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Africa: Laureates Call for Moonshot Innovation Effort to Avert Hunger Catastrophe

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Bulawayo — Neglected indigenous crops, rich in nutrition and resilient to climate change, are key to tackling global hunger only if governments invest in research and development (R&D) to tap the potential of such innovations.
More than 150 Nobel and World Food Prize Laureates are calling for investment in moonshot technologies to realize the potential of innovative solutions such as these hardy crops, warning that without swift action, there is a “food insecure, unstable world.”
Neglected crops are indigenous crops that have been lost or forgotten over time. They are important for the food security of resource-poor farmers and consumers, especially in Africa.
In an open letter to the “Agricultural R&D Moonshot: Bolstering U.S. National Security” meeting in the U.S. Senate Committee on Agriculture in Washington, DC, this week, the Laureates called on world leaders to prioritize urgent agricultural research to meet the food needs of nearly 10 billion people by mid-century. They urged for financial and political support to develop “moonshot” technologies with the greatest chance of averting a hunger catastrophe in the next 25 years.
“The most promising scientific breakthroughs and emerging fields of research that should be prioritized to boost food production include research into hardy, nutrition-rich indigenous crops that have been largely overlooked for improvements,” the Laureates of the Nobel Prize and the World Food Prize said, citing other moonshot technology candidates as improving photosynthesis in staple crops such as wheat and rice to optimize growth and developing cereals that can source nitrogen biologically and grow without fertilizer.
“The scale of ambition and research we are advocating will require mechanisms to identify, recommend, coordinate, monitor and facilitate collaborative implementation of the proposed food security moonshots,” the Laureates said, in advocating for research investment to ensure the world’s future food and nutrition security.
Research to Rid the World of Hunger
While agricultural research had favourable returns on investment, the Laureates bemoaned that it was failing to provide people in developing countries with a nutritious diet in a resilient, environmentally sustainable, and cost-effective manner. The Laureates are convinced that improving agricultural productivity will be enough to meet the world’s future food needs but caution that if we do not prioritize agricultural R&D the global farming systems will be tied to the increased use of diminishing non-replenishable resources to feed humanity.
More than 150 Nobel and World Food Prize laureates call for urgent “moonshot” efforts to avert global hunger catastrophe. Credit: World Food Prize Foundation
The world was “not even close” to meeting future food needs, with an estimated 700 million people already going hungry and an additional 1.5 billion people needing to be fed by 2050, the Laureates said, urging for the transformation of the global food value chain.
Other moonshot initiatives that should be researched include the enhancement of fruits and vegetables to improve storage and shelf life and to increase food safety, and the creation of nutrient-rich food from microorganisms and fungi.
In 2007, African Union member countries pledged to invest one percent of their GDP by 2020 in science and research, an ambitious bid for science-led development but a goal many countries have failed to meet.
Science, technology and innovation have been identified as key to Africa’s development under the Africa Agenda 2063–a development roadmap for the next fifty years adopted by African Heads of State.
Climate Change Affecting Food Security
Climate change is projected to decrease the productivity of most major staples when substantial increases are needed to feed a world, which will add another 1.5 billion people to its population by 2050.
For maize, the major staple for much of Africa, the picture is particularly dire, with decreasing yields projected for virtually its entire growing area. Increasingly common extreme weather events associated with climate change will only make matters worse. Moreover, additional factors such as soil erosion and land degradation, biodiversity loss, water shortages, conflict, and policies that restrict innovation will drag crop productivity down even further.
“Yet as difficult and as uncomfortable as it might be to imagine, humanity is headed towards an even more food insecure, unstable world by mid-century than exists today, worsened by a vicious cycle of conflict and food insecurity,” said the Laureates, who include Robert Woodrow Wilson, who won the 1978 Nobel Prize for Physics for his discovery that supported the big bang theory of creation and Wole Soyinka, the first Black African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature.
“The impacts of climate change are already reducing food production around the world, but particularly in Africa, which bears little historical responsibility for greenhouse gas emissions yet sees temperatures rising faster than elsewhere,” Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank, who received the World Food Prize in 2017, said in a statement. “In low-income countries where productivity needs to almost double by 2050 compared to 1990, the stark reality is that it’s likely to rise by less than half. We have just 25 years to change this.”
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Other notable signatories to the letter include the 14th Dalai Lama., Ethiopian-American plant breeder and U.S. National Media of Science recipient Gebisa Ejeta, Akinwumi Adesina, president of the African Development Bank and Cary Fowler, joint 2024 World Food Prize Laureate, who is also the outgoing U.S. Special Envoy for Global Food Security who coordinated the appeal.
“We must take bold action to change course,” said the Laureates, adding, “We must be prepared to pursue high-risk, high-reward scientific research with the goal of transforming our food systems to meet the nutritional needs of everyone sustainably.”
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Africa: New Dawn for Health Security and Sovereignty in Africa As Stakeholders Convene At Manufacturing Forum

