The DrumBeat: Africa Bioscience Trends

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28th March 2025

ISSUE NO.81

Welcome to issue 81 of The DrumBeat!

Dear readers, here comes the 81st edition of The DrumBeat!

We had a brisk march through March, but it was pretty eventful. We made sure to record the finest moments of the month for you, and you are certainly in for a riveting read.

Throughout the month, we had a series of webinars in which was discussed, alongside other critical topics, women in STEM (where we honoured notable trailblazers) and Africa's biotech journey (where we viewed the past decade through the lenses of The Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication (ABBC) symposium).

We even had time to ponder the Kenyan government's statement clarifying that the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) would not be merged with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS). This is all in this DrumBeat.

That is just the tip of the iceberg, however. Now to the even more eye-watering segment.

ISAAA Center's Director Dr Margaret Karembu traveled to Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds, California for- you guessed it right- The Spirit of Asilomar and Future of Biotechnology summit. The previous one had taken place in 1975 (50 years ago!) and we will have to wait another half a century for the next one. If Dr Karembu will be attending, she will be well over 100.

Details of her experiences are in our Story of The Month, so juicy that you will probably mail to ask for some more.

For the Video of The Month, we focus on the challenge of misinformation and disinformation. ISAAA AfriCenter is keen on training key stakeholders on learning to discern misinformation and disinformation. This video highlights one such training for nutritionists in Kenya on learning to discern. Nutritionists are considered authority when it comes to food and what people consume. It is therefore important for them to discern misinformation before being caught in the web of re-sharing misinformation and disinformation

We sincerely hope that you will enjoy this read more than any other before it, as we purpose to make the April one even more unputdownable. While at it, and so you do not miss out on anything, subscribe to The Africa Science Dialogue to be part of exciting science discussions, and subscribe to The DrumBeat.

Don't enjoy alone. Tell a friend to tell a friend.

VIDEO OF THE MONTH

Busting Biotech Myths: What Every Nutritionist Needs to Know

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Dr. Margaret Karembu, MBS
Director, ISAAA-AfriCenter

STORY OF THE MONTH

The Future of Biotechnology: Personal Reflections from the 2025 Spirit of Asilomar Summit

In February 1975, at the historical Asilomar State Beach and Conference Grounds, California, about 150 scientists convened for what turned out to be a greatly significant, and historically important, meeting. Here, the scientists, most of them molecular biologists, deliberated public concerns raised about potential hazards by the then new experiments involving recombinant DNA, commonly referred to as genetic engineering. Exactly half a century later, in February 2025, over 300 ... Read more

From Our Newsroom

The ABBC Journey: Taking Stock of Last Decade, Planning Ahead

In the first of a series of webinars organized as part of a build-up to the 2025 edition of the Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication (ABBC) Symposium, tens of stakeholders, on March 20, deliberated on the progress of the last 10 years of the ABBC, and highlighted some of the key areas to focus on in the future. The webinar was titled 'Taking Stock of Africa's Agri-biotech Journey', and helped stakeholders peek into the past to appreciate progress the continent has made. Read more

All for Women: Holding Hands to empower the African Woman

ISAAA AfriCenter, on 7^th March 2025, held a webinar under the auspices of the Africa Science Dialogue to commemorate this year's International Women's Day whose theme was 'Accelerate Action for Gender Equality'. Two trailblazing scientists, Dr Damaris Matoke-Muhia of Kenya and Prof Prisca Mugabe of Zimbabwe, shared powerful stories of resilience and leadership during the webinar, urging action to bridge gender gaps in science and empower the next generation of African women leaders. Read more

Kenyan Government rules out Merger of Biosafety Authority and Plant Health Service

The Kenyan government has clarified that the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) will not be merged with the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (KEPHIS), contrary to earlier proposals under the ongoing State Corporations reforms. Read more