The Science For Africa Foundation Is On A Mission To Safeguard Africa’s Biodiversity

The Science for Africa Foundation (SFA Foundation) has partnered with the African BioGenome Project (AfricaBP) to help Africa’s biodiversity hotspots. 

AfricaBP is a pan-African platform created in 2019 to help generate, analyze, and deploy genomics-based technology to improve African agriculture. 

SFA Foundation is a pan-Africa, non-profit, and public charity organization supporting, strengthening, and promoting science and innovation in Africa. Like AfricaBP, the organization works to promote science and innovation in Africa. 

Africa is one of many regions currently experiencing an unprecedented loss of its biodiversity due to human overexploitation. 

“Without our biodiversity, we cannot have a healthy and prosperous Africa. We will lose our sense of self and compromise efforts to meet the Sustainable Development Goals,” said Prof Thomas Kariuki, Executive Director at SFA.

According to reports, Africa has lost an estimated 50% of its bird and mammal species and will face a 20-30% loss of productivity by the end of the century.         

These statistics prove that the diversity of life on this planet is fading rapidly, which is why the SFA Foundation and AfricaBP believe their partnership is key to saving Africa’s plants and animals. 

“In addition to preserving the continent’s species, protecting Africa’s biodiversity is paramount for the survival of current and future generations,” added Kariuki. 

The formation of the Alliance for Biodiversity Genomics in Africa couldn’t have come at a better time. AfricaBP and the SFA Foundation say they will work to bring genomics-based technology closer to the African nation while linking it to local biodiversity knowledge. 

“The partnership between SFA Foundation and AfricaBP will build on the strengths of both institutions, which will advance the science of biodiversity genomics in Africa,” added Professor Anne Muigia, current Chair of AfricaBP.