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The 2nd Vaccine and Other Health Products Manufacturing Forum, organized by Africa CDC, Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, the Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative (RVMC), and the Unified Procurement Authority of Egypt (UPA), has concluded in Cairo, Egypt. The three-day forum convened African Union (AU) Ministers of Health, Regional Economic Communities (RECs), Development Finance Institutions (DFIs), African vaccine manufacturers, policymakers, regulatory authorities, and international partners to discuss strategies to accelerate the development of a sustainable vaccine and health products manufacturing ecosystem in Africa.
The stakeholders reviewed progress, opportunities, and strategies to remove barriers that have held back regional manufacturing in the past, such as reforms to the region’s regulatory environment, continental demand and access to finance.
Key milestones since the 1st Manufacturers Marketplace for Vaccine Manufacturing, held in Morocco in 2023, Africa’s health products manufacturing sector has made significant progress, including:
A Collaborative Effort towards Self-Reliance
“Today’s meeting represents another step forward in Africa’s journey toward health security. At Gavi, we are committed to playing our role in this multisectoral effort to invest and build capacity across the value chain. Building a sustainable vaccine and health products manufacturing ecosystem would not only help meet the continent’s health needs, it would also deliver economic growth and enable African nations to take charge of their health futures,” said Dr Sania Nishtar, Chief Executive Officer of Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance.
“Africa’s health security depends on our ability to manufacture the vaccines and health products we need right here on the continent. By strengthening regulatory frameworks, securing sustainable financing, developing and fostering strategic partnerships, we are laying the foundation for a self-sufficient manufacturing ecosystem. Africa CDC remains committed to advancing this agenda, ensuring that no country is left behind in the pursuit of health sovereignty and security,” said H.E. Dr. Jean Kaseya, Director-General, Africa CDC.
“RVMC is proud to co-host this event with our esteemed partners. While the world may not feel unified at present, the actions and ambitions from this year’s forum pave the way for achieving Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing on the African continent, thereby improving vaccine equity and health security for all. Progress will require bold leadership and innovative ideas, but RVMC is energized by the enthusiasm of this forum,” said Dr Frederik Kristensen, Managing Director of the Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative.
“This forum is a testament to our collective determination to build a resilient, self-reliant, and sustainable healthcare ecosystem for our continent. It takes place at a crucial time, amidst significant milestones that are reshaping Africa’s health manufacturing landscape,” said Dr Hisham Stait, Chairman of UPA
While challenges such as market fragmentation, financing gaps, and workforce shortages persist, Africa’s pharmaceutical industry holds immense potential to serve its 1.4 billion people effectively. The forum reaffirmed the commitment of stakeholders to address these barriers and accelerate efforts toward a resilient, self-sufficient health products manufacturing ecosystem in Africa.
Notes to Editors:
Communique from inaugural forum: Inaugural Ministerial Working Group Meeting at the First Manufacturers Marketplace for African Union Member States on the proposed Legal Instrument for the adoption of the African Union Pooled Procurement Mechanism
About Partners
Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC)
The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) is a public health agency of the African Union. It is autonomous and supports member states in strengthening health systems. It also works to improve disease surveillance, emergency response, and disease control.
Learn more at: http://www.africacdc.org and connect with us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Learn more about: Partnerships for African Vaccine Manufacturing Framework for Action
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance
Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance is a public-private partnership that works to vaccinate more than half the world’s children against some of the world’s deadliest diseases. The Vaccine Alliance brings together developing countries and donor governments, the World Health Organization, UNICEF, the World Bank, the vaccine industry, technical agencies, civil society, the Gates Foundation and other private sector partners. View the full list of donor governments and other leading organisations that fund Gavi’s work.
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Learn more at www.gavi.org and connect with us on Facebook and X (Twitter).
Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative
In 2022, the World Economic Forum (WEF), the US National Academies of Medicine (NAM), and the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI) launched the Regionalized Vaccine Manufacturing Collaborative (RVMC) with support from various partners. After a successful incubation at WEF, the RVMC Secretariat is now hosted by CEPI. The initiative aims to achieve global vaccine equity and health security through regional manufacturing and supply chain networks, ensuring readiness for future outbreaks. RVMC operates across Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, and South-East Asia, working to align, advocate, advise and coordinate efforts among partners toward regional vaccine manufacturing. Learn more at www.rvmc.net and connect with us on LinkedIn.
UPA
The Egyptian Authority for Unified Procurement, Medical Supply, and Management of Medical Technology (UPA) is a governmental organization dedicated to promoting and developing Egypt’s healthcare system. Its role includes ensuring the supply of health technology products, combating monopolistic practices, and supporting industry growth by procuring pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment for the public sector. This contributes to improving the overall health of patients in Egypt.
Read the original article on Africa CDC.
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Africa: Reimagining Health Financing in Africa – Navigating the Aftermath of the U.S. WHO Withdrawal

