Future Africa Welcomes New Research Fellows from 10 Countries
The Future Africa initiative at the University of Pretoria (UP) is excited to announce the launch of its second cohort for the Future Africa Research Leadership Fellowship (FAR-LeaF). This flagship program aims to cultivate the next generation of leaders in African research, bringing together 22 outstanding early-career researchers dedicated to enhancing knowledge for societal benefit.
Funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the FAR-LeaF fellowship spans two years and focuses on developing leadership, collaboration, and transdisciplinary research capabilities to tackle Africa’s most pressing challenges. The program is designed to empower postdoctoral scientists to work across disciplines and engage effectively with society to promote sustainable, evidence-based solutions.
Mentorship and Leadership Development
A key element of the FAR-LeaF model is its strong focus on mentoring and leadership development. Each fellow is matched with a senior academic from UP, who provides personalized support in areas such as research design, academic writing, and career progression. These mentorships are established during the program’s orientation, where fellows have the opportunity to meet their mentors in person and join the broader research community at the university. For many participants, this marks the beginning of a valuable, long-term partnership that will influence their careers well beyond the fellowship duration.
Continuing the Legacy of Success
This new cohort builds upon the successes of the inaugural group, whose members produced significant research outcomes, established impactful collaborations, and benefitted from leadership-focused training. FAR-LeaF program leader Professor Stephanie Burton shared her excitement for this new phase. She noted, “The accomplishments of our first cohort demonstrated what can be achieved when we invest in early-career researchers ready to lead. Their publications, partnerships, and innovative endeavors set a robust foundation for the program’s future. This new group brings similar talent, and we eagerly anticipate supporting their efforts to create research with meaningful continent-wide impact.”
Diversity and Research Focus
The FAR-LeaF II cohort emphasizes the diversity across African institutions, with participants hailing from universities and research organizations in West, East, Southern, and Central Africa. Representing ten countries, these fellows bring a rich array of backgrounds, expertise, and research interests, including agriculture, climate change, health, governance, technology, freshwater ecosystems, food systems, and science communication.
Structured Program for Future Leaders
As they embark on this journey, fellows will engage in a well-structured program designed to prepare them to influence policy, lead interdisciplinary teams, and foster innovation. Their experiences will contribute to enhancing African research systems and developing solutions that promote equitable and sustainable development.
The FAR-LeaF II Fellows
| Country | Name | University | Research Focus |
|———–|—————————-|——————————————————————-|—————————————————————————————————————————-|
| Benin | Alassan Assani Seidou | University of Parako | Improving decision-making in pastoral land politics for Women Livestock Farmers in Drylands of Benin |
| Botswana | Pearl Lefadola | University of Botswana | Upcycling Food Waste into Value-Added Products: A Sustainable Approach to Food Loss in Botswana’s Tomato Supply Chain |
| Ethiopia | Fenet Belay | Jimma University | Climate-Smart Coffee Futures: Climate Modeling, molecular breeding and gender responsive adaptation strategies |
| Ghana | Enoch Kwame Tham-Agyekum | Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology | Leveraging Community Radio for Climate Resilience and Social Learning in Drought-Prone Areas of Northern Ghana |
| Ghana | Jacob Agyekum | Water Research Institute, CSIR-WRI | Harnessing Community Resilience and Machine Learning for Adaptive Malaria Control amid Climate Change |
| Ghana | Miriam Ameworwor | CSIR-Water Research Institute | Sustaining the livelihood of women fishers along the White Volta River in Northern Ghana |
| Ghana | Ato Fanyin-Martin | University of Mines and Technology | Generation of Sustainable Energy from Microwave Catalytic Pyrolysis of Agro-Products |
| Kenya | Juliana Cheboi | University of Nairobi | Enhancing resilience and sustainable food systems through nutritious climate-smart crops, behavior change and value addition |
| Kenya | Sarah Otanga | Maseno University | Promoting Climate Change Literacy in Lower Primary Schools through Interactive Learning and Storytelling |
| Kenya | Ferdinand Lubobi Shamala | Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology | Genome-Wide Association Study of Resistance Genes to Napier Head Smut in Kenyan Napier Grass |
| Kenya | Ruth Wainaina | Africa Center for Technology Studies | Enhancing Climate Resilience through Innovative Science Communication Among Smallholder Farmers in Murang’a County |
| Malawi | Jabulani Nyengere | Malawi University of Science and Technology | Developing and Upscaling Granulated Urine Fertilisers to Strengthen Food Security in Marginalized Communities |
| Nigeria | Ololade Abdulrahman | Kwara State University, Malete | Climate Change Vulnerability and Adaptive Capacity of Tomato Value Chain Actors: Empirical Evidence from Nigeria |
| Nigeria | Judith Falola-Olasunkanmi | Kwara State University, Malete | Resilient Cropping Systems for African Smallholders: Integrating Weed Management, Climate Adaptation, and Agronomic Innovations |
| South Africa | Dina Coertzen | University of Pretoria | Informing malaria transmission dynamics to guide sustainable control interventions for disease elimination |
| South Africa | Tafadzwa Clementine Maramura | University of Free State | Integrating Smart Technologies in Community-Led Water Governance for Climate Adaptation in Cape Town |
| Tanzania | Yusuph Aron Kafula | Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology | Towards Resilient Freshwater Ecosystems: Assessing the interactive effects of light, temperature, and pesticide pollution |
| Tanzania | Agnes Kapinga | Tengeru Institute of Community Development | Strengthening Urban Resilience through Community-Based Nature-Based Climate Solutions in Flood-Prone Areas of Dar es Salaam |
| Tanzania | Grite Mwaijengo | Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology | An Integrated Framework for Sustainable Schistosomiasis Control in a Changing Climate: A One Health Approach |
| Tanzania | Gabriel Kanuti Ndimbo | Mkwawa University College of Education | Food insecurity and children’s malnutrition severity in agroecological zones of Tanzania |
| Tanzania | Jacquiline Ndosi | Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere University of Agriculture and Technology | The role of agricultural innovation system toward empowering women farmers to climate change adaptation strategies |
| Zimbabwe | Piwai Tshuma | Midlands State University | Solar-Driven Photocatalytic Degradation of Organic Pollutants using Monolithic MOFs for Sustainable Water Remediation |
What are your thoughts on the significance of such initiatives in shaping Africa’s research landscape?
