IFS Annual Report 2023

IFS ANNUAL REPORT 2023

IFS – DEVELOPING SCIENCE, SCIENCE FOR DEVELOPMENT

The IFS Annual Report is structured to align with our Strategy 2021–2030, with three main sections on Impact – how IFS grantees’ research is being put into use, Grants – the awarding of Basic and Advanced Grants, and Capacity-enhancing Support – or IFS’s value as a scientific partner. We hope you enjoy the report!

IFS Annual Report 2023

Produced by IFS, 2024.

Production and graphic design by Global Reporting Sweden.

All photos according to bylines or by IFS. Printed by Åtta45, Sweden, 2024.

Cover photo: Dr Corine Sinsin’s current concern is to develop an automated system for monitoring the vulnerability of mangrove wetlands in West Africa.

Foreword

There is an expression in French that in translation says: ‘Years follow one another but don’t look alike’. For a number of years now, this common wisdom has no longer seemed valid. We had to struggle to overcome Covid-19. Then the war in Ukraine started and although there were hopes (if one can say it this way) that the armed conflict would soon end, it has continued into 2024. A new conflict broke out by the end of 2023, when Hamas attacked Israel and the latter retaliated with previously unseen violence. In neither case does there seem to be any chance for a negotiated solution. In both cases, underlying hatreds and decades-long animosities appear to be preventing any sustainable solutions to the conflicts. The international community also seems to be unable to address these crises.

The bottom line appears to be the self-centred financial and political power interests of various parties who do not want to give in to others, nor show any weaknesses, and thus not talk with one another. The fallout of all of this has been hitting IFS, just like it has numerous other non-governmental organisations that depend on external donor funding for their operations. Resources have been shifted from development cooperation and initiatives in support of the Global South, to reinforcing northern countries’ interests and geopolitical actions.

It is against this background of global crisis and austerity that we, as IFS, have tried to continue furthering the careers of early-career researchers in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries as we have done for 52 years. During 2023, we ran a slimmed-down grants program on the ground, and were able to finance some 51 young grantees for one-year research projects. Thanks to our dedicated staff, and with the continued support of a number of key faithful sponsoring agencies, we

were also able to provide the high-quality capacity-building support that we have been offering for decades: training workshops and networking activities that add “soft skills” to more science- and research-based capacity development.

I hope that we will be able to continue to provide in future years, and am confident that with the support of all of you, our alumni and dedicated constituencies, we will indeed do so. Let us try and make 2024 a better year for all of us! To end on a note of Latin wisdom: virtus marcet sine adversario – virtue withers without any adversary…

Dr Patrick Van Damme Chair of the IFS Board of Trustees

PHOTO: PETR ZMEK, CZU

Dr Patrick Van Damme Chair

Summary

In this year’s Annual Report, we present our work in 2023 so that the impact of how grantees’ research is put into use is at the forefront, followed by our grants provision and capacityenhancing support activities.

Impact

We supported and followed up with 127 grantees of 2019 who were finishing their research. Through a representative selection of research results and achievements of grantees, IFS has documented evidence of numerous impacts from its support for the research of early-career scientists. So far, these scientists have published 90 articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals and established numerous national and international scientific contacts. Of the 74 grantees who submitted their Project Completion Forms, all but one are working in their home country. Apart from three grantees working at agricultural research stations or at other national entities, all others were affiliated with universities. IFS grantees are using their research in immediate, near-term and long-lasting ways, in communities, villages, forests, fields, policy discussions, government practices and the global scientific community. For example, impact has been demonstrated through:

> Careers being launched

> Useful research coming from relatively small grants

> Peer-reviewed scientific publications and other media products resulting from research

> Women scientists succeeding at high rates

> Graduates and postgraduates returning to a science community in their home countries

> Successful alumni associating in support of each other and younger colleagues

> Like-minded scientists participating in disciplinary and interdisciplinary networks

> Scientists in less-resourced countries having access to a source of funding

> Influential individuals who acknowledge the support of IFS in developing their careers

> Scientists working and researching together across continents and building strong, lasting scientific relationships, and

> Building institutional capacity.

Grants

In 2023 we attracted 238 completed applications for Basic Grants. Out of the total proposed projects, 51 grants were approved for funding, with women scientists accounting for 41% of the individual research grant awardees. In addition to the early-career scientists receiving research grants, the other 422 applicants were also given feedback by well-qualified

IFS reviewers and advisors as part of our capacity-enhancing activities. The IFS Secretariat also processed 55 purchase orders for laboratory equipment and materials.

The implementation of the Advanced Grant scheme continued in 2023, through a collaboration with Philippines-based SEARCA1 on a response to the COVID pandemic with a Call for Research on Accelerating Transformation through Agricultural Innovation in Southeast Asia. The ten successful applicants from Indonesia, Philippines and Vietnam who had received an IFS-SEARCA Advanced Grant reported on the progress of the research they have conducted over the past few years.

Capacity-enhancing Support

In 2023, IFS jointly engaged with several strategic partners in capacity-enhancing support activities on topics including Women in STEM, Building Research Capacity in Collaboration with Partners, and Nurturing Innovation in Agricultural Research. The three activities took place virtually, in person and in hybrid formats. In addition to mentoring and coaching the grantees from 2023, 267 grantees from other sessions with ongoing research projects received support whenever needed. We also supported our alumni to associate with and support other potential grantees through training and coaching, as reported by associations of former grantees in Benin, Nepal and Nigeria.

Gender Equality in Capacity Enhancement

In 2023, IFS undertook a series of capacity-enhancing initiatives tailored specifically for women grantees, aiming to empower and support their professional growth. These activities included:

> Third IFS 1000 STEM Women Workshop

> Promotion of IFS Women in Science Public Contact List

> Encouragement of Networking and Initiatives

> Inclusion in IFS Women in Science Community

> Gender Balance in Grantee Selections

Through these capacity-enhancing activities, IFS remains resolute in its commitment to advancing gender equality in science, empowering women scientists to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to addressing global challenges.

1. Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture.

IFS Strategy

The IFS Strategy 2021–2030 – InvestinginFuture Scientists – represents an evolution in IFS’s approach to enhancing research capacity, driven by changes in the contemporary context. While IFS continues to emphasise the quality and development relevance of the research it supports, the 2021–2030 Strategy sets out the case for increased resources for the support of promising early career scientists as essential to addressing national and global challenges.

Building on five decades of experience, the Strategy reaffirms the organisation’s Vision of scientists in Lowand Lower-Middle-Income Countries (LLMICs) assuming ownership and development of local and regional research agendas and contributing to a global research community committed to supporting sustainable development and building science literacy.

IFS’s Theory of Change is that investing in research and complementary skills of promising early career LLMIC scientists enhances research capacity, thereby helping secure the cadre of LLMIC scientists needed to participate in the generation of the science, technology and innovation, and supporting policies, essential to eliminating poverty and hunger.

To realize its Vision, IFS’s Mission is to enhance the capacity of early career women and men scientists in LLMICs to acquire the skills needed to conduct research and communicate their results, contribute

to science literacy, influence science priority setting, and network and collaborate with the global research community to shape research agendas, both local and global.

The overall Objective is to enhance capacity of early career scientists in LLMICs to conduct relevant research, increase science literacy, and influence research agendas at local, regional and global levels.

Specific Objectives are:

1. Generation and dissemination of scientific knowledge by early career LLMIC scientists, and

2. Enhanced capacity of early career LLMIC scientists to influence, lead, network, fundraise and put research into use.

IFS provides tailored research capacity-enhancing support to promising early career scientists centred around the provision of individual Basic Grants and Advanced Grants.

Capacity-enhancing support includes training workshops, usually with partners, in such topics as science writing, putting research into use, data protection, and ethics in research. Support may also be provided to help grantees purchase equipment, visit laboratories, attend conferences and present research results.

Dr Arsène Mathieu Houssou sampling water with a horizontal sampler, during a plankton sampling campaign in the Toho-Todougba lagoon, Benin.

IMPACT Putting Grantee Research into Use

IFS’s Vision is for scientists in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries (LLMICs) to contribute fully to a global research community committed to reducing poverty and supporting sustainable development, both nationally and regionally. It monitors realisation of its Vision through a number of output- and outcomerelated metrics, including:

> Increased numbers of LLMIC early career women and men scientists supported

> Increased support per scientist, in terms of grant support, mentoring and capacity-enhancing activities

> Increased numbers of publications, including in more high-impact journals

> Improved research and research-associated skills, including organisational, communication and interpersonal skills

> Greater translation of research into use, through involvement in evidencebased decision-making and uptake by society

> Improvements in science literacy, via the development of research communities, including Alumni Associations, and

> Improved career pathways.

Grantee performance is monitored through project reports when the grant is finalized. These consist of a scientific report of the grant progress, any scientific publications that are a direct outcome of the IFS grant, and responses to an IFS questionnaire called a Project Completion Form (PCF). In the online PCF, grantees are asked to answer more detailed questions regarding any more “indirect” results of the IFS grant, e.g., the number of colleagues and students that benefitted from the grant, any promotion, increased scientific networks, or additional funding that has been obtained.

The PCFs capture early career scientists’ own assessment of how their skills have developed as a result of IFS support; the PCFs also facilitate the assessment by scientific peers of grantee development as researchers. Data are analysed to identify the aspects of research grant support and complementary activities that can be improved to better support research capacity enhancement and validate the assumptions underpinning the approach. In addition, IFS conducts periodic country-wise surveys with grantees, in particular to more clearly understand their research and career achievements.

Technician (opposite page), Dr Juliah Khayeli Akhwale (center) at one of her sampling sites in Kenya, with master’s student (left) and agricultural extension officer (right).

A Selection of Research Results and Achievements of IFS Grantees

IFS grantees are contributing significantly to changes around the world, through their commitment to scientific advancements, their enthusiasm to learn and to work with others, and their attainment in getting their research results put into use at local, national and global levels. In 2023, we followed up on the results and achievements of the 127 grantees awarded grants in 2019. (For a detailed list of approved projects, refer to the IFS Annual Report 2019.) As gleaned from 74 grantee responses to the questions on the Project Completion Forms (PCFs), numerous impacts are evident from IFS’s support of early-career scientists, in immediate, near-term and long-lasting ways, in villages, forests, fields, policy discussions, government practices, and the global scientific community. The results and impacts of grantees’ research are documented in the 90 publications relating to their IFS-supported work as reported during the granting period.

In terms of how the results of their IFS-funded research have been put into use, 2019 grantees mentioned contact with government officials or local communities with whom research outcomes have been shared, as well as the uptake of practices by people who were involved in the project. Of the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals that their research projects were meant to address, the top six were:

SDG 1: No poverty

SDG 2: Zero hunger

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production

SDG 13: Climate action, and

SDG 15: Life on land

Common throughout the responses in the PCFs, grantees mentioned reduced interactions with communities and potential end-users due to the Covid pandemic, in addition to reporting delays and practical problems in their project implementation due to pandemic restrictions.

Most of the grantees reported that other persons in their institutions benefitted from their grants. Sixty-six IFS grantees mentioned 274 other scientists, 58 reported 143 technicians and 66 more than 474 research students. Nine grantees mentioned 43 scientists, technicians, students or interns from other institutions, while twelve others reported local communities, farmers, fishers, producers, veterinarians, forest and park staff, or indigenous people who benefitted from

their grant. Five grantees specifically mentioned local guides, enumerators, fieldworkers and local vendors as beneficiaries of their grant.

Only eight of the 74 respondents did not mention any other benefits to their home institution resulting from the IFS grant, while the others indicated a wide variety of benefits. Most important and most often mentioned were direct and indirect benefits resulting from the purchase of scientific equipment as well as expendable supplies, enabling laboratory technicians to be trained in the use and maintenance of advanced equipment, and other early-career scientists to carry out their own research projects. The purchase of scientific equipment also contributed to increased capacity-enhancement for students, trainees and other researchers through improved teaching and research capacities.

Sixty-eight respondents reported establishing multiple professional contacts, most commonly with other IFS grantees in their own countries and other scientists in their own or other countries. Fifty-six grantees mentioned contacts with 141 grantees in their own country, while fifteen established contacts with 30 grantees in other countries. Forty-one grantees had contact with 168 scientists in their own country and 56 had 159 contacts with scientists in other countries. Nineteen grantees established contacts with 26 national IFS advisors while 21 had contact with 35 IFS advisors from other countries.

Fifty-five respondents reported a wide variety of 139 learned societies or scientific networks that they are involved with, 45 being national organisations and the others international or regional. As examples, organisations with more than one IFS grantee reporting involvement include:

> African Forest Forum

> African Women in Science

> American Society for Microbiology

> British Ecological Society

> Kenya Society of Microbiology

> Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World

> West African Science Service Center on Climate Change and Adapted Land Use

IFS support contributed to PhDs that fifteen respondents obtained and facilitated enrolment of five grantees whose PhD research is still ongoing. Ten grantees were promoted, and three submitted promotion applications. A variety of other forms of international, national or institutional

recognition were mentioned by one or several grantees, such as international or national research grants; awards and prizes; travel grants to international workshops; being an invited speaker; institutional or national representatives on research boards; or additional institutional administrative tasks.

Thirty-five grantees reported that they had received additional funding, with 20 having one opportunity and 15 from two to five sources. Forty-three of the research funding bodies who also supported IFS grantees were a wide range of recognised, highly regarded international bodies, such as:

> AFRICA-ai-JAPAN Innovation Research Fund

> African Economic Research Consortium

> German Research Foundation

> International Brain Research Organization

> International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology

> Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World Early Career Fellowship

> UNDP

> USAID

> Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association

> World Intellectual Property Organisation

As an indication of national recognition, eight grantees received additional support from funding bodies in their own countries:

> Fonds National de la Recherche et de l’Innovation pour le Developpement, Burkina Faso

> Higher Education Commission of Pakistan

> National Foundation for Science and Technology Development, Vietnam

> National Research Fund Kenya

> Nepal Academy of Science and Technology

> Nepal Health Research Council

> Research and Innovations Fund, Makerere University, Uganda

> University of Ghana Research Fund

Seventy-three respondents are living and working in their home country while one is presently working in the USA at a private consultancy firm. Apart from three grantees working at agricultural research stations or at other national entities, all others were affiliated with universities. Nine grantees were enrolled in PhD programmes while 64 have full-time positions and only one works part-time. Most of them are involved in teaching and research. While many do research that deals with issues of relevance to local communities, only five explicitly stated that they are involved in outreach and community service, for example, in addition to being a lecturer, a grantee from Nigeria also serves as their institution’s Head of Entrepreneurship Development and Skills Acquisition Centre.

The following quotes are representative of what 2019 grantees view as the significance of the IFS support for their careers:

”If not for the grant, I would not have been able to make meaningful progress in my field work. This is because of the large animals that were to be worked with and had to be purposively bought based on the coat colours. I have also been able to make good progress in my capacity to design problem-solving research. I have equally learnt how to develop research themes and form multi-disciplinary teams that will help achieve set objectives.”

Mr Femi Oyeniyi, Nigeria

”This funding from IFS had a significant impact on my research career. In fact, it allowed me to complete a good part of my doctoral dissertation. In addition, I managed to publish several scientific articles in indexed or impact factor journals. I also had to supervise master’s and bachelor’s students who worked on certain aspects of my research funded by IFS.”

Dr Sorébou Hilaire Sanni Worogo, Benin

”The IFS grant boosted my research career and supported the research activities that allowed completion of my PhD studies on time. In addition, the scientific skills and international networks acquired during my IFS grant will significantly impact my research career and professional development.”

