The DrumBeat: Africa Bioscience Trends

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31st October 2025

ISSUE NO.87

Welcome to issue 87 of The DrumBeat!

We are, once again, swinging our swords to fell misinformation and grabbing our megaphones to amplify credible voices in the media landscape as conversations around health, science and information evolve at a rapid pace. These efforts are what this month's DrumBeat focuses on.

We cannot keep the excitement of the last month to ourselves. So here we go:

In ourVideo of the Month, we fly to the shores of Lake Victoria to the beautiful Kisumu city, Kenya's third largest. Here, research officers were trained to sharpen their skills in identifying misinformation across digital and traditional platforms, building local capacity for truth-telling in a fast-changing information ecosystem. Such exciting experiences- look at the officers wax lyrical!

Our Story of the Month takes us back to Lusaka, Zambia, where just two months ago we had the ABBC 2025 Symposium. We revisit insightful case studies which unpacked how deep-rooted inequities and misinformation in global health communication and biosafety have slowed progress and widened the gap for Africa.

Our Newsroom brings you highlights from the colourful 2025 OFAB Media Awards in Nairobi, a One Health serious games' workshop in Addis Ababa, and reflections on ABBC 2025: Data, Dialogue, and Collaboration for African Media, a testament to how data-driven storytelling continues to inspire collaboration and innovation across the continent.

Look out for our Publications' section, which features the newly released 2025 ABBC Symposium Report and Symposium Communiqué, capturing the discussions and commitments shaping Africa's media and science communication future.

Stay informed, stay inspired and keep the Drumbeat going- these are the conversation Africa needs!

VIDEO OF THE MONTH

Spotting Misinformation: The First Step to Trusting Science

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Peter Theuri
Digital Communications Officer

STORY OF THE MONTH

With rampant internal and external challenges, Africa needs to boldly defend its science and scientists

While ambitious scientists and starry-eyed supporters of science anticipate great leaps from key advancements in research within Africa, internal sabotage, coupled with external demonization of the continent's efforts, keep dimming chances of notable, harmonized progress.

At the African Biennial Biosciences' Communication (ABBC 2025) Symposium in Lusaka, Zambia, this past August, three scientists presented case studies that showcased a disturbing trend where Africa's scientists have struggled to make any notable inroads amid targeted attacks that demonize their work. Read more

From Our Newsroom

OFAB-Kenya Celebrates Champions of Science Journalism

It was pomp and colour at the Jacaranda Hotel in Nairobi when outstanding journalists in agricultural biotechnology reporting were feted in the 9th OFAB-Kenya Media Awards (OMAs), held on October 23, 2025. Read more

Playing to Learn: How Serious Games Are Changing One Health Communication

It's not every day that learning feels like play, but for participants at the recent Serious Games and One Health Workshop in Addis Ababa, that's exactly what happened. For three days, 50 participants from 12 countries across Eastern and Southern Africa gathered at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) campus to explore how Serious Games can transform the way we teach, communicate, and collaborate within the One Health space. Read more

Reflections on ABBC2025: Data, Dialogue, and Collaboration for African Media

Attending and speaking at ABBC2025 was a genuinely energising experience. I’m deeply grateful to the organisers for the invitation and for curating a programme that brought together such a thoughtful, diverse group of media leaders and practitioners. From the outset, the symposium felt more like a collaborative workshop than a conference; every session invited active engagement, honest reflection, and practical problem-solving. Read more

National Biosafety Authority Staff Trained on Stakeholder Network Mapping

To enhance the effective execution of its mandate, staff from the National Biosafety Authority (NBA) underwent training on stakeholder mapping processes during a three-day workshop held at the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) in Kandara, Murang'a County.
Read more