mango and cashew around their homes.

16 January 2012 | EN | FR

A woman with a clean cooking stove

Emissions cuts also offer quick health and crop benefits

Cutting methane and soot emissions could quickly tackle climate change while boosting crops and health, says a study.

13 January 2012 | EN

Tomatoes for sale in a market in Accra, Ghana

West Africans would pay more for pesticide-free food

Ordinary shoppers in Benin and Ghana say they would pay extra for organically grown, rather than chemically treated, vegetables, a survey has found.

12 January 2012 | EN | FR

Yoweri Museveni

'International pay' promise for Ugandan scientists

Uganda's president has declared, again, that he will raise scientists' pay to "international standards".

11 January 2012 | EN | FR

Boy with Buruli ulcer

West African research programme to investigate Buruli ulcer

African researchers have launched a multidisciplinary programme to find out how Buruli ulcer bacteria are transmitted.

10 January 2012 | EN | FR

Schistosomal egg

Scientists call for global neglected disease database

Scientists have built a database for schistosomiasis in Africa, which they are putting forward as a model for a global neglected disease tool.

9 January 2012 | EN | FR

Maize researcher

African conference calls for new agricultural universities

A conference has called for new agricultural universities in East and Central Africa with a focus on innovation.

6 January 2012 | EN

Researcher looking into microscope

Botswana awaits approval of new science policy

Botswana is awaiting parliamentary approval next month of two science and technology bodies.

4 January 2012 | EN | FR

Harvesting groundnut

New crop varieties can cut poverty, study finds

The benefits to poor farmers of new crop varieties are hotly debated, but a new study shows they can help reduce poverty.

3 January 2012 | EN | FR

Science in 2011: revolutions and disasters

Science and tech played big roles in events such as the Arab Spring and tackling natural disasters ― but they struggled to be heard elsewhere.

30 December 2011 | EN | ES | FR

Mesh

Surgeons use mosquito nets for cheap hernia operations

A technique that uses mosquito netting in hernia operations has proved successful in a trial in the developing world.

26 December 2011 | EN | FR

A <i>Boswellia</i> tree

Frankincense trees under threat in Ethiopia

The production of frankincense may be 'doomed' as the resin-making Boswellia trees are being decimated.

Source: Press Association

23 December 2011 | EN

Senegalese doctor handing over mosquito net

Senegal brainstorms how to make innovation a priority

Scientists and officials in Senegal are working on a science policy that will join up research efforts to meet development needs.

21 December 2011 | EN

Farmers with a mobile phone

ICTs could fill agricultural extension gap, says meeting

Africa's farmers need more extension workers, but new technologies could replace some services, a meeting has heard.

21 December 2011 | EN | FR

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