ZEF Project Details

AFAS - African Climate and Environment Center - Future African Savannas

Keywords

Science-Policy-Practice Interface (SPPI); Nature-based Solutions (NbS); Savannas; Africa; Climate Change; Biodiversity

Countries

Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya, Germany

Summary

Africa’s sustainable development is tremendously challenged by climate change and biodiversity loss. In particular, the vast African savanna systems have largely been converted into managed landscapes, including agricultural and settlement areas. Savannas are very rich in biodiversity and provide indispensable ecosystem services. At the same time, savannas are the “breadbasket” of the continent providing 70% of Africa's cropland, 66% of cereal production and 80% of livestock farming. One of the greatest future challenges in savanna areas will be to adapt to the ever- changing environmental conditions, to conserve their biodiversity, maintain ecosystem functionality and ecosystem service provision, and concurrently provide food for the local population.

The African Climate and Environment Centre - Future African Savannas (AFAS) which is one of the global Centres of German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) aims to build the critical mass and expertise to tackle these challenges, leveraging on working in the unique SPPI (Science Policy Practice Interface) space, adopting an inter- and transdisciplinary education and research approach with strong digital teaching, learning and research components, capacity development for the implementation of concepts and technologies as drivers of transformative change for the conservation and sustainable use of the savanna ecosystem following the Nature-based Solutions (NbS) approach. Indigenous and local knowledge combined with innovative new approaches based on research represent a great potential for sustainable development and achieving the SDGs in the region.

Methodology

AFAS aims to build capacity of young African scholars through a post-graduate program with masters and doctoral students who undertake an interdisciplinary study program with a curriculum that is co-developed together with stakeholders. The students and senior researchers undertake research on climate change adaptation and biodiversity conservation in the African Savannas. The students also engage in international exchange programs and internships. AFAS is a transdisciplinary project that works with stakeholders in the Science, Policy and Practice Interface.

Main Cooperation Partners

The Center for Development Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Germany
The Institute for Climate Change and Adaptation (ICCA), University of Nairobi, Kenya
The African Center of Excellence on Climate Change, Biodiversity and Sustainable Agriculture (CEA-CCBAD), Université Félix Houphouët-Boigny, Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
The Global South Studies Center (GSSC), University of Cologne, Germany

Main Funding Partners