Dr Jean Nepomuscene Hakizimana, Rwanda

”IFS support was my first big chance to write my own project, to prepare a budget, and subsequently to get funding. It was an opportunity which allowed me to develop my research activities and my lab by purchasing equipment and consumables and acquiring a controlled growth chamber. It helped me also to get more experience in Tunisian administrative procedures.”

Dr Rym Ben Slimane, Tunisia

”The support of IFS allowed me to be valued within my institution. It also enabled me to grow as a project, funding and personnel manager. As an individual, obtaining and managing IFS funds has allowed me to grow as a young researcher and as an individual.” Mr François Manga Essouma, Cameroon

”Receiving support from IFS has been instrumental in shaping my career by providing the funding and resources necessary to pursue my research and advance my academic and professional goals. Thanks to the opportunities made possible by IFS, I was able to access a range of experiences that would not have been available to me otherwise, allowing me to make meaningful contributions to my field and develop my skills as a researcher. Overall, the support provided by IFS has been invaluable in helping me to build a successful career in science.”

Dr Zineb Belabess, Morocco

”IFS support has been the booster for my career. Being an IFS grantee increased my visibility and I had the opportunity to be selected for the One Planet Fellows program hosted by African Women in Agricultural Research and Development and Agropolis Foundation. Through the IFS project, I successfully established collaboration with the CSIR-Crop Research Institute, Kumasi, Ghana, and the Vanuatu Agricultural Research and Technical Centre.” Dr Damigou Bammite, Togo

IMPACT

”Through the IFS grant, I was able to conduct independent research. After completion of a PhD, young scientists rarely have funds to conduct research. I was the only scientist among several others who was able to get funds for research at an early stage of my career. This has contributed to the funds I have attracted to the institution and added to the documents I recently submitted for my promotion to the position of senior research scientist.”

Dr Theophilus Tengey, Ghana

”I was able to conduct practical and field-intensive studies thanks to the financial assistance I received from IFS. This enabled me to learn technical and practical lessons and skills from experts in fields such as forestry and soil science. I have published articles in reputable journals and presented research findings at several national and international conferences. IFS has assisted me in completing my PhD on time, growing professionally, and advancing my career.”

Dr Shiferaw Abebe, Ethiopia

”This grant allowed me to expand my address book by making new contacts in national (Yaoundé) and international (Gabon, Montpellier) universities. These contacts will be useful for future work and partnerships. Contact has also been established with former grantees in my country for a sustainability relationship. Apart from these aspects, IFS has allowed me to discover other regions, cultures and work tools. In the future, I may reapply for a grant, and motivate and accompany other candidates to apply.”

Ms Marcelle Franca Meguem Mboujda, Cameroon

”Through IFS grants, I have conducted studies in chicken safety and since last year, there are indications of recognition of my research output. I was invited by a major TV station during their prime-time news to comment on a poultry quality and safety issue with a major supermarket in Accra. I was also invited, as an academic with in-depth knowledge of poultry value chains, to participate in a documentary on poultry systems in Ghana. I was also invited by the Society of Applied Microbiology and the African Network of Animal Welfare to speak at each of their conferences on poultry safety to showcase my work.”

Dr Angela Parry-Hanson Kunadu, Ghana

”The support from IFS gave me confidence, which is important for such a young woman scientist, especially when I was at an early-career period. This is evidence for the feasibility and significance of my research to the development of my country’s society and economy. The metabolomics approach which I performed in this project is a modern technique; however, this is young and immature in Vietnam. Through this funding, I feel it is my great responsibility to develop it, along with other scientists.”

Dr Kieu Oanh Nguyen T, Vietnam

”Thanks to the IFS support, I became more mature in my research career. I received the funds during the COVID-19 pandemic and the university closed for a long time. I needed to manage time to do experiments as well as much other work. Fortunately, I learned how to collaborate with another laboratory to help me finish my work and we established a good relationship with them (Department of Immunology and Theranostics, City of Hope, USA). Furthermore, some unexpected results gave me new lessons and taught me how to understand them.”

Dr Thi Thuy Tien Nguyen, Vietnam

Difficult though it is to choose which of the 2019 projects to highlight, presented here in the next pages are 12 that are representative of topics, countries, regions, women and men. These selections also represent the many early-career scientists whom IFS is honoured to include among those who work to support its mission.

DR DAMIGOU BAMMITE

University of Lomé, Togo

Assessment of the agromorphologic and genetic diversity of taro (Colocasia esculenta (L.) Schott) in Togo

Taro and new cocoyam are widely distributed in tropical and subtropical countries as staple or supplementary food crops. Their corms provide carbohydrates, while the leaves and stolons are green vegetables that provide important minerals and vitamins. In Togo, these crops are mainly grown in intercropping systems, and used as food and medicine. However, they remain neglected and underutilized species. The main achievement of the project is the establishment of national in vitro collection of these plants, which was previously maintained on the farm only and some of the varieties were nearly lost. At the beginning of this project, after the presentation of previous results to farmers, additional samples of lost varieties were collected. The national collection is established at the University of Lomé and a backup is conserved at Togo Institute of Agronomic Research. The collection consists of four taro varieties and three cocoyam varieties. Moreover, four improved varieties of taro were introduced from Ghana and taro hybrid seeds were introduced from Vanuatu and added to local varieties.

MR OSWALD FULGENCE DAN

National Water Institute, Benin

Impact of sanitation systems on the quality of drinking water resources in wetlands: Case of the Municipality of Sô-Ava

The adoption of good water, hygiene and sanitation practices is important for the well-being and socio-economic development of any community. However, households in the commune of SôAva continue to face numerous problems linked to insufficient hydraulic works and latrines, such as defecation in the open air and in water. The non-existence of a household waste collection system, and specific sewers for wastewater and treatment plants were observed in the study environment, with the corollary of an increase in water-borne diseases (e.g., diarrhea, cholera, typhoid fever, malaria). This study evaluated the degree of microbiological contamination of the water consumed by households in Sô-Ava and its link with health. This study made it possible to come up with concrete and sustainable proposals to improve the health

of the local population. A feedback workshop was organized for local, health and community authorities to inform them of results of the study.

DR DJAN’NA KOUBODANA HOUTETA

University of Lomé, Togo

Variabilities of water shortage and supply under current, near and far future scenarios across Togo river basins

This project assessed the impact of climate change on water shortages in northern Togo, with a focus on vulnerable marginalized communities. An integrated water resources planning model was employed to estimate water supply and assess the potential impacts of water shortages on various sectors. The project utilized innovative methods to analyze changes in water shortage events from the present to future projections, providing valuable insights for policy-makers and stakeholders. The findings of the research have informed evidence-based decisionmaking processes and assisted policy-makers and stakeholders in improving water access and mitigating the adverse impacts of water shortages on marginalized communities in the northern Togo.

DR LOMBART MESMER MAURICE KOUAKOU

University of Nangui Abrogoua, Côte d’Ivoire

Assessing the risk of invasion in estuarine and costal environment: A case study of National Park of “Iles Ehotilés” in Côte d’Ivoire

Invasive alien species are major threats to biological diversity, agriculture and human health. These species jeopardize native animals and plants species, disrupt ecosystem services and cause biotic changes. In addition, under the effect of current climate change, many ecosystems such as estuarine and coastal environments become more vulnerable to biotic changes due to increased temperatures, humidity and the rise of sea level resulting in salt intrusion and mangrove diebacks. These changes in biological diversity are being worsened because of the development of anthropogenic activities that provide increased opportunities for dispersal and growth of invasive alien species. The results of this project enhanced taxonomic knowledge and provided information on the status of the ant communities that thrive in the National Park of Iles Ehotilés. It also reinforced

Dr Damigou Bammite: Pipetting for DNA quality checking on an agarose gel in the Lab of CSIR-CIR, Kumasi, Ghana.

Dr Djan’na Koubodana Houteta: Distribution of borehole water in a village in northern Togo.

biodiversity conservation and the status of the park since the results represent baseline data on ants and will help park managers and decision-makers with the request for registration of the park as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At socio-economical level, the project prevents sudden hazards associated with the spread of invasive animals, particularly ants, and helps to maintain touristic activities around the park.

DR KODJOVI MAWUÉGNIGAN LÉONARD AGBODAN

University of Lomé, Togo

Enhancing understanding of biological indicators for spatiotemporal management of agricultural areas in the Sudanian zone of Togo

Soil is the largest terrestrial sink of carbon and sustainable soil management and is vital to climate adaptation and mitigation through adopting climate-resilient agriculture. In sub-Saharan Africa, where agriculture is inextricably tied to the climate, knowledge about soil degradation levels and agricultural calendar adaptation is essential to improve societal demands on soils, to contribute to climate change adaptation, and to preserve ecosystem services of agrosystems. Smallholder farmers have developed biological indicators based on their own opinions, their understanding of soils and climate, their experiences, and their ability to link with the environment to develop effective and suitable responses. This project identified, evaluated and co-constructed the complementarity between scientific data and the local knowledge used by farmers in the spatiotemporal management of agricultural plots in Togo. Through an environmental association, this verified and tested local knowledge is disseminated to strengthen rural communities’ resilience to the effects of climate change.

DR

GRACE JOPAUL LOUBOTA PANZOU

Marien Ngouabi University, Congo

Biodiversity-carbon stocks relationships in Central Africa

The relationship between biodiversity and carbon stocks has increasingly been debated as the cornerstone of the processes behind ecosystem services delivery. However, there continues to be a lack of clear understanding of the multiple interacting factors which together control biodiversity-carbon stock relationships,

especially in the context of Central African forests which remain an understudied region. The project updated the accounting of biodiversity and carbon stocks as well as recommended methods and approaches contributing to monitoring, reporting and verification of REDD+ projects and national inventories, ensuring greater confidence for the flows of finance such as the International Climate Fund.

DR VEROHANITRA RAZANAMIRINDRA

Ecole Supérieure des Sciences Agronomiques, ESSA, Madagascar

Behavior of weeds in upland rice and submerged rice depending on agro-ecological conditions and grass cover management in the Anosy Be Ifanja area (Itasy-Middle West Region of Madagascar)

Rice plays an important role in the diet of the Malagasy people. However, many factors influence its production, namely the use of improved seeds, the provision of fertilizers, the control of irrigation, the use of animal traction and the control of weeds. According to agricultural statistics, the rice yield in Madagascar is stagnating at around 2t/ha for submerged rice and 1.5t/ha for rainfed rice, while the yield loss due to weeds on rainfed rice is estimated at 1t/ha. Weeds therefore constitute one of the major reasons hindering the development and increase in productivity of rice cultivation. This study identified and characterized submerged and rainfed rice weeds to develop a list of weeds encountered and classify them according to their importance. The results of the experiments on the period of sensitivity of irrigated rice and rainfed rice to weeds, and on the different weeding methods, were popularized among the farmers of Anosibe Ifanja and the surrounding communes. They were then able to improve their ways of controlling weeds and increase their rice production. Through this project, farmers in the Anosibe Ifanja region participated in action research on their cultivation plots which facilitated the adoption of the results of the experiment in the area.

DR TATEK BELAY TEGEGNE

Debre Tabor University, Ethiopia

Climate variability and change and their implications on the livelihood of the local community in Northwest Ethiopia

Climate change has the greatest influence on food security and

Dr Kodjovi Mawuégnigan Léonard Agbodan: Focus group with the Atti-Atovou population about indicators used for spatio-temporal management.

Dr Verohanitra Razanamirindra: Visiting the irrigated rice plot, Ambohidrivotra, Madagascar.

malnutrition in Northwest Ethiopia, where most of the population depends on climate-sensitive agro-economic activity. Various disaster risk reduction and livelihood diversification strategies likely improve the community’s adaptive capability by providing a fallback for households if their main source of income fails due to climate change and variable disasters. This project assessed the impacts of climate change on the livelihoods of local communities in three districts of Northwest Ethiopia. Based on the findings, local government, farmers, and policy-makers have information to formulate and implement appropriate disaster risk reduction strategies and plans in the research area and other similar sites. NGOs and development agencies can identify disaster and risk mitigation strategies and plans to lessen climate change’s impact on local communities. Project results were disseminated through publications, posters, and social media platforms.

DR THEOPHILUS TENGEY

Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Ghana

Introgression of leaf spot resistant QTLs into West-African adapted and US high-oleic peanuts

Leafspot disease can cause as high as 50% yield losses in susceptible peanut varieties and total defoliation, which means there is no foliage to feed livestock. Screening for this disease can also be laborious. The project validated leafspot resistant QTLs (quantitative trait loci) and these markers could be used by breeders for early generation selection of leafspot resistant genotypes. Several lines resistant to leafspot disease were identified and these have also proven to have high, stable yield across multiple environments in northern Ghana. Some of these lines also been identified to have high oleic contents which provide numerous health benefits to consumers when released as varieties.

MS THI HOAI TRAN

Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi

Determination of fatty acid content in bitter melon (Momordica charantia) seed for the selection of the best cultivar for oil production rich in α-eleostearic acid

Bitter melon (Momordica charantia) is popular in Vietnam, and its seeds have been found to be rich in oil with a content up to

35% of fresh weight and with high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The study evaluated about 30 traditional Vietnamese bitter melon varieties, in terms of lipid content, fatty acid profile, and the distribution of vicine in seeds. The project results contribute to better knowledge of total lipids, and fatty Momordica charantia oil was found to be rich in α-eleostearic acid. These results contribute to scientific knowledge with the findings of a bitter melon cultivar without vicine, and three cultivars with high content of conjugated linolenic fatty acids. The project results are applicable in the cultivation of selected varieties with specific oil content without bitter compound (vicine), and as a valuable source of healthy fatty acids that can be used in food, pharmaceutical or cosmetic industries.

DR ELIUD WAFULA

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya

Using natural lactic acid bacteria to improve nutrition, safety, and quality of African indigenous leafy vegetables

Food insecurity directly affects 239 million Africans, the majority in Sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture plays a major role in improving food and nutrition security, with African indigenous vegetables having the potential to address food security and malnutrition since they are rich in vitamins, minerals and protein. This study sought to reduce food losses through intense investigations on postharvest handling by extending shelf life, and by determining diversity of indigenous lactic acid bacteria and their role in subsequent fermentation for improved product safety and nutritional quality. The project created knowledge of improved and low-cost technologies for increased production and postharvest processing of African indigenous vegetables. The improved product safety and nutritional availability promoted income from the selling of the products with longer shelf life, thus contributing to improved livelihoods. In addition, the grantee has been consulted by other researchers concerning the isolated lactic acid bacteria strains and their application as starter cultures, some of which are now being tried as possible biopreservatives in the biocontrol of mycotoxins in Kenya.

Dr Theophilus Tengey: Observing and scoring for leafspot disease symptoms on a peanut trial field.

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Enhancing Research Capacity in the Global South

IFS aims to enhance the research capacity of promising early career scientists in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries (LLMICs) as the most important contribution the organisation can make in addressing local and regional aspects of global challenges such as the conservation and sustainable use of natural resources, both terrestrial and aquatic, and in food security and nutrition, including social and economic aspects. IFS does this by providing tailored research capacity-enhancing support centred around the provision of competitive individual Basic Grants and Advanced Grants.

Basic Grants

Basic Grants (up to US$15,000 for each) cover costs of additional manpower, consumables, equipment, literature and travel for field work. Basic Grant applicants receive feedback from reviewers, scientific advisors and the IFS Secretariat. Successful applicants also receive help with purchasing of equipment and consumables. Individual capacity-enhancement support is determined by the needs of the grantee and the nature of the research being conducted.