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The United States’ withdrawal from the World Health Organization (WHO) and 90-day pause in foreign aid programmes following President Donald Trump’s re-election have sparked a global health debate. While critics warn that this decision threatens Universal Health Coverage (UHC), the commitment to ‘leave no one behind’ others see an opportunity for Africa to accelerate its vision of a new public health order focused on self-sufficiency.
Could this geopolitical development catalyse a paradigm shift, with African health systems moving from donor-dependency towards self-reliance, thereby strengthening the region’s health security and contribution to global health?
Progress toward achieving UHC, a guarantee that populations have access to quality health services without financial hardship, has been disturbingly off track. The “Tracking Universal Health Coverage: 2023 Global Monitoring Report” paints a bleak picture: 4.5 billion people globally cannot access affordable, quality care when they need it. Even worse, 2 billion people face financial hardship, with 1.3 billion of them being pushed into poverty by out-of-pocket health expenses.
For developing countries with poorly funded healthcare systems and high dependency on foreign aid for critical health programmes -such as Tuberculosis, Malaria, maternal and child health, and HIV/AIDS- the funding cut or reduction from the United States could pose an even more pressing global health issue.
However, while it exposes vulnerabilities in donor-dependent systems, it also presents a timely opportunity to reimagine and strengthen health sovereignty aligned with the new public health order. This will require a whole-of-society approach, driven by strong political commitment and civil society participation.
2025 and the global health financing landscape
The U.S., the WHO’s largest funder, has driven life-saving global health initiatives, including the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), which saved 26 million lives and enabled 5.5 million HIV-free births. With over $640 billion spent in foreign aid from 2012 to 2022, its withdrawal threatens global health diplomacy and sparks opposition. Legal experts have argued that President Trump cannot unilaterally exit the WHO without congressional approval, as the U.S. joined through a 1948 joint resolution. Congress is now pursuing measures to block the move, underscoring the WHO’s indispensable role in global health security.
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
In response to the U.S. pause on foreign aid and retreat from the Paris Agreement, the WHO plans to reassess costs, urging the international community to pursue innovative financing. While philanthropic groups are pledging to address the funding gap, with emerging economies like BRICS nations potentially stepping up, their efforts must extend beyond financial support to include technical collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Time to focus on the African response?
This recent geopolitical shift exposes the vulnerabilities of Africa’s heavy reliance on foreign aid to realise its commitment to UHC, underscoring the urgent need to “not let this crisis go to waste” by strengthening health sovereignty.
Africa’s proactive response to COVID-19 demonstrated its capacity for regional coordination and innovation. Initiatives such as the African Vaccine Acquisition Task Team (AVATT) and the Africa Medical Supplies Platform (AMSP) highlighted the continent’s commitment to self-reliance. However, the pandemic also exposed deep vulnerabilities, including the overdependence on external sources for critical medical supplies, with less than 1% of vaccines manufactured locally.
In response, countries including Egypt, Kenya, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa, Uganda, and Rwanda initiated steps to boost local vaccine production, with Nigeria more recently, initiating policy measures to unlock its healthcare value chain. Speaking at the 2025 World Economic Forum, Kashim Shettima, Nigeria’s Vice President reiterated the need for Africa to move beyond foreign aid and embrace partnerships rooted in equality and self-reliance. Similarly, Dr. Jean Kaseya, Africa CDC Director General, emphasised the need for domestic resource mobilisation, in the wake of the geopolitical shift. He stated that “I’m glad to announce that our Heads of State will meet on the 14th of February in Addis Ababa to discuss domestic resources for Africa and how to provide appropriate funding to Africa CDC and African Medicine Agency.”
