What if AI could help a farmer decide what to grow, how much to invest and whether a crop is likely to make a profit?

In Episode 36 of Connecting The Dots, Professor Bitange Ndemo shares how data and AI could help farmers compare their options and make more informed decisions about their livelihoods.

It’s a different way of thinking about AI. Not just as a tool for writing, creating or automating tasks, but as something that could help solve everyday challenges.

But for that to happen, the technology needs to work for the people using it. That means thinking about access, local languages, relevant data and the realities farmers face.

So, if you could use AI to solve one challenge in your community, what would it be?

Tell us in the comments. We’d love to hear what you think.

#ConnectingTheDots #NowYouSeeUs #AIinAfrica

What happens when one woman's search for answers becomes a mission to transform healthcare for thousands more?

This week in partnership with CHReaD, we sit down with Faith Wanjeri, Co Founder and CEO of The HEM Practice, to explore why women's pain is too often dismissed, how minimally invasive surgery is changing lives, and what it takes to make advanced healthcare more accessible across East Africa.

From personal experience to healthcare innovation, this conversation challenges us to rethink what access, equity and patient centred care really mean.

If you've ever wondered how science moves beyond research and into real lives, this episode is for you.

Great science doesn’t always reach the people it’s meant to serve. In our newest episode of #ConnectingTheDots, we sit down with Dr. Robert Karanja, biomedical scientist and entrepreneur, to unpack one of the biggest challenges facing African innovation.

Together, we explore why promising discoveries often struggle to become products, how innovation ecosystems can bridge the gap between research and industry, and why locally developed solutions are essential for addressing local health challenges.

This conversation goes beyond entrepreneurship. It is about building the systems that allow science to create societal and economic value.

​80% of what we eat depends on pollinators. Not in theory. In practice.​

In this episode, Dino Martins breaks down how pollinators shape ecosystems, agriculture, and livelihoods across Africa. From working with farmers to studying biodiversity at scale, his research connects insect ecology directly to the food on your plate.​

Here’s one way to think about it: A single watermelon can require over 50 visits from different bee species to form properly. Pollination doesn’t just affect yield. It affects quality, taste, and income.

Astronomy often feels distant, but it has always been closer to everyday life than we think.​

As astronomer Lekshmi Rajagopal explains, it's simply physics applied to space, built on observation and a desire to understand how the universe works and where we come from. What has changed over time is not the curiosity, but the tools, from watching the sky with the naked eye to detecting signals across the universe in ways that were not possible before.​

At the same time, people have always been observing the sky in practical ways, using patterns to guide time, movement, and daily decisions with consistency and accuracy, even without formal scientific language. So what happens when we start to take those ways of knowing seriously?​

In this episode of Connecting The Dots, Lekshmi helps us unpack what astronomy really is, where it shows up in everyday life, and why the way we teach and talk about science shapes who feels like they belong in it.

In this episode, the Senior Principal Clinical Research Scientist at Kenya Medical Research Institute(KEMRI) breaks down the science behind rising STI and HIV risk among young women in Kenya. Adolescent girls are twice as likely to contract STIs as boys. Many infections show no symptoms, which means they often go untreated until years later when complications appear as infertility, chronic pain, or pregnancy challenges.​

We explore why adolescent girls are biologically more vulnerable, how power dynamics and poverty increase risk, and why prevention tools only work when they fit real life conditions. Professor Bukusi also explains how a single dose of the HPV vaccine can prevent cervical cancer and why elimination is possible if vaccination coverage rises high enough.​

This episode is about evidence, responsibility, and action. Prevention depends on honest conversations, accurate information, early testing, and vaccines that reach the people who need them.​

​Watch the full conversation and share it with someone who needs clear facts and practical guidance.

Public health failures are rarely caused by missing science. They are caused by missing systems.

In this episode of Connecting The Dots, we sit down with Prof. Christian Happi, a global leader in genomic surveillance and infectious disease research. His work has helped countries detect and respond to Lassa fever, Mpox, Marburg virus, Ebola, and COVID through faster pathogen sequencing and early outbreak detection.

We break down how genomic sequencing transforms outbreak response, from rapid detection to smarter public health decisions. What is the difference between an outbreak, an epidemic, and a pandemic? Why does early detection determine whether a health threat stays local or becomes global?

We also examine key lessons from Ebola and COVID, including:

• Why trusting local African scientists improves response time

• Why pandemic preparedness must happen before crisis

• How sustained public investment in research systems matters more than emergency funding

• What governments get right and wrong when science matters most

The conversation traces the evolution of the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases into the Institute of Genomics and Global Health, now expanding genomic research beyond infectious diseases into cancer, cardiovascular disease, and precision medicine.

This episode explores pandemic preparedness, genomic science, public health governance, and the role of African research leadership in global health security. If you care about outbreak detection, infectious disease surveillance, health systems strengthening, or science policy in Africa, this conversation is essential.

Subscribe for more conversations with leading African scientists shaping the future of global health

Why should countries continue investing in global health during political and economic pressure?

In this episode, Professor Ntobeko Ntusi explains the real reasons global health investment matters, how political realities shape health outcomes, and what is at risk when funding declines.

This conversation looks at power, equity, research leadership, and responsibility in global health today.