Advanced Grants

Advanced Grants (up to US$20,000) are available to those who have successfully completed a Basic Grant and who are within five years of having completed their PhDs. Their purpose is to support not only further research, thereby strengthening research skills, but also the development of a wider suite of skills essential to the development of a scientist. This includes helping foster an awareness of the role of Information and Communications Technology in society by requiring applicants to elaborate both a Theory of Change and a Research-IntoUse Plan in the application form. On completion of an Advanced Grant, IFS seeks evidence of development of skills in networking, collaborative research, web presence, producing media pieces for general audiences, conference presentations, influencing (e.g., involvement in policy development) and science leadership (e.g., membership on science committees, leadership of research teams). Whenever grantees identify a need, IFS will also connect them to advisors who are willing to mentor them in areas such as experimental design, data collection, analysis and interpretation, and publication.

Dr Nguyen Thanh

Ongoing activities of the compost team in the

Bình:

project. From left: Tong Phan Anh Thu, Phan Thi Kim Ngan (fourth year students), Dr Nguyen Thanh Bình (investigator), Le Hong Tu (master student), Ho Hong Thao, Mai Thi Thao (third year students), and Nguyen Thi Thuy Kieu (fourth year student).

A Selection of New Basic Grants Awarded in 2023

IFS supports original research proposals that are innovative and/or relevant to local or national development needs and problems, and that aim to generate fundamental and/or applicable scientific knowledge. The three research clusters are:

BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES IN TERRESTRIAL SYSTEMS

WATER AND AQUATIC RESOURCES FOOD SECURITY DIETARY DIVERSITY HEALTHY LIVELYHOODS

Since many topics within the three areas are overlapping, research projects that integrate or cut across them are encouraged. Although the research areas are given certain boundaries, they are circumscribed by the overarching and broader context of climate change which is of urgent and global concern. Thus, the funded research projects are also intended to provide knowledge and suggest its application in support of the realisation of sustainable development locally, regionally and globally in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Biological Resources in Terrestrial Systems

Biological Resources in Terrestrial Systems includes biodiversity, forestry, animal production, crop science, underutilized species, natural products, renewable energy and climate change.

MR ABDOUL KADER ALASSANE MOUSSA, BENIN

Evaluation of mercury residues (total mercury and methylmercury) in soils in artisanal gold mining areas and soybean cultivation soils in the commune of Kérou, Benin

The presence of an artisanal gold mining site in the village of Kouyagou of Kérou commune, the illegal trade of mercury, and the misuse of banned, illegal or mercury-containing herbicides are potential sources that could release mercury into the environment. However, Kérou is among the first three communes in Benin to grow soybeans, with large areas planted each year for soybean cultivation. Despite the practice of these activities that can release mercury into

the environment, little research has been done in the commune of Kérou, especially at the level of artisanal gold mining, while the population’s risk of exposure is increasing. However, in Benin, artisanal gold mining releases about 10000 kg of mercury into the environment annually. Through two sampling campaigns conducted in the same year, one in the dry season and the other in the rainy season, we will investigate the contamination status of the soils of the artisanal gold mining area and the soils of the soybean cultivation area. This work will allow us to determine the extent of soil contamination and inform Beninese authorities of the risks of human exposure and environmental contamination.

DR GBÈWÈDO FIACRE GILDAS ZAVINON, BENIN

Construction of genetic maps and QTL identification for agronomic and grain quality traits in two intraspecific F2 biparental populations of pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Mllsp.)

Pigeon pea is a grain legume crop valued in Africa and Asia for its nutritional and medicinal properties. In Benin, it plays an important role in food security for rural populations and represents a cash crop for many smallholders. However, the production of the species is facing many constraints, among which the lack of improved varieties is the most important. To enhance pigeon pea production in the country, several studies were carried out for establishing

a breeding program baseline. Through a recent association mapping study, some genomic regions associated with key agronomic traits were identified. These Marker-Trait Associations should be validated before they can be directly used in a pigeon pea breeding program. Therefore, the present project is a continuation of work already started and aims to construct a genetic linkage map to validate previous (and detect novel) quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with agronomic and grain quality traits in segregating populations. By providing a genetic linkage map constructed with landrace accessions from Benin as parents, the project will facilitate the improvement of local varieties through introgression of favorable alleles. Moreover, by validation and identification of new QTLs in bi-parental pigeon pea populations, the study will brighten the prospects for markerassisted selection to enhance pigeon pea production in Benin.

DR IALY ROJO VESTALYS, MADAGASCAR

Diversity and origin genetics of Syzygium aromaticum (cloves) in Madagascar

Madagascar is the second largest producer of cloves (Syzygium aromaticum) in the world. In Madagascar, more than 30,000 farmers live, at least partially, from the cultivation of cloves. Consequently, income from cloves (essential oils and cloves) contributes significantly to Madagascar’s food security. According to the literature, cloves were first introduced to Sainte Marie Island before spreading to the east coast. In addition, only a few seedlings would be at the origin of this entire plantation. A yield decrease has been observed in recent years, a potential consequence of vulnerability of local populations to climate change given their potentially reduced genetic diversity. However, no Malagasy genetic data for an improvement program has been carried out to date. Therefore, the aim of this project is to characterize the

genetic diversity structure of Syzygium aromaticum in Madagascar.

DR IFEOMA EZENYI, NIGERIA

Safety and efficacy investigation of novel, eco-friendly Triumfetta cordifolia extractloaded nanoformulation for malaria therapy

Malaria is a mosquito-borne parasitic disease that disproportionately affects countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Artemisinin-based combination (ACT) therapies are used to treat malaria but the emergence and spread of parasites drug-resistant to ACTs challenges malaria control. The relatively high cost of these medicines makes rural populations turn to medicinal plants as an alternative remedy for malaria. In a previous project, an extract of Triumfetta cordifolia leaves was found to exert antiplasmodial activity in vitro, and in established infection in mice. This project is aimed at preparing a novel formulation of standardized T. cordifolia

Mr Abdoul Kader Alassane Moussa: Measurement of physicochemical parameters of water.

Dr Ifeoma Ezenyi: Assessment of the formulation for extract content using UV-Vis spectrophotometric analysis. Other people in the photo are Pharm. Judith Okoh (research fellow), and Mr Charles David (research assistant).

For the late maturity varieties, Dr Gbèwèdo Fiacre Gildas Zavinon is measuring pod dimensions and other reproductive characteristics in field.

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extract, as a strategy for controlling the release of the active extract and enhancing its overall antimalarial efficacy. It is anticipated that this project will lead to a safe and effective antimalarial product that will reduce the malaria burden in Nigeria.

DR GUILLAUME HOUNSOUDINDIN, BENIN

Towards the domestication of Ricinodendron heudelotii (Bail.) Pierre: Insights from ecophenotypic assessment in Benin

One of the main factors conditioning the success of the propagation of plant species is the health state of the seed used. Ricinodendron heudelotii (Bail.) Pierre (njangsa) is an endemic species of the humid tropical forests of Africa, in the process of being domesticated. It is an excellent nutraceutical reservoir. Particularly, its oil is rich in essential fatty acids (Omega 3, 6), fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, and K), and trace elements, essential for human health. Its sustainable exploitation requires proper techniques in the current context of rapid population growth and climate change threats. Among sustainable alternatives for conservation is the domestication/cultivation of the species for its fruits and stems. The large-scale production of this tree will provide a unique opportunity and contribute to rural and national economies while

serving in restoration plans. Based on this, the proposed research project aims at identifying elite individuals and requirements which can serve as the basis for the successful domestication of R. heudelotii in Benin. Specifically, the study aims to (1) describe the relationship between dendrometric parameters and fruits and seeds descriptors, (2) determine the extent of variation of the traits between and within populations of the two climatic zones, and (3) assess the effect of seed storage duration on the germination and growth of seedlings.

DR KAMRAN SALEEM, PAKISTAN

Development of an image-based method for precise estimation of leaf and yellow rust disease severity in wheat

Rust diseases are the major constraints to wheat production worldwide. Among the three types of rust diseases (leaf, yellow, and stem rust), yellow and stem rust can cause 100% loss while up to 50% yield loss has been reported due to leaf rust disease. Rust pathogens are highly dynamic and have faster evolution even without a sexual phase. Leaf rust in general and yellow rust pathogen in particular expands its geographic distribution and evolves new races that break down the resistance of wheat varieties and adapt to new environments. The pathogen capability of long-distance dissemination through

wind causes large-scale epidemics in a relatively short time. In Pakistan, several epidemics of leaf and yellow rust struck the country and caused the loss of millions of dollars. For the last two decades, the diseases appear with variable intensity depending upon the weather pattern, cultivation of resistant varieties, and diversity in the pathogen population. The wheat seasons 2018-19 and 2019-20 were epidemic years for both leaf and yellow rust throughout the country. Many high-yielding varieties became susceptible and were banned for future cultivation. Deployment of resistant wheat varieties is the most economical and environmentally friendly management strategy for rust disease. For the development of rust-resistant wheat varieties, the phenotypic characterization of wheat breeding material is carried out in field experiments exposed to the prevalent natural pathogen races or a mixture of several races. Phenotyping capability for precise diagnosis and quantification of crop responses under disease epidemics is the key challenge in the era of smart computing and precision agriculture. The current project aims to develop an image-based phenotyping method for precise estimation of leaf and yellow rust disease severity and host resistance in wheat. The study will improve our existing methods of germplasm screening and help to identify rust resistant genotypes.

Dr Kamran Saleem: Assessment of resistant potential of wheat germplasm against leaf and yellow rust diseases at NIAB Faisalabad and image acquisition of diverse phenotypes.

Dr Mahery Andriamanantena: Working on extraction.

DR LE THI LE THI, VIETNAM

Bioactivities and biochemical components of the extract from Cordyceps militaris solid-based residues with supplemented mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) peel powder

Cultivation of Cordyceps militaris, a medicinal fungus, is now quite popular in Vietnam, with a wide variety of products. However, cultivation on solidstate medium usually only harvests fruiting body biomass, and the solidbased residues are often discarded or re-used with low value. Therefore, the addition of raw materials from medicinal plants to the C. militaris solid-state culture medium could be a solution that can increase the values of both sources by C. militaris-induced metabolism during culturing. Meanwhile, mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) peel, an abundant agricultural waste in Vietnam, is usually used in folk remedies for diarrhea, dysentery, dermatitis, psoriasis, lowering blood pressure, lowering cholesterol, preventing cancer, and diabetes. Mangosteen peel is rich in xanthone compounds, especially a-mangostin, which have been shown to have many biological properties such as antioxidant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and antimalarial. Research results will play an important role not only in the pharmaceutical, cosmetic and food industries, but also contribute to improving farmers’ incomes.

DR MAHERY ANDRIAMANANTENA, MADAGASCAR

Valorization of cocoa bean industry waste in Madagascar: Case of sorting waste of cocoa beans and shells

Malagasy cocoa beans are some of the finest cocoas in the world. More than 12000 tons of cocoa beans are produced every year in Madagascar. As high standards of quality are required, considerable amounts of waste are recovered after the sorting process (SW). Furthermore, cocoa beans are also transformed locally and generate wastes like cocoa shells (CS). The SW and CS are only used in Madagascar as fertilizers. However, several studies demonstrated that they can be revalorized in other applications like cosmetics or foods for their polyphenols, methylxanthine, fat contents or dietary fiber properties. Their uses are limited by the likely presence of mycotoxins, namely aflatoxins and ochratoxin A in cocoa shells and the lack of data about the polyphenol and methylxanthine contents. Thus, the current study aims to characterize the CS and SW by evaluating their content of fat and polyphenols, methylxanthine, mycotoxins of the extracts. The valorization of wastes from the Madagascar cocoa bean industry will add more value on cocoa beans and will help producers to increase their sources of income.

DR NGUYEN THANH BINH, VIETNAM

Decentralized composting model as a solution for recycling of the organic waste in developing countries: A case study for Thu Duc wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The Stockholm+50 conference in June 2022 indicated that “waste & pollution” are one of the three current crises in the world. Composting is widely recognized as one of the most efficient methods of converting organic waste into soil organic fertilizer. Vietnam needs more than 200 million tons of organic fertilizers annually. However, in 2021, only 3.5 million tons (1.75%) were produced from 265 centralized composting plants. The increased costs for collecting, transporting, and operating the composting system could be the reason and explain why the above percentage was so low. In contrast, the decentralized composting model (DCM) allows recycling the waste at the source, therefore reducing transportation costs, landfill disposal fees, and costs associated with fertilizer purchases. However, the quality of the compost made from DCM is still not well understood in Vietnam. The objectives of this renewal project were to (i) determine the organic waste flow at Thu Duc wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City; (ii) determine appropriate mixing ratios of organic waste generated from the market using two different composting models (aerated static pile vs. rotary drum); (iii) determine

Dr Nguyen Thanh Bình advising Mr Pham Quoc Truong (fourth year student) how to use the rotary mixer machine.

Dr Nguyen Thanh Bình: Ongoing activities of the compost team in the project.

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the appropriate rotary rate and loading frequency of the in-vessel composter, and (iv) evaluate the quality of compost based on the trial application on Spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) in a pot study.

DR OLFA FRIKHA-GARGOURI, TUNISIA

Management of fire blight disease through a consortium of biocontrol agents

This project aims to develop an efficient biocontrol agent against Erwinia amylovora causing fire blight disease. This important economic disease is treated using chemical pesticides or prophylactic treatments due to the absence of effective control measures. Biological control using beneficial microorganisms as an ecological approach has become more popular for the management of this disease. Two major barriers limiting the diseasesuppressive functions of biocontrol microbes are inadequate colonization of hosts and inefficient inhibition of pathogen growth, due to biotic and abiotic factors. The use of a consortium of microbial strains and metabolites with disease-inhibitory activity may improve the biocontrol efficacy of this disease. The originality of the project is to develop an improved and innovative biobactericide based on a combination of strains and metabolites. These latter will be isolated from the phyllosphere of apple and pear trees to ensure their colonization of hosts and their resistance to abiotic factors. The study of their compatibilities will allow the design of consortia of strains and metabolites with complementary modes of actions that will be tested in vivo, in greenhouses, and in field experiments. The development of an efficient biocontrol agent against E. amylovora will reduce the adverse negative effects of pesticide usage and resistance development, thus limiting economic losses.

DR SATA DIAWARA, BURKINA FASO

Participatory domestication of Saba senegalensis: A savanna fruit bearing liana

Saba senegalensis (A. DC.) Pichon is a multi-purpose liana from Sub-Saharan

Africa that is under threat because of over-exploitation of its fruits, habitat degradation and erratic rainfall, which affect its regeneration. In Burkina Faso, all parts of S. senegalensis are used to support the daily needs of local populations. The pulp of its egg-shaped fruit, rich in vitamins A, K and C, is widely consumed either fresh or processed into juice and sold in local markets and along roadsides throughout the country. Increasing demand for S. senegalensis fruits is leading to intensive and uncontrolled exploitation that threaten the survival of the species in Burkina Faso. This threat, combined with the recalcitrant nature of the species’ seeds during storage and increasing climate change effects, calls for its sustainable use and management. Given this situation, it is necessary to develop vegetative propagation techniques, because sexual

reproduction alone generally does not succeed in maintaining a sufficient density of regeneration. In general, tree domestication is conceived as a farmerdriven and market-led process. It aims to significantly increase and stabilize the income, food security and health status of rural households and their extended families through improvements in the production and utilization of nontimber forest products. This project aims to expand local capacity to support the domestication of S. senegalensis in Burkina Faso.

