African scientists advocate for increased agricultural research funding

At the 9th International Plant Phenotyping Symposium held in Accra, Ghana, researcher Moureen Nansamba called on African governments to prioritize funding for climate-resilient agricultural research. Nansamba noted that Africa currently lags behind Western nations in phenomics tools due to limited technological and financial capabilities. She emphasized that employing digital and cutting-edge tools, such as AI pipelines and mobile-based screening, is essential to accelerate the development of drought-tolerant crop varieties for farmers facing climate change.

In a separate achievement, plant scientist Pamela Afokpe has been awarded the 2026 Norman Borlaug Award for Field Research and Application. Afokpe, an R&D Operations Manager at East-West Seed West Africa, was recognized for her work in transforming African indigenous vegetables into high-performing commercial opportunities for smallholder farmers. Her research focuses on crops such as Gboma, Amaranth, and Jute Mallow, which have historically faced institutional underinvestment. By building a regional research platform, Afokpe has demonstrated the commercial viability of these indigenous crops to improve nutrition and resilience across West and East Africa.