Building Responsible Life Sciences in Africa: Observations from an Early-Career Female Scientist

Abstract

African Union, the continental body that unites 55 African states, has championed the strategic framework, Agenda 2063 since 2015. The Agenda 2063 spells out a blueprint for transforming Africa, aimed at promoting the quality of life and wellbeing for all citizens through citizen capacity building underpinned by science, technology and innovation, and through building productive and socio-ecologically resilient economies and agriculture (Agenda 2063, 2015, African Union Handbook 2022). Such ambition is impossible without the growth of life sciences in Africa. Despite a widely held conventional view that African countries still lag far behind in scientific development, the tremendous effort that African researchers, civil groups, government and quasi-governmental organizations in Africa have invested in mobilising the development of life science in Africa cannot go unnoticed. I am an early career female scientist who works at the University of Kabianga, Kenya. In this short perspective piece, I want to share some of my personal views about life sciences in Africa based on my experiences working with life scientists as well as the views of my African colleagues. In particular, I hope to demonstrate the often ignored roles female scientists and civil organisations play in developing a fair and sustainable bioeconomy in Africa