Dr Sata Diawara: Aerial layering of Sabasenegalensis: protecting the injured branch with sawdust.

Water and Aquatic Resources

Water and Aquatic Resources includes availability of water resources, and their conservation and use; issues associated with water-related institutions; and freshwater, brackish and marine aquatic organisms and their environments.

DR ACHENAFI GEBRESILASSIE, ETHIOPIA

Impacts of land-use change on sediment yield and ecosystem service in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia

Land-use change has emerged as one of the biggest environmental challenges facing the world today. This environmental change is expected to have far-reaching implications for the associations between sediment yield and ecosystem services (ESs), especially in a basin that has a lake. The Lake Tana Basin contains the largest lake in Ethiopia. However, the potential of this lake is significantly diminished owing to sedimentation caused by deforestation. Basin ecosystem services, including soil carbon storage, water quality, water yield, and soil conservation, are likely to be affected by land-use change. Thus, assessment of land-use change’s impact on sediment yield and ESs is vital for integrated watershed management. The objectives of this project are to: a) identify the major land-use changes and their driving forces in the Lake

Tana Basin; b) quantify the impact of land-use change on sediment yield and ecosystem services (soil carbon storage, water quality, water yield, and soil conservation); and c) evaluate various sustainable land management practices to reduce sediment yield and ecosystem service degradation. Expected outputs from this project include a better understanding of the impacts of land-use change on sediment yield and ecosystem services in the Lake Tana Basin. This information will be used to inform landuse planning and management decisions in the region, and promote sustainable development.

DR AMON KIMELI, KENYA

Evaluation of sediment organic carbon provenance using eDNA analysis of mangrove sediments in Vanga, Kenya

Mangroves are among the most important coastal wetland habitats in the tropics. They provide several ecosystem and ecological services to humans and interdependent habitats and species. However, the provision of these services

would be jeopardized if the response of mangroves or mitigation measures towards (or against) predicted sea level rise are insufficient. Sediment trapping and retention is one essential ecosystem service provided by mangroves. Consequently, they indirectly influence sedimentation and, through accretion, mangrove surface elevation growth in the face of rising sea levels. If the sediment accretion rates supersede the rate of sea level rise (current or predicted), then mangroves would be able to keep pace and adapt to rising sea levels. Mangroves are the engineers of their destiny. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the sources of sediments, their fate, and accretion rates to predict future responses and mitigate the effects of sea level rise. This study aims to utilize a source provenance tool – environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) – to supplement previous work and assist in refining the conclusion on the origin of sediment organic carbon in the mangrove sediments of Vanga. Further, this study aims to continue monitoring the current rates of surface elevation changes in Vanga by utilizing existing permanent sediment-elevation tables and horizon markers. With a proposed transboundary conservation area between Kenya and Tanzania, inclusive of our study site, this study provides an immediate avenue for information transfer and policy intervention on sound management, conservation, and adaptive measures to mitigate the effects of climate change.

MS ANUSHA SHARMA PANDEY, NEPAL

Application of environmental isotopes (tritium) to estimate groundwater recharge of Pokhara Valley, Nepal

Groundwater recharge is the process where water flows from the unsaturated

Dr Achenafi Teklay (researcher) and Mr Marshet Molla (technical assistant) collaborating to collect water samples from a traditional irrigation canal, aiming to analyse and assess the quality of water utilized in the local irrigation system.

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zone to the water table and replenishes the groundwater reservoir. The study area, Kathmandu Valley, is one of the highly populated and urbanized cities of Nepal where groundwater is one of the important sources of water. The increase in water demand triggered by the increasing population is raising the pressure on groundwater resources. Previous studies show that groundwater in the valley is being over-extracted. In this situation, accurate estimation of groundwater recharge is crucial to keep the natural system sustainable. Since there is no direct method of recharge estimation, many scientists suggest applying different methods and to compare the result to get a more realistic value. The present study will estimate the groundwater recharge using the environmental isotopes (tritium) method. By comparing and analyzing values by different methods of recharge calculation, a realistic recharge rate is expected to be obtained.

DR ARSÈNE MATHIEU HOUSSOU, BENIN

Assessments of phytoplankton communities and the anthropogenic effects of cage aquaculture in Toho-Todougba lagoon

The development of cage aquaculture could, in the event of a lack of

monitoring, have harmful effects on aquatic ecosystems. To increase national fish production, the Beninese government has been promoting fish farming for several years, particularly cage culture. This is how certain aquatic ecosystems were quickly invaded by fish farmers without regulations and with a lack of interest regarding potential effects on water bodies. The Toho-Todougba lagoon is the busiest ecosystem with fish production units. But in recent years, fish farmers have been faced with significant and unexplained mortalities of farmed fish. In this context, this project is a contribution to the understanding and the mastering of the ecosystem evolution for the establishment of a management system. The objectives are to: i) determine the diversity of the phytoplankton community in the Toho-Todougba lagoon; ii) assess and quantify nitrogen and phosphorus inputs from caged culture; and iii) assess the influence of the variability of mineral inputs on the dynamics of phytoplankton. This study hopes to compile a list of phytoplankton species of the water body as well as to establish spatial and temporal data on the organization and structure of the population. It also hopes to define a database on the contribution of fish farming units to the water mineralization profile in the complex lagoon.

DR BENJAMIN KONDOWE, MALAWI

Ecological health of selected Afrotropical rivers in Lake Malawi Basin using water quality index

Freshwater ecosystems (lakes, rivers, and reservoirs) provide various services such as water for irrigation, useable domestic water, and fisheries activities. However, water quality challenges in these water bodies, such as nitrogen and phosphorus loading, are prevalent. Phosphorus and nitrogen are termed “limiting nutrients” because they often limit primary producers’ growth. Likewise, these nutrients are also considered to be “causal variables” because, in excessive amounts, they may cause the proliferation of primary producers, affecting the usability of the water. River catchments are vulnerable ecosystems because of their increased exposure to multiple anthropogenic stressors, including habitat degradation, flow alteration, increased water demand, urbanization and agricultural intensification. Intensive agriculture that relies on agrochemicals and untreated municipal and industrial waste disposal into rivers is more prevalent. Thus, many countries have implemented mechanisms to control point sources, but controlling non-point sources of these nutrients, especially agricultural ones, remains

Dr Arsène Mathieu Houssou sampling plankton with a plankton net as part of his IFS-funded project to study phytoplankton in the Toho-Todougba lagoon, Benin.

Dr Benjamin Kondowe, with Year 4 BSc Mentee Ms Taonga Banda, using a multimeter while sampling in the North Rukuru River in northern Malawi.

challenging. Changes in land use, such as agriculture, urbanization, and other forms of human development, have devastated many of Africa’s rivers. The problem is exacerbated by dependence on the exploitation of natural resources for a livelihood by most countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Besides, these natural resources are found in impoverished rural communities where residents entirely rely on them for livelihoods through extractive and non-extractive services. Thus, understanding the status of aquatic systems such as rivers and their sustainable management through monitoring is essential to ensure the continued provision of ecosystem services as well as securing their ecological integrity. Therefore, the findings of this study are crucial in developing policies and strategies for conserving and protecting the rivers in the Lake Malawi basin.

DR GUILLAUME KOUSSOVI, BENIN

Developing a model for local and sustainable aquaculture in Africa: Optimization of hatchery protocols for production of the native freshwater prawn Macrobrachium macrobrachion in Benin

Despite the diversity of African native freshwater prawn species, none of them have been raised in an industrial production system. Freshwater prawn farming occupies a prominent place among aquaculture activities in Benin. The freshwater prawn Macrobrachium macrobrachion is one of the two most important African freshwater prawn species in terms of fisheries and aquaculture potential. Despite the advantages presented by this

species, little is known about rearing, growth and reproduction in controlled environments and this is leading to a strong threat towards natural stocks. M. macrobrachion has been studied in recent years in Benin with a view to its introduction for aquaculture, showing a low survival rate of the species at the early stages of commercial production. The low survival rate is also due to the lack of an appropriate quality food for the breeding of early life stage of the species. However, there is a need for further studies on the feeding of M. macrobrachion from broodstock to larvae to improve the survival rate for industrial production of the species. It is therefore necessary to carry out scientific research focused on key points, such as the protein and lipid levels for broodstock and the type of feed and feeding strategy at the larval stage of this African freshwater prawn.

DR HEDMON OKELLA, UGANDA

Development of a bio-preservative from fish-derived antimicrobial peptides

With the rising cases of food adulteration, food loss, and high cost associated with chemical preservatives, efforts towards safe, easily accessible yet affordable and effective preservative agents are crucial. This project builds on previous optimization of novel native fish-derived antimicrobial peptides. It focuses on upscaling the production of individual peptides, optimizing their biopreservative efficacy and safety profiles in vitro. This will advance knowledge and promote the applicability of fish-derived antimicrobial peptides for safe and affordable biopreservation.

Furthermore, collaborations both at the local and international levels are expected to increase and strengthen.

DR JEAN DZAVI, CAMEROON

Ecology and diversity of mayfly larvae in some forest streams of Cameroon

This project aims to contribute to knowledge of the ecology and diversity of mayfly larvae (Ephemeroptera) in the natural streams in Cameroon as well as the characteristics of their habitats. Studies on mayflies are only in their early stages in Cameroon. The studies carried out on Cameroonian mayfly fauna are those of the French Overseas Scientific and Technical Research Office on some freshwater ecosystems, but much remains to be explored. Therefore, the ecology and diversity of mayflies remain poorly understood and constitutes a major concern, especially at this moment when biodiversity is important in development policies. Also, mayflies are widely used as bioindicators of water and habitat quality. At the end, we will have more information on the larvae of mayflies in Cameroonian streams and their preferred habitat.

DR MESERET BELACHEW, ETHIOPIA

Evaluating soil erosion assessment methods for sustainable management of natural resources in the Gumara Watershed in the highlands of Ethiopia

Soil erosion is one of the most destructive degradation processes and a major threat to reservoir sedimentation. In the Ethiopian highlands, despite many conservation measures, sediment

Dr Hedmon Okella extracts antimicrobial peptides from the fish in the hunt for safe bio-preservative.

Dr Jean Dzavi: Collection of mayfly larvae in streams and abiotic analyses with the aim of identifying their abiotic preference and their diversity.

concentrations in rivers have been increasing steadily. Rills and gullies are the major sediment sources that threaten the livelihoods of people and shorten the service life of multipurpose reservoirs. In addition, the impact of climate change on the lives of smallholder farmers and on the water resources of major rivers and reservoirs are under question. To curb these effects, an integrated assessment of factors is an imperative action. Previous studies were focused on specific erosion processes to recommend remedial actions. However, this study is expected to understand individual erosion processes through field measurements. This helps to quantify and map for prioritizing conservation programs. The climate change over time is increasing and the impact is beyond the expectation of uninformed poor farmers and infrastructure planned to be installed for serving the people. Therefore, the objective of this research is to assess the potential impact of sediment sources and water availability in the soon to be constructed reservoir in Gumara watershed through field study and modeling. The research output will be shared with local smallholder farmers, development agents, research centers, educational institutions and higher-level conservation planners.

DR SANDRA AKUGPOKA ATINDANA, GHANA

Application of inorganic and organic proxies in determining water quality and the health of the West African Mangrove Oyster (Crassostrea tulipa) in Ghanaian coastal waters

In Ghana, the West African Mangrove Oyster is widely distributed. However, lagoonal pollution from human activities is increasing at an alarming rate amidst the declining stocks of oysters. As of 1996, about nine out of 41 wetland ecosystems lost their oyster populations, and this number is likely to increase. Meanwhile, there is a huge potential for most of these wetlands to be used for the commercial culture of oysters for economic and nutritional gains, as practiced in countries such as Australia, Egypt and Gambia. There are no existing data on possible complementary water quality indicators and the state of health of these lagoonal oyster populations,

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which serve as livelihood sources, especially for women, children and youth. This research adopts a novel methodological approach in determining complementary water quality proxies, as the health of oysters depends on the environment throughout much of its life cycle. This will be done by applying both conventional and new approaches to monitoring environmental conditions in declining and abundant populations in Ghana. This will contribute to addressing the case of food insecurity in the near future and support livelihoods of women and children as the fishery is mostly women dominated in comparison with other fishery resources which are male dominated in Ghana.

DR SELINA AMA SAAH, GHANA

Adsorptive removal of pharmaceutical residue from water using biochar nanocomposite

Globally, the extensive use of pharmaceuticals has resulted in the release of significant amounts into the environment, especially in water bodies. This has given rise to increases in the concentration of pharmaceutical residues in the environment and therefore classified as recalcitrant bio-accumulative compounds. Their common entry routes to the environment includes discharge from hospitals, improper disposal of unused drugs, run-off from agricultural farms and excretion. Pharmaceutical residues either stay or degrade into daughter

nuclei in the environment. In aquatic environments, pharmaceutical residues cause feminization of male fishes. A greater percentage of these residues enter the food chain either through irrigation of food crops and/or in drinking water. Over the decades, conventional wastewater treatments have not been effective at eliminating these residues from the environment, hence the need for advanced materials and technologies for the removal of pharmaceutical residues in water. Prominent among these new technologies is adsorption using materials such as nanoparticles, activated carbon, biochar and nanocomposites. This research uses biochar from waste agricultural products (coconut husk, plantain stalk, neem tree bark) in combination with metal oxide nanoparticles to adsorb pharmaceutical residues from water.

DR WAHAUWOUELE HERMANN COULIBALY, CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Optimization of fish farming through probiotic bacteria in feed

Probiotics are today receiving an unprecedented and growing interest in Europe, Asia and the rest of the world. Their applications are not only limited to food and health sectors, but also cover agriculture and aquaculture areas. Their status as natural and relatively safe products, while having potential benefits for health, has a great impact on our wellbeing. In Africa, agro-industry exploits probiotics for animal feed and medicine. However, these microbiological starters can be a promising alternative against the abusive use of antibiotics. Suitable strains need to be used to impact human, animal and vegetable health and whenever necessary, stimulate the construction of designer strains for a safe or more efficient solution. Our project will enhance the growth performances of fishes by feed enriched with probiotics. Specifically, it will first isolate and identify lactic acid bacteria in the digestive tract of tilapia fish which have probiotics properties (ability to grow under different conditions and antibacterial activity). The second step will determine growth performance of fish fed with probiotic-fortified feed.

Dr Selina Ama Saah: Filtering zinc oleate complex over a funnel.

Food Security, Dietary Diversity and Healthy Livelihoods

Food Security, Dietary Diversity and Healthy Livelihoods includes agricultural and/or livestock production, food security, primary health care, extension services, irrigation, sustainable agricultural practices, markets and trading systems, food value chains and vulnerability and resilience.

DR BAWA BOYA, BENIN

Sanitary and nutritional quality of sagagnèga, a cereal-based fermented porridge produced in northern Benin

Fermentation is an ancient process and one of the most economical methods used for the preservation and processing of grain-based foodstuffs. Cereals are rich in carbohydrates as a main macronutrient, but they can also be a source of micronutrients such as iron, zinc and B vitamins. Cereals and cereal products are staple foods in Benin. They are traditionally used to prepare a wide range of foods, including fermented foods. Among these, sagagnèga is a fermented porridge mainly produced and consumed in northern Benin. To produce sagagnèga, the grains of sorghum, millet or corn are sorted and cleaned. They are then ground and the sifted flour is used to prepare a paste. This paste is then mixed with water and a fermented slurry is added. This mixture is then left to ferment for 24 hours. Despite its socio-economic and nutritional importance, no research

has been done on this porridge until now. Thus, the present project will provide information on the sanitary, physico-chemical and nutritional characteristics of sagagnèga samples in order to valorize the production. To achieve our objectives, the nutritional, physicochemical characteristics and microbial composition of sagagnèga will be determined using standard laboratory methods. Nutritional characteristics, essential for the preservation of health and the proper functioning of the organism, will be provided. This project will also serve as a basis for the development of appropriate policies for entrepreneurship and food safety.