Africa’s new public health order, introduced in 2021, provides a framework to consolidate these gains, by focusing on institutional strengthening, local manufacturing, and increase in domestic financing for health. However, achieving health sovereignty goes beyond financial independence — it demands the capacity to design, implement, and sustain programmes tailored to Africa’s unique contexts.
Collaborative path forward: Role of civil society organisations
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) are indispensable allies in advancing UHC goals, serving as watchdogs and bridges between underserved communities and policymakers. U.S.-funded CSOs, whose work directly impacts vulnerable populations, were abruptly told to halt operations, disrupting essential health interventions. In response, swift, and strategic advocacy efforts led to a life-saving waiver on emergency services from the U.S States Department, demonstrating that decision-makers recognised the potential harm of an outright freeze.
Image credit: Nigeria Health Watch
In Nigeria, the Federal Executive Council approved ₦4.8 billion for HIV/AIDS treatment and formed a multi-ministerial committee to sustain health programs impacted by U.S. policy shifts. This signals a move toward domestic health financing, creating a pivotal moment for CSOs to advocate for sustainable funding, transparency, and efficiency. Seizing this opportunity, the Nigeria UHC Forum — a coalition of indigenous CSOs — is moving to explore resilient financing pathways amid donor uncertainty, by convening a health financing policy dialogue this month.
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CSOs in Nigeria have demonstrated their capacity to shape impactful health reforms. The Health Sector Reform Coalition, for instance, led the development of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund Accountability Framework, ensuring transparency in the allocation and use of ₦12.9 billion earmarked for the fund. Similarly, advocacy by CSOs like the Centre for Social Justice catalysed the 2022 passage of the National Health Insurance Act, marking a critical moment in expanding access to health insurance and reinforcing Nigeria’s commitment to leave no one behind.
In light of shifting global dynamics, CSOs must take on an even more transformative role to reimagine Africa’s health systems, holding leaders accountable for their pledge of allocating 15% of their total expenditure to health, while fostering accountability, driving innovation, and amplifying local voices.
Read the original article on Nigeria Health Watch.
AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 110 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.
Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.
AllAfrica is a voice of, by and about Africa – aggregating, producing and distributing 500 news and information items daily from over 110 African news organizations and our own reporters to an African and global public. We operate from Cape Town, Dakar, Abuja, Johannesburg, Nairobi and Washington DC.
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4,500 teachers’ selection process ends next week

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By Mary Kachepa

The Teaching Service Commission- TSC- says the selection process for the recruitment of 4,500 teachers will be completed next week.

TSC Chairperson, DAPHNE CHIMUKA says Provincial and District education Officials are currently in Chilanga District were the selection process is underway.

Ms CHIMUKA says the selection process started two weeks ago.

She told ZNBC News in an interview that the teachers are being selected according to the needs of each District.

Ms. CHIMUKA said the teachers are being selected using the data base from the applicants that applied last year.

She said the recruitment of 4,500 teachers is budgeted for.

The post 4,500 teachers’ selection process ends next week appeared first on ZNBC-Just for you.

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