DR CHAKIRATH FOLAKÈ ARIKÈ SALIFOU, BENIN

Standardization of the technology of fish smoking with briquettes made from agricultural residues and evaluation of the qualities of smoked fish in Benin

The traditional technology of smoking fish in Benin facilitates the contamination of smoked products by polycyclic aromatic

hydrocarbons which are carcinogenic. It also causes respiratory and ocular diseases in fish smokers due to exposure to fumes. To solve these problems, rice husks, pineapple and orange peels were turned into briquettes, used in experimental smoking with a newly designed smokehouse. This resulted in products of better organoleptic quality with absence of the hydrocarbon BaP, known as a carcinogen. The present study’s objective is to contribute to the establishment of sustainable food systems by providing the population with a smoking technology that is environmentally friendly and protects public health. The study will be conducted in the smoking unit of the Department of Animal Production and Health and also in the real environment among women who smoke fish. The manufacturing of briquettes and smoking process will be standardized with a mastery of all the production parameters. Also, the qualities of the fish smoked with the briquettes will be known and will serve for the dissemination of the invention.

Dr Bawa Boya: Isolation of lactic acid bacteria. Dr Chakirath Folakè Arikè Salifou: Drying of briquettes manufactured.

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MR FRANCIS ADDY, GHANA

Efficacy of albendazole and triclabendazole against Fasciola infections in cattle in northern Ghana

Anthelmintic resistance is a growing challenge that is impacting parasitic helminths control programs in many regions. The trematode, Fasciola spp., is one such parasite that is said to have developed resistance against fasciolicides such as albendazole, but there is limited information on the extent of the problem and how it is affecting control of Fasciola gigantica This research will evaluate the efficacy of albendazole and triclabendazole on F. gigantica in naturally infected cattle in northern Ghana. Fasciolicide efficacy will be determined by faecal egg count reduction tests, and egg hatch tests in an in vitro experiment. The project will generate data on cattle herd prevalence of Fasciola infection and efficacy rate of albendazole and triclabendazole against Fasciola spp. and identify the Fasciola spp. infecting cattle in the study area. This should be useful for designing effective control strategies of bovine fasciolosis.

DR FRANÇOIS MANGA ESSOUMA, CAMEROON

Study of the ecotoxicity of Beauveria sp. on pollinating insects of coffee and cocoa trees in Cameroon

Cocoa and coffee are among the crops with high growth and export

potential which the Cameroonian government includes in its national strategy to increase export revenues and conquer external markets. These two crops support approximately 400,000 and 600,000 households in Cameroon respectively. To ensure this production, farmers apply phytosanitary treatments, but unfortunately the quickest way is chemical treatment with harmful effects that no longer need to be demonstrated. Whether they are chemical or biological, as with the use of plant extracts or entomopathogenic fungi, their introduction into the environment has consequences on pollinating insects and consequently on global food supply. To avoid the extinction of these insects, we should ensure the toxicity of the phytosanitary products used for crop protection. However, little information is available on the impact of formulations of entomopathogenic fungus on insect pollinators of crops in general and particularly on those of the cocoa and coffee trees. To bring more understanding to this problem, this project will evaluate the ecotoxicity of Beauveria bassiana strains on insect pollinators of cocoa and coffee in Cameroon.

DR MARINA ABRE, CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Potential of the fermented fish adjuevanassociated Lentibacillus strains to degrade biogenic amines

In Côte d’Ivoire, fermented fish “adjuevan” is widely appreciated and used as an

agent in soups and sauces, giving a particular flavor and authenticity. However, its production and storage conditions are not hygienic and may increase the risk of food poisoning due to the production of biogenic amines. In a previous study, we demonstrated that the growth of Lentibacillus led to decrease of biogenic amine contents. In addition, Lentibacillus was found to be more abundant in all fish species than lactic acid bacteria which is generally used for the biopreservation of fish products. Thus, in this study, we aim to identify Lentibacillus species in “adjuevan” samples and to explore the ability of these strains to degrade histamine, cadaverine, tyramine and putrescine, which are the main biogenic amines present in “adjuevan”, with a view to improve the quality, safety, and competitiveness of this fermented fish in the market. The results of this research can be made available to potential industrialists for the production and marketing of the bio-protective strain, thus paving the way for the semiindustrialisation of the production of “adjuevan’’ in Côte d’Ivoire.

DR MUNKHJARGAL TSERENDORJ, MONGOLIA

Genetic analysis of filarial nematode in camels of Mongolia

Cameline filarosis caused by Dipetalonema evansi is considered an economically significant mosquitoborne disease in camels. Our previous

Dr Munkhjargal Tserendorj performing PCR assay using genomic DNAs of camels for detecting Dipetalonemaevansi at Laboratory of Helminthology, IVM, Mongolia.

Dr François Manga Essouma checking honeycombs and counting bees that have died and/or been infected by Beauveria bassiana

Dr Sedera Norotiana Rasambo monitoring the replanted tsiperifery plants (taking measurements on the support trees and pepper lianas).

project reported that prevalence of microfilariae of D. evansi was 3.3-11.5% in bactrians of western Mongolia. The microfilariae from these carrier animals may be transmitted to susceptible camels by mosquito vectors, resulting in outbreaks of cameline filarosis and economic losses. In this study, we will sequence the complete genome of Mongolian D. evansi isolates using a nanopore long read sequencer. Using RNA-sequence, we will also generate transcriptome from different stages of D. evansi. The abundance of genomic and transcriptomic data will provide novel biological insights into D. evansi filarial nematode, as well as allow for the identification of novel drug targets and vaccine candidates. Furthermore, a brief on-site training on mosquito borne filarial nematodes, their symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and sampling requirements, will be provided to local veterinarians of Khovd province, a highrisk area for filaria infections of camels.

MR NOEL GABILIGA THIOMBIANO, BURKINA FASO

Molecular investigation of haemosporidian (malaria) parasites of bats in Burkina Faso

The world is abuzz these days with the resurgence of infectious diseases. However, for several decades, malaria has continued to wreak havoc, especially in Africa. Malaria parasites (order Haemosporida), whose predominant species is Plasmodium falciparum, are the agents responsible for serious tropical diseases in humans. Transmitted by dipteran vectors, these eukaryotic protozoan parasites caused 219 million clinical episodes and 435,000 deaths in developing countries in 2017 alone. The five to six Plasmodium species infecting humans represent only a tiny fraction of the more than 550 species of hemosporidian parasites described. Indeed, wildlife also harbors haemosporidian species close to Plasmodium falcifarum. Haemosporidians have been documented in different vertebrate groups, such as reptiles, birds and mammals like bats, based on morphological and molecular studies. In Burkina Faso, previous studies have focused on biodiversity and taxonomy and the population’s perception of the risks of zoonotic transmissions from

bats. Unfortunately, no investigation has been conducted on haemosporidia in bats. It is therefore crucial to understand the impact of hemosporidians on the health of bats and to provide new data on bat haemosporidian parasites which in the future could be useful for parasitologists and ecologists to better understand the relationship between these parasites and their host.

DR RAMSÈS MONKOTAN, BENIN

Genetic diversity and morphological variability of grasscutter (Thryonomys swinderianus) populations from Benin

In the current context of climate change, genetic characterization of animal genetic resources is fundamental to their sustainable use, and improvement of animal production. Grasscutter or greater cane rat (Thryonomys swinderianus) is a large rodent distributed across Sub-Saharan Africa that is highly valued as a source of protein. In Benin, no phenotypic or molecular characterization has been made on grasscutters. The objective of this study is to quantify and assess the genetic structure of grasscutter populations reared in Benin with a view to improving their economic sustainability and preserving intraracial diversity. The results of this study will make it possible to put in place management strategies required to support the conservation and sustainable use of Benin grasscutters.

DR SEDERA NOROTIANA

RASAMBO, MADAGASCAR

Dynamics of change in the adoption of Piper spp. (Tsiperifery) for forest resource management in Madagascar

The cultivation of non-timber forest products (NTFPs) was considered as the best strategy for valorization and conservation of NTFPs and forest resources. The cultivation of a wild species can be considered as an innovation in farmers’ strategies. This study focuses on the cultivation of tsiperifery, a wild pepper (Piper genus) endemic to Madagascar. Previous analyses have shown that multiple elements at farmer scale and the innovation system influence how this innovation could lead to better

NTFPs and forest management. This study will analyze the dynamics of change in the adoption of tsiperifery cultivation by focusing on the response phase of the adoption process. The study will consist of (i) analyzing the informational context and the network of actors involved in the adoption of tsiperifery cultivation, (ii) assessing the performance of farmers’ practices of tsiperifery cultivation, and (iii) analyzing the effects of the promotion of tsiperifery cultivation on the density of lianas and their hosts.

DR YÊYINOU LAURA ESTELLE LOKO, BENIN

Determination of economic injury levels and economic thresholds for a rationalization of the chemical control of termite pests in maize crops in the Republic of Benin

Maize is one of the most widely grown cereals and a staple food for the Beninese population. However, termites cause significant damage in maize production. Unfortunately, until now there are no economic injury level data for termite pests in maize crops necessary to guide management decisions. Indeed, no information is available on the lowest density of a termite population that will cause yield losses equal to the termite management costs. Consequently, Beninese farmers overuse synthetic chemical insecticides to protect maize fields against termite pests, causing harmful effects to the environment and a rise in production costs. This study quantifies the relationship between termite density and maize yield reduction, and develops economic thresholds for termites. For that, the effect of various infestation levels of termites on resistant and susceptible maize varieties will be evaluated in field trials, conducted over two cropping seasons. The results of this project will serve as the basis for the development of an integrated termite management program that farmers can use to establish the necessity and proper timing of termite control measures.

Advanced Grants Update 2023

We implemented the new Advanced Grant scheme in 2021 in collaboration with Philippines-based SEARCA (Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture) with a Call for Research on Accelerating Transformation through Agricultural Innovation in Southeast Asia, a theme identified in response to the COVID pandemic. Summaries of the project descriptions of the ten Advanced Grant awardees appear in the 2021 Annual Report. For 2023, we followed up on the progress of the ten scientists who were awarded Advanced Grants in 2021, as below.

DR OANH NGUYEN CONG, VIETNAM

Potential for using some indigenous medicinal plants as feed additives relating to animal health, growth performance and meat quality of pigs in Northern Vietnam

Dr Oanh Nguyen Cong has made significant progress in his research project. Despite encountering challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic and complex payment procedures in Vietnam, all aspects of the project have been completed. Notably, the research team identified medicinal plants that could be used as supplements in the diets of piglets and growing-finishing pigs, showcasing promising results. Moving forward, Dr Cong plans to focus on writing the final report and drafting a new manuscript. Despite the challenges, Dr Cong has remained adaptable to the pandemic-related circumstances in Vietnam and expresses gratitude for the support received from the IFS-SEARCA Advanced Grant.

DR MILDRED GUIRINDOLA, PHILIPPINES

Food environment and socio-ecological attributes as drivers of food security before and during enhanced and general COVID-19 quarantines in Cavite, Philippines

In 2023, Dr Mildred Ocampo-Guirindola completed data collection for her research project and prepared the results, which were subsequently reported to the Province. Two journal articles were written based on the findings. Additionally, Dr OcampoGuirindola actively participated in the 4th Global Conference of the One Planet Network’s Sustainable Food Systems Program, where she presented a poster highlighting the study. She is also

gearing up to present two more posters at the Micronutrient Forum 6th Global Conference in the Hague, Netherlands, scheduled for October. Notably, her research shed light on the need for improvements in food aid delivery and safety net programs during longterm food shocks like the COVID-19 pandemic.

DR TRAN NGUYEN DUY KHOA, VIETNAM

Application of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) in larviculture of mud crab (Scylla paramamosain)

Dr Tran Nguyen Duy Khoa’s research in 2023 focused on setting up experimental systems and conducting experiments to evaluate the effects of LED light on mud crab larvae. Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Dr Khoa successfully managed the experiments indoors within the hatchery. He received valuable guidance from his mentor, particularly in setting up systems and providing advice on monitoring and sampling. The outcomes of his research are promising.

DR BUI THI LAM, VIETNAM

Moving toward a healthier diet: Consumer intention to eat more vegetables and less meat in Vietnam

Dr Bùi Thi Lâm made significant progress in her research project on sustainable food consumption. She has completed various activities, including collecting data through group discussions and surveys, drafting articles for publication, and designing a sustainable food consumption guide for households. Despite facing delays due to the COVID-19 pandemic and increased responsibilities as the head of the Financial Department. Dr Lâm participated in the IFS-SEARCA

Mentorship Program for Advanced Grants Mentoring Workshop in 2022 and has shown confidence in the development of various skills since receiving the grant. She aims to further improve her English proficiency and scientific writing skills through the mentorship program. Dr Lâm’s research has already begun to make an impact, with positive feedback from consumers and the creation of a handbook for sustainable food consumption. She emphasizes the importance of raising awareness and practices of sustainable consumption to combat climate change and protect the environment. Dr Lâm expresses satisfaction with the support and funding received from the IFSSEARCA program and continues to emphasize the need to use more diverse social media platforms to disseminate project outcomes widely.

DR THANH DIEN LE, VIETNAM

Isolation and characterization of bacteriophages for biocontrol of multidrugresistant Campylobacter jejuni in broilers

Dr Le Thanh Dien, a Lecturer at Van Lang University in Vietnam, is leading a project focused on combating antimicrobial resistance in Campylobacter jejuni. Despite facing delays due to supply chain disruptions and equipment failures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the outbreak of Avian Influenza in Vietnam, Dr Le has made significant strides in his research. He has successfully isolated and identified C. jejuni strains from cloacal swab samples and conducted internal workshops to train his team in bacterial and bacteriophage isolation techniques. By approaching the One Health concept, his work not only contributes to understanding antimicrobial resistance but also holds potential implications

Lab analysis as part of Dr Oanh Nguyen Cong’s project.

Dr Mildred Ocampo-Guirindola during the 6th Micronutrient Forum held in October 2023 at the World Forum, The Hague, Netherlands.

Ovigerous female crabs in Dr Tran Nguyen Duy Khoa’s project.

Dr Bùi Thi Lâm introduces her project to students at her institution, the Vietnam National University of Agriculture.

Dr Le Thanh Dien with colleagues in their laboratory at Van Lang University in Vietnam.

for food safety and public health in Vietnam. As he continues his research, Dr Le remains committed to achieving impactful outcomes to mitigate the risk of zoonotic disease transmission and to foster alternatives to antibiotics toward sustainable development goals.

DR THIEN NGUYEN, VIETNAM

Experimental and computational NMR in detection, structure elucidation, and kinetic analysis of lipid oxidation products in fried foods in Vietnam

Dr Thien Nguyen, a researcher at Duy Tan University, Vietnam, has been actively engaged in his project focused on the analysis of oil oxidation products using NMR techniques. Despite facing challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and limited computational resources, Dr Nguyen has made substantial progress in his research. He has conducted NMR analysis and initiated thermal stressing studies on oil samples, yielding valuable insights into secondary oxidation products. Dr Nguyen’s dedication to overcoming obstacles, including delays in receiving essential materials and equipment failures, demonstrates his resilience and commitment to his project. Looking ahead, he aims to complete computational NMR studies and further investigate oil oxidation under thermal stress conditions. His research holds promise for understanding the complex mechanisms of oil degradation, contributing to advancements in food science and technology.

DR HUU TIEN NGUYEN, VIETNAM

Study on damaging potential and diversity of plant-parasitic nematodes associated with vegetables in Vietnam and development of biological control strategies using endophytic bacteria

Dr Huu Tien Nguyen, from the Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources in Hanoi, is conducting a research project on plant-parasitic nematodes affecting vegetable crops in Vietnam. Utilizing molecular analyses, Dr Nguyen’s project seeks to identify markers for key nematode species and develop ecofriendly bio-products for control. With IFS-SEARCA support, the project has already yielded significant contributions,

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including two ISI publications updating the nematode species inventory and exploring genetic makeup. Despite initial administrative challenges, Dr Nguyen has made substantial progress, completing about 80% of the workplan.

DR MAGDALENA LENNY SITUMORANG, INDONESIA

Application of closed hybrid Zero Water Discharge–Recirculating Aquaculture System technology along with synbiotic functional feed as alternative to antibiotics for disease biocontrol strategy in whiteleg shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) culture: An approach to reduce antimicrobial resistance towards sustainable shrimp industry through the One Health lens

Dr Lenny Situmorang made significant progress in her research project on evaluating the application of the closed hybrid Zero Water Discharge–Recirculating Aquaculture System (ZWD-RAS) system and synbioticsupplemented feed technology in shrimp farming. She conducted an 80-day shrimp culture experiment, observing significant differences in shrimp survival, feed utilization efficiency, growth, and productivity between groups. Benefits of the technology were also observed in terms of disease control against Vibrio parahaemolyticus pathogen. Dr Situmorang has maintained communication with her mentor and contact for design and analysis, receiving online mentoring primarily focused on research methods. She acknowledges the potential impact of her research on advancing food security and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 2.

DR NGUYEN THI TAM THU, VIETNAM

Production and characterization of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) by halophilic microorganisms isolated from Truong Sa island in Vietnam

Dr Nguyen Thi Tam Thu’s project, aimed at isolating and screening halophilic bacteria for PHA production from Truong Sa Sea in Vietnam, has made significant strides as per the timeline. Soil, water, and livestock waste samples were collected as

planned. Through rigorous screening, 15 halophilic microorganisms capable of biosynthesizing PHA were isolated, including 12 bacterial and 3 yeast strains. Analysis of FTIR spectra of PHA samples produced by these bacteria revealed promising results. Furthermore, six strains, including Bacillus, Salinicola, and Lactiplantibacillus genera, were identified as high PHA producers. Methods for PHA recovery, growth, and PHA formation factors were successfully determined, providing crucial insights into optimal conditions for different bacterial strains. Currently, efforts are underway to document the findings for publication in the TNU Journal of Science and Technology, with an additional ISSN number secured for the forthcoming article. Overall, the project is progressing as planned, demonstrating significant advancements towards its objectives.

DR QUOC AN TRIEU, VIETNAM

Recovery of phosphate from eutrophic water bodies by nano-biocomposite adsorbents: Application as smart fertilizers

Dr Quoc An Trieu, a Lecturer/ Researcher at the Faculty of Environmental and Food Engineering, Institute of Applied Technology and Sustainable Development, Nguyen Tat Thanh University, in Vietnam, has made significant progress in his project. He has successfully synthesized and characterized nano-ZrO2 incorporated biosorbents and investigated their adsorption characteristics. Through various analyses, including FTIR, BET, TGA, SEM-EDS, XRD, and pHpzc, Dr Trieu has obtained comprehensive data on the nano-composite biosorbents. Moreover, his research has ventured into the application of these biosorbents as smart fertilizers, showing promising results in enhancing plant growth rates. Despite encountering challenges in selecting suitable plant seeds, Dr Trieu’s perseverance and dedication have led to significant advancements in his project. Moving forward, he plans to complete the desorption study and further assess the nano-composite biosorbents as smart fertilizers.

Preparation of working solution of Vibrioparahaemolyticus culture for shrimp challenge test in Dr Magdalena Lenny Situmorang’s project.

Synthesis of hydrated nano-ZrO2 incorporated into spent coffee grounds and investigation into the adsorption characteristics of as-designed nanocomposite biosorbent in Dr Quoc An Trieu’s project.

for lipid oxidation products.

Dr Thien Nguyen performing 1H/13C NMR calculations

A heated magnetic stirrer to recover PHA in Dr Nguyen Thi Tam Thu’s project.

Dr Huu Tien Nguyen conducting experiments in his university laboratory.

CAPACITYENHANCING SUPPORT

IFS supports promising early career scientists through a flexible but structured process, centred around securing funding to conduct research in the researchers’ home countries, complemented by the provision of capacity-enhancing activities, coordinated by the IFS Secretariat, and in collaboration with strategic partners.

The development of national cadres of research scientists in Low- and LowerMiddle-Income Countries (LLMICs) helps identify and address pressing societal problems and build shared values, including an appreciation of science and its role in society. Scientists acquire their skills by conducting research in an enabling environment that includes access to resources and mentorship, both of which are in short supply in LLMICs. As scientists gain experience over time in planning, conducting and publishing their research, they establish a reputation in their field. This helps improve their abilities to identify and prioritise research, collaborate with others, develop and lead successful research groups and influence policy. Scientists who acquire such skills also help empower the institutions in which they work and build science literacy in their home countries.

Dr Kodjovi Mawuégnigan Léonard Agbodan and Mr Kounde Abalo Tchilaou (guide) doing soil sampling using the Edelman auger on fertile soil at Assiamagblé village.

IFS as a Valuable Scientific Partner

In 2023, IFS was jointly engaged in three events with a variety of strategic partners or alumni associations across a spectrum of topics. Most of these events were virtual workshops which were in response to requests from grantees and partners.

The overall objectives of these workshops were to:

> Strengthen early career researchers’ scientific skills to develop a scientific proposal, publish in scientific journals, and communicate their results to the public at large (including scientists, politicians and policy-makers, donors and private interest groups)

> Enhance capacity to conduct original research that relates to genuine problems and that generates fundamental and/or applicable scientific knowledge that can be put into use

> Contribute to science literacy

> Influence science priority setting

> Network and collaborate with the global research community to shape research agendas, both local and global, and

> Position participants in international research, to carry out regional projects or to develop their own networks.

The workshops conducted in 2023 included (descriptions below):

> IFS Empowers Women in STEM: Highlights from the 1000 STEM Women Workshop 2023 (August 2023)

> IFS 2023 Welcome Ceremony: Building Research Capacity in Collaboration with Partners: A Year of Progress (2023) (September 2023)

> IFS at Agri4d Conference 2023: Nurturing Innovation in Agricultural Research

IFS Empowers Women in STEM: Highlights from the 1000 STEM Women Workshop 2023 (August 2023)

In 2023, the IFS proudly organized the 1000 STEM Women Workshop Project, a groundbreaking event dedicated to empowering women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Special mention goes to Professor Ramesh Laungani from Doane University, Nebraska, USA, the founder of the 1000 STEM Women Project, who co-led the facilitation of the workshop. Highly valuing diversity and inclusion in research, IFS recognizes the critical role that women play in driving innovation and advancing knowledge.

The workshop brought together aspiring and established female researchers from diverse backgrounds, providing them with a platform to share their experiences, insights, and aspirations. Through interactive sessions, mentorship programs, and skill-building workshops, participants gained valuable knowledge and tools to overcome barriers and thrive in their STEM careers.

IFS reaffirmed its commitment to gender equality in

research by showcasing success stories, promoting leadership opportunities, and advocating for supportive policies and practices. By fostering a supportive and inclusive environment, we empowered women to pursue their passions, break down barriers, and make meaningful contributions to the scientific community.

As we look towards the future, IFS remains dedicated to fostering a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEM research. Through initiatives like the 1000 STEM Women Workshop, we will continue to champion women’s empowerment, nurture talent, and drive positive change in the global scientific landscape.

IFS 2023 Welcome Ceremony: Building Research Capacity in Collaboration with Partners: A Year of Progress (2023) (September 2023)

The year 2023 marked another significant milestone in our mission to enhance research capacity and foster collaboration with our esteemed partners. Through strategic initiatives and dedicated efforts, the IFS continued to expand its reach and impact, empowering researchers to address pressing global challenges.

Our commitment to building research capacity remained steadfast as we welcomed 51 new grantees into the IFS family. These talented individuals represent a diverse spectrum of disciplines and geographic regions, each poised to make meaningful contributions to their fields of study.

In collaboration with our partners, we facilitated capacitybuilding workshops, training sessions, and knowledge-sharing forums, providing researchers with valuable resources and networking opportunities. These initiatives empowered scholars to enhance their skills, broaden their perspectives, and forge new connections within the global research community.

Furthermore, our ongoing support for collaborative research projects enabled interdisciplinary teams to tackle complex issues such as climate change, biodiversity conservation, and food security. By fostering cross-border collaboration and knowledge exchange, we facilitated the development of innovative solutions with far-reaching implications.

As we reflect on the achievements of 2023, we remain committed to our vision of a world where research excellence knows no boundaries. Together with our partners, we will continue to invest in the next generation of scholars, nurture talent, and drive impactful research that addresses the most pressing challenges of our time.

IFS at Agri4d Conference 2023: Nurturing Innovation in Agricultural Research

In 2023, the IFS played a pivotal role in the Agri4d Conference, an event focused on agricultural research and development. With a commitment to fostering innovation and sustainability in agriculture, IFS actively participated in various sessions, workshops, and panel discussions.

Our presence at the conference underscored our dedication to supporting agricultural research that addresses the complex challenges facing food systems worldwide. Through engaging presentations and knowledge-sharing sessions, we highlighted the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, technology adoption, and sustainable practices in enhancing agricultural productivity and resilience.

Furthermore, IFS facilitated discussions on capacity building, funding opportunities, and research priorities, providing valuable insights and resources to conference attendees. By connecting researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, we promoted dialogue and collaboration aimed at driving positive change in the agricultural sector.

As a trusted partner in agricultural research, IFS remains committed to supporting innovative solutions that improve livelihoods, promote food security, and safeguard the environment. Our participation in the Agri4d Conference reaffirmed our dedication to nurturing talent, fostering collaboration, and advancing research excellence in agriculture for sustainable development.

Gender Equality in Capacity Enhancement

IFS recognizes the pivotal role that women scientists play in advancing global research and development efforts. Our commitment to gender equality is embedded throughout our programs, with a particular focus on enhancing the capacities of women scientists during critical junctures in their careers. In line with the IFS Gender Strategy 2021-2030, we strive to mainstream gender considerations in all aspects of our activities.

In 2023, IFS undertook a series of capacity-enhancing initiatives tailored specifically for women grantees, aiming to empower and support their professional growth. These activities included:

> Third IFS 1000 STEM Women Workshop: In collaboration with Dr. Ramesh Laungani, the visionary behind the 1000 STEM Women project, IFS organized the third edition of the IFS 1000 STEM Women Workshop. This workshop focused on effective science communication, leveraging the power of storytelling to amplify the voices and visibility of women scientists globally. Additionally, it facilitated networking opportunities and provided access to the video library curated as part of the project.

> Promotion of IFS Women in Science Public Contact List: Recognizing the importance of visibility, IFS actively promoted the IFS Women in Science public contact list across social media platforms and our website. This initiative aimed to connect women scientists with relevant stakeholders and opportunities, further enhancing their visibility and impact within the scientific community.

> Encouragement of Networking and Initiatives: IFS fostered a supportive environment for women scientists by encouraging members of our IFS Women in Science Community to network and initiate their own projects and collaborations. By facilitating peer-to-peer support and mentorship, we aimed to create a vibrant ecosystem where women scientists can thrive and succeed.

> Inclusion in IFS Women in Science Community: Women grantees of 2023 were invited to join the IFS Women in Science Community, providing them with a platform to connect, collaborate, and share experiences with like-minded peers. This community serves as a supportive network where women scientists can access resources, guidance, and opportunities tailored to their needs and aspirations.

> Gender Balance in Grantee Selections: As part of our commitment to gender equality, IFS ensured gender balance in our grantee selections for external communication. By actively promoting the achievements and contributions of women scientists, we aim to challenge stereotypes and biases, fostering a more inclusive and equitable research landscape.

Through these capacity-enhancing activities, IFS remains resolute in its commitment to advancing gender equality in science, empowering women scientists to realize their full potential and contribute meaningfully to addressing global challenges.

Mentorship

Cutting across all of IFS’s capacity-enhancing support is a learning approach which includes mentoring. In 2023, IFS staff and external specialists mentored the grantees carrying out ongoing research projects. We also supported our alumni to associate with and support other potential grantees through training and coaching. As they conduct their research, grantees inform IFS about the support they need, which may include:

> Technical concerns related to the specific project topic or research problem

> Research design

> Research methods and techniques

> Data collection and analysis

> Research findings and conclusions

> Research project administration and/or budget management

> Research report, journal article and/or policy brief writing and language

> Communicating research results

> Intellectual ownership / property rights

> Team and/or administration relations

> Conversations with funders, and

> Other or future funding opportunities.

IFS Alumni Network

Recognising the importance of its alumni, IFS provides support for individual alumni, associations of alumni which have been founded in several countries in Africa, and informal initiatives launched by alumni in Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. Our past grantees represent a source of mentoring, networking and collaboration in their respective countries, offering a range of services that benefit members, aspiring researchers, grant applicants and IFS. Examples include support for new applicants, advice to prospective grantees through seminars and talks, publicising IFS grant calls, collaborating with other alumni associations, and informing IFS of relevant local and national activities. IFS always tries to find ways to mobilise our existing resources to activate, support and strengthen our alumni.

Benin

The Benin IFS Alumni Association, under the guidance of Prof Achille Assogbadjo, played a pivotal role in enhancing the capacities of IFS grantees, young researchers, and early-career scholars through two key activities in 2023. Additionally, discussions were initiated regarding the implementation of a new strategy for IFS individual grants, and plans are underway for a targeted workshop aimed at expediting the publication process for current grantees.

The Benin IFS Alumni Association organised a “Training on Scientific Article Writing, Avoiding Plagiarism and Self-Plagiarism, and Avoiding Predatory Journals”. This comprehensive session aimed at supporting ongoing IFS grantees, young researchers, and new PhD students in their manuscript publication endeavours. The training provided invaluable insights and practical strategies, led by esteemed professors in the field, including Prof Achille Assogbadjo and Prof Romain Glele Kakai focusing on scientific writing, Prof Apollinaire Mensah addressing plagiarism and self-plagiarism, and Prof Sylvain Kpenavoun navigating the landscape of predatory journals and conferences. The session attracted 52 in-person participants (22 women, 30 men) and 236 online attendees (129 women, 157 men).

Recognizing the critical importance of access to accurate data in addressing the challenges posed by climate change, the Benin IFS Alumni Association also organised a training session on “Access to Publicly Available Data for Assessing Climate Change Impacts in Agriculture, Health, and Environment”. Dr M Romeo Tayewo led the session, enlightening participants,

including IFS grantees and alumni, on existing platforms offering such data. A total of 62 individuals attended the training, with 37 men and 25 women present, including 19 IFS grantees and alumni (12 men, 7 women).

Nepal

Dr Babita Paudel is the Chair of the Nepal IFS Alumni Association and the Head/Research Director of the Center for Natural and Applied Sciences. She is actively promoting girls and women in STEM fields by conducting various capacity-building activities. Her efforts include organising a series of in-person and virtual programmes to encourage more girls and women to pursue careers in STEM in Nepal. Of the seven provinces in Nepal, in 2023 Dr Paudel and her team reached five provinces to organise a variety of activities such as writing research proposals, writing for journals, understanding plagiarism, exploring national and international opportunities, recognizing the importance of networking, and learning how to start networking for girls and women in STEM. Alongside these programmes, she also encouraged young researchers to apply for IFS funding. Dr Paudel is also the Humboldt Ambassador Scientist (to Nepal) of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation Germany and the Secretary of Nepal German Academic Association (NEGAAS). She organises capacity-building activities in collaboration with various alumni associations and has created a Facebook page for the IFS Alumni Association Nepal, in addition to promoting IFS through social media.

Nigeria

The year 2023 was a successful one for Nigerian IFS Alumni Association members. During the IFS 2023 online welcome ceremony, the new IFS grantees, some of whom were Nigerian, were welcomed by the President, Prof J Igoli, and the Secretary, Dr A O Afolayan. Details of Nigerian women alumni were added to the Public Contact Lists of IFS Women in Science. Members attended the inaugural lectures of senior alumni to celebrate their successes and achievements, and they also attended online seminars to build their capacities. On the Association’s social media pages, training and employment opportunities were promptly shared with members, new members were added to the group page, and members helped each other tackle and resolve research challenges.

Benin IFS Alumni Association photo training session led by Dr M Romeo Tayewo.

Capacity-building for Women in STEM, on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2023, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Dr Jean

Workshop session held in the locality of Ebogo, Cameroon, an area in which some streams had been the subject of study during the project on “Ecological state of some forest streams in the ecological region of the Central South Forest”.

Dzavi:

Impact of IFS on My Life

– Professor John O. Igoli

From local academic to internationally recognized researcher in drug discovery

The transformative impact of IFS on my research career, academic development and achievements is immeasurable, as it projected me from being a local researcher and academic to being a passionate scientist who is internationally-recognized for cutting-edge research and drug discovery from natural products. I first learned about IFS in December 2002 during my PhD research visit to the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. I was sharing my results and experience with my supervisor, Professor A I Gray, and a senior colleague from Nigeria. I had isolated a novel diterpene and we were convinced that there were two or more unidentified ones in the extract. I needed funding and support to enable me to isolate these yet-to-be identified ones and it was at this point that I was advised to submit a research support proposal to IFS. I subsequently applied for grants (after my PhD) in 2003 and 2004 and was finally awarded my first IFS grant in 2005, for the research project “Phytochemical evaluation and antimalarial activity of some diterpenoids from Lonchocarpus laxiflorus”. I was also awarded another IFS grant in 2013, as a member of a team called MULTINUS that carried out collaborative research on “Phytochemical constituents, antimalarial and antitrypanosomal activity evaluation of some selected NUS [neglected and underutilized] plants”.

Research contribution

My project work took me back to the UK for spectroscopic analysis and to work again under Professor Alexander (Sandy) Gray. He took me through the rudiments of isolation and spectroscopic characterization of natural compounds. Specifically, I was able to master chromatographic separation techniques such as column chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, high-performance liquid chromatography, medium-pressure liquid chromatography, and vacuum liquid chromatography. I also acquired proficiency in spectroscopic techniques including UV, IR, NMR and mass spectrometry for the characterization of natural and synthetic compounds. As a consequence, we were able to isolate and characterize several novel moieties and compound analysis of drug mixtures.

I have enjoyed research collaborations formed through IFS grants with scientists in Benin, Uganda, UK and Tanzania, among several other countries, working on multidisciplinary research projects in drug discovery, ethnobotany and phytochemistry. Over the years, I have also been involved in the discovery of novel moieties such as bokkosin, sandynone,

riverinol, diarylheptanoids, corredorane-type triterpenes, cassane-type diterpenes, and several others.

I was a member of the African Drug Discovery Accelerator Cohort (ADDA) sponsored by the B&MG Foundation and hosted by Science for Africa Foundation with the full support of H3D, University of Cape Town, LifeArc, UK, DDU University of Dundee, MMV Switzerland and other collaborators. We received a grant to develop an Africanderived natural products box (AdNPB) for drug discovery against malaria. I have also been the Chairman of the African Society for Natural Products and listed among the top 500 researchers in Nigeria, with about 200 published manuscripts. As a mentor, I have worked with over 30 young scientists to win IFS grants, studentships, research visits, and postdoctoral appointments, and I have supervised and graduated over 80 postgraduate students.

Milestones

On my return to Nigeria in 2014, I was promoted to the rank of a professor by my home university, the Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University (formerly, the University of Agriculture) Makurdi. I have taken up several visiting positions at the University of Strathclyde, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok, Thailand, and University of Malawi, and am presently an Honorary Research Fellow with the University of Glasgow working with Professor Harry de-Koning on drug discovery from medicinal plants against parasitic and neglected tropical diseases. I was also appointed the pioneer Vice Chancellor of Pen Resource (now North Eastern) University Gombe. I have participated in several conferences and facilitated structure elucidation workshops in many universities. I am still participating in and benefitting from collaborative research with over 300 colleagues around the world.

Conclusion

The vision and focus of IFS are unique and germane to the development of young scientists and many others’ testimonies abound for this. The early support of IFS has been invaluable in my career and I will continually pass on the IFS vision to my colleagues, postgraduate students and mentees. As the Chairman of the IFS Alumni, Nigeria Chapter, I am actively guiding younger academics in grant writing and winning research grants. Indeed, looking back, I wonder what my life would have been without IFS.

Professor John O. Igoli.

Impact of IFS on My Life – Professor Dr Diana Elizabeth Waturangi

A door opener for

my scientific visibility and credibility at national, regional and international levels!

Icompleted my PhD in microbiology in 2001 at Bogor Agricultural University, Indonesia. I continued with two postdoctoral programs in the USA, at Oklahoma State University in 2002 and at University of Texas Medical Center Houston in 2003. Back to Indonesia, in 2004 I started to work at Atma Jaya Catholic University, Jakarta. During my early career at the Faculty of Biotechnology, I faced the challenges of budget limitations. While I felt my passion for research growing through the years, especially in the field of food-borne pathogens, my motivation to generate knowledge in food safety research was stronger than the challenge of available research funds at my institution. Who might fulfil my search for funding to continue in research?

My mentor, Prof Dr Antonius Suwanto, an IFS alumnus, saw my potential to grow, informing me about IFS and encouraging me to compete for a grant. I applied successfully for a research grant in 2008 with my project entitled “Prevalence of Vibrio cholerae in ice used by street vendors”. This first grant enabled me to broaden my network. Three IFS volunteer advisors in microbiology were approached by the food science research area accepted to be in touch with me: Professor Swapan Banerjee at Health Canada, Ontario, the late Dr Nathan Gollop, Agriculture Research Organisation, Israel, and Professor Radu Son, an IFS alumnus from Putra University Malaysia. They provided useful advice about sampling and data analysis methods and appropriate software. Good-minded senior scientists from IFS’s global network made me believe that what I was doing was of value.

I submitted my scientific report to IFS in 2011 along with a renewal research grant application. I received comments from the IFS scientific committee about my report. What struck me first of all was their appreciation of the usefulness of my results for our local and regional context. They concluded that the results were novel and emphasised their value for society in Indonesia. They helped me understand that I was carrying out science for development with applicable results. While I had published seven papers in Indonesian journals before my first IFS grant, the IFS scientific committee encouraged me to reach out to a broader audience beyond Indonesia as they saw my potential and that the results were publishable in a good journal. After the completion of my first IFS-supported project, Dr Banerjee continued to provide advice and guidance on how to write a publishable quality scientific manuscript.

When I submitted my IFS research renewal grant application, the scientific committee appreciated the quality of my scientific

report but deferred their final decision on awarding a second research grant, waiting on a measurable indicator of my scientific progress. In early 2012, I co-published with Dr Banerjee Swapan in the Journal of Food Protection a paper entitled “Prevalence and molecular characterization of Vibrio cholerae from ice and beverages sold in Jakarta, Indonesia, using most probable number and multiplex PCR”. My IFS research renewal grant application was thus accepted for support in early 2012, entitled “Prevalence of pathogenic Escherichia coli from salad vegetable and fruits sold in Jakarta”. I was also awarded an IFS travel grant to present the results of my first IFS project at the International Conference on Antimicrobial Resistance in Lisbon, Portugal, in 2012. This provided a good opportunity to meet scientists from different parts of the world, among whom was Dr Pan Jaegu from the Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology in South

Professor Dr Diana Elizabeth Waturangi.

Korea. This led to the strengthening of collaboration between our two institutions. At this meeting, I heard about the Global Bacteria Forum, a foundation that can support young scientists working on antimicrobial resistance with a travel grant. This led later to my first attendance at their meeting. I met Dr Sabu Thomas of Rajiv Gandhi Center for Biotechnology, Kerala, India. We initiated a partnership and had joint publications, which gave me the opportunity to visit his university and for him to come to my institution in Indonesia.

My IFS experience expanded my skills to apply for other grants, do research and publish

In the belief that I could compete for research grants and knowing that research funds are limited in developing countries, I had to look for sources of funding myself and apply where I was eligible. Thus, I succeeded to get additional funds from Indonesia Toray Science Foundation, International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), and from the Indonesian Ministry of Culture and Education. From the experience of my IFS travel grant, I developed an understanding of how important it is to continue interacting with other scientists to broaden my network and community and to increase collaboration. I also applied successfully four times for travel grants from the Bill Gates Foundation and ISID in 2008, World Society for Pediatric Infectious Diseases and Victorian State Government Australia in 2011 and 2013, and the Global Bacteria Forum and American Society for Microbiology in 2015. My attendance in these scientific gatherings strengthened my credibility beyond Indonesia. I have expanded my research on how to control foodborne pathogens, food spoilage bacteria and aquaculture pathogenic bacteria and biofilms with alternative treatments using bioactive compounds from other microbes as well as bacteriophage. In addition to two books on biofilms and bacteriophages published by Gramedia, Indonesia, I have also published more than 100 articles and have written two book chapters related to biofilms:

> “Understanding the mechanism of biofilm formation in major Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens with special emphasis on quorum sensing”, and > “Enumeration of bacteriophages by plaque assay”

How IFS played a role in my professional life

IFS played a significant role in my career, because it was my first international research grant that supported me with sufficient funding to conduct research and publish in high impact journals. IFS research grants and the published papers enriched my track record as a food microbiologist. Without the early support from IFS, it would have been difficult for me to achieve my present position. Citations of my publications over the years have positively attracted the attention of authorities in Indonesia, in addition to that of peers abroad. The Indonesian Food and Drug Authority (BPOM-RI) appointed me to one of their expert panels, where I share my knowledge and technical expertise, and train many BPOM-RI scientists throughout Indonesia on how to conduct rapid molecular detection of food-borne pathogenic bacteria. This has led to research and publishing collaborations.

The American Society for Microbiology (ASM) appointed me as country ambassador for Indonesia (2016-2021), with the role of responding to the needs of local scientific communities. I conducted workshops on how to teach microbiology in an interesting way in 14 universities throughout Indonesia, and since 2021 have served on ASM’s International Council. I was also approached by the Academy of Food and Nutrition Sciences of the Indonesian Academy of Sciences based on my publications, and in 2021, I was selected as a member of the Academy.

Being grateful to IFS, I have kept in contact with the food science and nutrition research area. I am in the pool of IFS scientific advisers in my field of expertise. Through IFS, I learned about the Global Harmonization Initiative that seeks to harmonize food regulations globally. It is strongly related to food safety and thereby I became a member and its ambassador for Indonesia. My being an ambassador of various international societies and initiatives has developed my interest to have an impact beyond the scientific arena and official organizations. With my colleagues, we make monthly visits to local communities across Indonesia to talk about food safety, and how to cook safe and nutritious food.

Professional development at my institution through the years

I was appointed Dean of the Biotechnology Faculty at Atma Jaya Catholic University from 2010-2017, becoming a full professor in microbiology in 2018, and am currently Head of the Food Microbiology Laboratory. I continue to research food-borne diseases, food spoilage and aquaculture pathogenic bacteria. We work on biocontrol of various microbes, develop biofilm from microbes, and conduct research on bacteriophages recovered from food. My research on the control of foodborne pathogens and their biofilms, using antibiofilm and bacteriophages, has been assessed for in vivo assays as well. I hope the results will be applied in the food and aquaculture industries to improve food safety and food security. Atma Jaya Catholic University only had an undergraduate program in biotechnology and food technology when I started, and a master’s program was established in 2012. I have supervised more than 100 undergraduate students and more than 25 master’s students. I also collaborate with other scientists at the Institute Pertanian Bogor University as co-supervisor of two PhD students and one master’s student.

My advice to early-career scientists

During our professional life, we face various challenges and obstacles to conducting research, publishing, and in securing research grants. Scientists must show resilience throughout our careers. Ask for advice from senior researchers and colleagues, as collaboration and networking are key to success. Learn about the donors to whom you want to apply for funding and establish whether their focus is on basic or applied science or both before applying. As my experience with IFS shows, my first project, while only of marginal novelty, was nonetheless deemed relevant and useful with potential applications for Indonesia. My IFS projects were very much in the field of applied research, aimed at solving country- or region-specific problems. In other words, I chose the right donor – IFS – to launch my professional life.

The support of IFS through donors, strategic partners and individuals

We are deeply thankful for the support of the long-time donors, strategic partners and individuals who have continued their relationships with IFS as we implement and revise our IFS Strategy 2021–2030, Investing inFutureScientists.Partners like these six organisations – and many others over the years – are why we can continuously support early-career researchers in the Global South. We truly cannot thank them enough.

COMSTECH, the Ministerial Standing Committee on Scientific and Technological Cooperation of the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation)

IRD, the Research Institute for Development

OPCW, the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons

SEARCA, the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture

Sida, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency

SNSF, the Swiss National Science Foundation

PEOPLE, FINANCES, AFFILIATES AND GRANTS

IFS BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Dr Patrick Van Damme (Interim-Director, and Chair), Professor, Faculty of BioScience Engineering, University of Ghent, Belgium, and Dean of the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences, Czech University of Life Sciences, Prague

Dr Mónica Moraes R. , (Vice-Chair), Professor, Institute of Ecology –Unidad de Botánica (Herbario National de Bolivia – LPB), Carrera de Biología, Universidad Mayor of San Andrés, La Paz, Bolivia

Dr Malcolm Beveridge, Consultant (retired)

Dr Assogbadjo Achille Ephrem, Professor , Faculty of Agronomic Sciences , University of Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Benin

Dr Kjell Havnevik, Professor, Department of Global Development and Planning, University of Agder, Kristiansand, Norway

Dr Anders Malmer, International coordinator /Adjunct Professor (SLU Tropical Forestry), Swedish Forest Agency, Jönköping, Sweden

Ms Elisabeth Schenker, Scientific Officer International Co-operation, Swiss National Science Foundation, Berne, Switzerland

Dr Bishnu Raj Upreti, Executive Director, Nepal Center for Contem- porary Research , Kathmandu, Nepal

IFS STAFF

Mr Ulf Edin, Head of Administration

Ms Annika Eriksson, Programme Administrator, Animal Production and Aquatic Resources and Water Resources

Dr Ingrid Leemans, Scientific Programme Coordinator, Animal Production, Aquatic Resources and Water Resources

Ms Ingrid Lindhe, Programme Administrator, Crop Science and Forestry/ Agroforestry

Mr Elvis Bahati Orlendo, Web Editor, Social Media and Information Manager

Ms Nathalie Persson Andrianasitera, Scientific Programme Coordinator, Food Science, Natural Products and Social Science

Ms Sirilak Pongpatipat, Accounting Administrator

Dr Jennifer Sjölund, Scientific Programme Coordinator Crop Science and Forestry/Agroforestry

Ms Jill Wallin, Office Manager, Purchasing Manager and Adminstrator

1 January–31 December 2023 1 January–31 December 2022

AFFILIATED ORGANISATIONS

NATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

ARGENTINA

Academia Nacional de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (ANCEFN)

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)

AUSTRALIA

Australian Academy of Science (AAS)

AUSTRIA

Fonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung (FWF)

Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften (ÖAW)

BANGLADESH

Bangladesh Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (BCSIR)

BELGIUM

Académie Royale des Sciences d’Outre Mer (ARSOM)

Académie Royale des Sciences des Lettres et des Beaux Arts de Belgique Koninklijke Academie voor Wetenschappen, Letteren en Schone Kunsten van België (KVAB)

BOLIVIA

Academia Nacional de Ciencias de Bolivia (ANCB)

BRAZIL

Academia Brasileira de Ciencias (ABC) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPQ) Fundaçao Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ)

BURKINA FASO

Ministère des Enseignements Secondaire, Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique (MESSER)

CAMEROON

Ministry of Scientific and Technical Research

CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC

l’Enseignement Supérieur et de la Recherche Scientifique

CHAD

Direction de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, MESRS

CHILE

Academia Chilena de Ciencias

Comisión Nacional de Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (CONICYT)

CHINA

Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS)

COLOMBIA

Academia Colombiana de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales (ACCEFYN)

Centro para la Investigación en Sistemas Sostenibles de Producción Agropecuaria (CIPAV)

Instituto Colombiano para el Desarrollo de la Ciencia y Tecnología (COLCIENCIAS)

CONGO (BRAZZAVILLE)

Direction Générale de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, MENRST

COSTA RICA

Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICIT)

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

Académie des Sciences, des Arts, des Cultures d´Afrique et des Diaporas Africaines

CUBA

Academia de Ciencias de Cuba (ACC) Ministry for Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation

DENMARK

Akademiet for de Tekniske Videnskaber (ATV) Det Kongelige Danske Videnskabernes Selskab (RDVS)

ECUADOR

Fundación para la Ciencia y la Tecnología (FUNDACYT)

EGYPT

Academy of Scientific Research and Technology (ASRT)

EL SALVADOR

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT)

ETHIOPIA

Ethiopian Science and Technology Commission (ESTC)

FINLAND

Delegation of the Finnish Academies of Science and Letters

FRANCE

Académie des Sciences

Centre de Coopération Internationale en Recherche Agronomique pour le Développement (CIRAD)

Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)

Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)

GERMANY

Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)

GHANA

Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

GUINEA

Direction Nationale de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique

GUINEA BISSAU

Instituto Nacional de Estudos e Pesquisa (INEP)

GUYANA

Institute of Applied Science and Technology

HONDURAS

Consejo Hondureño de Ciencia y Tecnología (COHCIT)

INDIA

Indian National Science Academy (INSA)

INDONESIA

Lembaga Ilmu Pengetahuan Indonesia (LIPI)

ISRAEL

The Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities

JAMAICA

Scientific Research Council (SRC)

JORDAN

Royal Scientific Society (RSS)

KENYA

Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI)

Kenya National Academy of Sciences (KNAS)

KOREA DPR (NORTH)

Academy of Sciences of DPR Korea

KOREA R (SOUTH)

National Academy of Sciences (NAS)

KUWAIT

Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR)

LATVIA

Latvian Academy of Sciences (LAS)

LESOTHO

The National University of Lesotho (NUL)

LIBERIA

University of Liberia (UL)

MADAGASCAR

Académie National Malgache

MALAWI

National Research Council of Malawi (NRCM)

MALAYSIA

Malaysian Scientific Association (MSA)

Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation

MALI

Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique et Technologique (CNRST)

Comité National de la Recherche Agricole (CNRA)

MEXICO

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONACYT)

MONGOLIA

Mongolian Academy of Sciences

MOROCCO

Centre National de Coordination et de Planification de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique (CNR)

Institut Agronomique et Vétérinaire Hassan II

MOZAMBIQUE

Universidade Eduardo Mondlane (UEM)

The Scientific Research Association of Mozambique (AICIMO)

NEPAL

Royal Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (RONAST)

NETHERLANDS

Koninklijke Nederlandse Akademie van Wetenschappen (KNAW)

NIGER

Université Abdou Moumouni

NIGERIA

Federal Ministry of Science and Technology (FMST)

The Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS)

NORWAY

Det Norske Videnskaps Akademi (DNVA)

PAKISTAN

Pakistan Council for Science and Technology (PCST)

PANAMA

Secretaria Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia e Innovación (SENACYT) Universidad de Panamá

PAPUA NEW GUINEA

The University of Papua New Guinea

PERU

Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología (CONCYTEC)

PHILIPPINES

National Research Council of the Philippines (NRCP)

POLAND

Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS)

SAUDI ARABIA

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST)

SENEGAL

Délégation aux Affaires Scientifiques et Techniques, MRST

SEYCHELLES

Seychelles Bureau of Standards (SBS)

SIERRA LEONE

Institute of Agricultural Research (IAR)

SOUTH AFRICA

National Research Foundation (NRF)

SRI LANKA

National Science Foundation (NSF)

SUDAN

National Centre for Research (NCR)

SWEDEN

Ingenjörsvetenskapsakademien (IVA)

Kungliga Skogs och Lantbruksakademien (KSLA)

Kungliga Vetenskapsakademien (KVA)

SWITZERLAND

Council of the Swiss Scientific Academies (CASS)

Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF)

TANZANIA

Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH)

THAILAND

National Research Council of Thailand (NRC) Thailand Research Fund (TRF)

TUNISIA

Direction Générale de la Recherche Scientifique et Technique, MES

UGANDA

National Agricultural Research Organisation (NARO)

Uganda National Council for Science and Technology (UNCST)

UNITED KINGDOM

The Royal Society

Natural Resources Institute (NRI)

URUGUAY

Programa de Desarrollo de las Ciencias Basicas (PEDECIBA)

USA

American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS)

National Academy of Sciences (NAS) New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS)

VENEZUELA

The Ministry of Popular Power for Science and Technology

VIET NAM

Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST)

ZAMBIA

National Institute for Scientific and Industrial Research (NISIR)

ZIMBABWE

Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC)

University of Zimbabwe

REGIONAL ORGANISATIONS

AFRICA

Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA)

Association of African Universities (AAU)

Centre Regional pour l’Eau Potable et l’Assainissement à faible coût (CREPA)

Institut du Sahel (INSAH)

The African Academy of Sciences (AAS)

West and Central African Council for Agricultural Research and Development (WECARD/CORAF)

Western Indian Ocean Marine Science Association (WIOMSA)

LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN

Centro Agronónomico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE)

The Caribbean Academy of Sciences (CAS)

Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI)

INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS

BioNET (The Global Network for Taxonomy)

International Organisation for Chemical Sciences in Development (IOCD)

International Union of Forest Research Organisations (IUFRO)

The Academy of Sciences for the Developing World (TWAS)

Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR): CGIAR Secretariat

Bioversity International

Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT)

Centre for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)

International Centre for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas (ICARDA)

International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF)

International Water Management Institute (IWMI)

World Fish Center

BASIC GRANTS AWARDED IN 2023

BENIN

ABDOUL KADER Alassane Moussa

Evaluation of mercury residues (total mercury and methylmercury) in soils in artisanal gold mining areas and soybean cultivation soils in the commune of Kérou, Benin.

BOYA Bawa

Sanitary and nutritional quality of sagagnèga, a cereal-based fermented porridge produced in Northern Benin.

CHAKIRATH FOLAKÈ ARIKÈ Salifou

Standardization of the technology of fish smoking with briquettes made from agricultural residues and evaluation of the qualities of smoked fish in Benin.

HOUNSOU-DINDIN Guillaume

Towards the domestication od of Ricinodendron heudelotii (Bail.) Pierre: insights from ecophenotypic assessment in Benin.

HOUSSOU Arsène Mathieu

Assessments of phytoplankton communities and the anthropogenic effects of cage aquaculture in Toho-Todougba lagoon.

KOUSSOVI Guillaume

Developing a model for local and sustainable aquaculture in Africa: optimization of hatchery protocols for production of the native freshwater prawn Macrobrachium macrobrachion (Herklots, 1987) in Benin.

MONKOTAN Ramsès

Genetic diversity and morphological variability of grasscuters ( Thryonomys swinderianus ) populations from Benin.

SINSIN Corine

Development of an artificial intelligence-assisted framework for predicting the impact of climate change on the distribution patterns of mangrove species in West Africa’s: application on Rhizophora racemosa in Benin coastal mangroves.

LOKO Yêyinou Laura Estelle

Determination of economic threshold and injury levels for control decision-making of termite pests in maize crops.

ZAVINON Gbèwèdo Fiacre Gildas

Identification of Marker-Trait Associations for grain quality traits and cooking time in pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L. Millsp) using SSR markers.

BHUTAN

NAIR Anooja

Detection of prevalence of Staphylococcus aureus in fast-foods in Bhutan and its antimicrobial susceptibility.

BURKINA FASO

ZONGO Aboubié Elisabeth

Sustainable and agroecological management of emerging diseases of bambara groundnut for improved production in Burkina Faso.

THIOMBIANO Noel Gabiliga

Molecular investigation of haemosporidian (malaria) parasites of bats in Burkina Faso

DIAWARA Sata

Participatory domestication of Saba senegalensis: a savanna fruit bearing liana.

CAMEROON

DZAVI Jean

Ecology and diversity of Mayfly larvae in some forest streams of Cameroon.

MANGA ESSOUMA François

Etude de l’écotoxicité de Beauveria sp sur les insectes pollinisateurs du caféier et du cacaoyer au Cameroun.

CONGO

BADJEDJEA BABANGENGE Gabriel

Amphibians of Salonga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo.

KATEMBO KASEKETE Désiré

Wood energy sector and the perception of the population in relation to the possible substitution of charcoal by gas in the city of Butembo (NorthKivu, Democratic Republic of Congo).

LOUBOTA PANZOU Grace Jopaul

Biodiversity–carbon stocks relationships in Central Africa.

COTE D’IVOIRE

ABRE Marina

Potential of the fermented fish adjuevan-associated Lentibacillus strains to degrade biogenic amines.

TIMITÉ Nakouana

Contribution to the conservation of wetlands in Côte d’Ivoire by updating data on mangrove forests of the Ivorian coast (southern Côte d’Ivoire).

COULIBALY Wahauwouele Hermann

Optimization of fish farming through probiotics bacteria in food.

ETHIOPIA

GEBRESILASSIE TEKLAY Achenafi

Impacts of Land-use Change on Sediment Yield and Ecosystem Service in the Lake Tana Basin, Ethiopia.

BELACHEW Meseret

Evaluating soil erosion assessment methods for sustainable management of natural resources in the Gumara Watershed in the highlands of Ethiopia.

TEGEGNE Tatek Belay

Climate variability and change and their implications on the livelihood of the local community in Northwest Ethiopia.

GHANA

ADDY Francis

Efficacy of albendazole and triclabendazole against Fasciola infections in cattle in northern Ghana.

ATINDANA Akugpoka Sandra

Application of inorganic and organic proxies in determining water quality and the health of the West African Mangrove Oyster (Crassostrea tulipa) in Ghanaian Coastal Waters.

SAAH Selina Ama

Adsorptive removal of pharmaceutical residue from water using biochar nanocomposite.

KENYA

AWUOR Redemtor

Evaluating the potential of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus) seeds for mineral and vitaminbiofortification of maize flour and production of antifungal biopesticides for increased food and nutrition security.

KIMELI Amon

Evaluation of sediment organic carbon provenance using eDNA analysis of mangrove sediments in Vanga, Kenya.

NATTOH Godfrey Indina

Deciphering the Role of Insecticide Resistance on Infection of Anopheles with Microsporidia MB.

WAFULA Eliud

Functional properties of autochthonous lactic acid bacteria from fermented African indigenous vegetables for improved food safety, storability, and nutritional quality.

MADAGASCAR

VESTALYS Ialy Rojo

Diversity and origin genetics of Syzygium aromaticum (cloves) in Madagascar.

ANDRIAMANANTENA Mahery

Valorization of the cocoa beans industry wastes in Madagascar: case of cacao beans sorting wastes and cocoa shells.

RASAMBO Sedera Norotiana

Dynamics of change in the adoption of Piper spp. (Tsiperifery) for forest resource management in Madagascar.

MALAWI

KONDOWE Benjamin

Ecological Health of Selected Afrotropical Rivers in Lake Malawi Basin using Water Quality Index.

MONGOLIA

TSERENDORJ Munkhjargal

Genetic analysis of filarial nematode in camels of Mongolia.

NEPAL

SHARMA PANDEY Anusha

Application of environmental isotopes Tritium to estimate groundwater recharge of Pokhara Valley, Nepal.

NIGERIA

EZENYI Ifeoma

Safety and efficacy investigation of novel, ecofriendly Triumfetta cordifolia extract-loaded nanoformulation for malaria therapy.

OPEYEMI Babatunde Ogunsuyi

Agronomical, Biochemical and Molecular Assessments of Selenium biofortified African eggplant and Black nightshade leaves as sources of dietary Selenium Enrichment.

PAKISTAN

SALEEM Kamran

Development of an Image-based method for precise estimation of leaf and yellow rust disease severity in wheat.

TOGO

KOUBODANA HOUTETA Djan’na

Variabilities of Water Shortage and Supply Under Current, Near, and Far Future Scenarios Across Togo River Basins.

AGBODAN Kodjovi Mawuégnigan Léonard

Enhancing understanding of biological indicators for spatio-temporal management of agricultural areas in the Sudanian zone of Togo.

TUNISIA

FRIKHA-GARGOURI Olfa

Management of fire blight disease through a consortium of biocontrol agents.

UGANDA

NAKAYINGA Ritah

Characterization of a soil phage lytic against Xanthomonas campestris pv. musacearum; towards developing a phage cocktail for effectively controlling Banana Xanthomonas Wilt in Mukono district.

OKELLA Hedmon

Development of a bio-preservative from fishderived antimicrobial peptides.

VIETNAM

TUOI Le Thi

Bioactivities and biochemical components of the extract from Cordyceps militaris solidbased residues with supplemented mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana L.) peel powder.

BINH Nguyen Thanh

Decentralized composting model as a solution for recycling of the organic waste in developing countries: a case study for Thu Duc wholesale market in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

DUNG Tran

Mercury in the environment around the coalfired power plants in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam.

ZIMBABWE

TAURO Tonny Phirilani

Harnessing Zinc and Selenium solubilizing microbes for improved maize and sorghum productivity and nutritional security.

MANGOYI Rumbidzai

Induction, isolation and purification of amylases secreted by Aspergillus niger ATCC 1004, for industrial use.

Basic Grants Processed by IFS Program 2023

IFS Basic Research Grants Awarded by Gender 2023

IFS Basic Research Grants Awarded by Region 2023

Basic Grants Awarded by IFS Research Areas 2023

SUPPORTING

YOUNG RESEARCHERS

The International Foundation for Science (IFS) supports early career scientists in Low- and Lower-Middle-Income Countries through grants and capacity-enhancing activities. IFS was established as a non-governmental organisation in 1972, is funded by the academic, development and private sectors and has provided more than 10 000 grants to researchers in 105 countries for a half-century.