Follow us on https://x.com/CTDPodAfrica, https://www.instagram.com/ctdpodafrica/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/scilink-global/ for more conversations on science, health, and policy.

#CTDPodAfrica #GlobalHealth

What does it take to build an industry from scratch?

In Part 2 of the Connecting The Dots Podcast, we continue the conversation with Eloïne Barry and Emmanuel Dabo to explore the business side of science communication; how ideas turn into organizations, how trust is built between scientists and the public, and why entrepreneurship is key to the future of African science storytelling.

They share the realities behind launching and sustaining platforms that make science accessible, relatable, and relevant. From their early motivations to the practical challenges of funding, partnerships, and talent, they discuss what it means to build structure in a space that’s still defining itself.

We also unpack how AI is influencing the way science stories are created, shared, and consumed, and what that means for communicators, researchers, and content creators across Africa.

Watch now, subscribe, and join the conversation on how we can empower scientists and storytellers to shape Africa’s knowledge future.

#ScienceCommunication #CTDPodAfrica

What does science communication really mean for Africa, and how can it change lives?

In this episode of Connecting The Dots, host Juliette sits down with Emmanuel Dabo, Founder of the African Science and Communication Agency (ASCA), and Eloïne Barry, Founder of the African Media Agency (AMA). Emmanuel has been part of Africa’s science communication story since 2016, while Eloïne brings over 15 years of experience leading media work across Africa and Europe.

Together, they unpack how science communication can turn complex research into practical knowledge, why trust and clarity matter, and what it takes to tell stories that move people to act.

#ScienceCommunication #CTDPodAfrica

In this episode of Connecting The Dots, our host Juliette sits down with Dr. Rose Oronje, Deputy Director at the African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP), to explore the intersection of politics, evidence, and policy in Africa.

Dr. Oronje shares insights from over 20 years of leadership in policy engagement, research, and strategic communications. She explains why evidence often takes a backseat to politics, and what this means for decision-making in health, population, and governance across the continent.

Key topics in this episode:

• Why governments sometimes ignore strong scientific evidence

• The role of citizens in holding policymakers accountable

• How researchers can bridge the gap between science and policy

• The future of evidence-informed policy in Africa

If you care about the future of African governance, science communication, and policymaking, this conversation is for you.

Subscribe for more African voices on science, policy, and innovation.

#AfricaPolicy #ScienceCommunication #EvidenceInformedPolicy #CTDPodAfrica

In this episode of Connecting The Dots, Dr. Vincent Okungu shares how he has shaped healthcare policy and financing strategies across Africa. A Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellow and seasoned health economist, Vincent has worked with governments to create evidence-based, cost-effective health solutions.

We explore his role in designing Kenya’s universal health coverage plans, securing major investments for Rwanda’s fight against non-communicable diseases, and ensuring healthcare systems deliver both equity and value for money. Vincent opens up about the persistence required to turn research into actionable policy and the importance of having more trained health economists across the continent.

This is essential listening for anyone interested in African health policy, sustainable financing, and the leadership that drives meaningful change.

#CTDPodAfrica #SciComm #ScienceLeaders #HealthEconomics #Healthpolicy

In our latest episode, we’re joined by Drs Ann Kingiri and Catherine Kilelu from the African Centre for Technological Studies (ACTS). These two leading scientists are helping reshape how we understand food systems, not just in terms of technology or production, but in terms of who benefits, who decides, and who gets left behind.

From agricultural policy to climate-smart practices, from rural innovation to gender equity, this conversation weaves together the big-picture challenges facing Africa’s food systems today and the bold thinking required to meet them.

If you’re interested in Agri-tech, policy change, or the future of development in Africa, this episode brings nuance, clarity, and urgency to one of the most important conversations of our time.

Watch, comment, and subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of science, justice, and innovation.

This week on Connecting the Dots, we're joined by Prof. Abdoulaye Gueye, a leading African sociologist and professor at the University of Ottawa.

We dive into how colonial legacies still shape African universities today: Who are they built for? Whose image do they serve? And what does that mean for the future of knowledge on the continent?

Tune in for a powerful conversation about identity, higher education, and what it means to build African science that tells our own stories.

Follow us on https://x.com/CTDPodAfrica, https://www.instagram.com/ctdpodafrica/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/scilink-global/ to continue the conversation

#CTDPodAfrica #SciComm #ScienceLeaders #SocialScience

Meet Prof. Annettee Nakimuli, obstetrician, gynaecologist, researcher, and Dean of Makerere University’s School of Medicine, on a mission to ensure African women’s deaths during childbirth become the rare exception, not the tragic norm.

From asking "Where do babies come from?" as a child to leading Africa’s first genetic study on pre-eclampsia, her journey proves that real change happens where science meets lived experience. By day, she delivers babies; by night, she pioneers research to combat life-threatening pregnancy complications like pre-eclampsia, fetal growth restriction, and stillbirth, conditions that claim 70,000 mothers and half a million infants globally each year.

We'd love to hear from you in the comments: What had you heard about pre-eclampsia? What inspired you in this episode?

Follow us on https://x.com/CTDPodAfrica, https://www.instagram.com/ctdpodafrica/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/scilink-global/ to continue the conversation

From the Evidence for Development Conference 2025, this special two-part episode features four Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellows in a dynamic follow-up to their panel discussion. Prof Collen Masimirembwa, Prof Isabella Oyier, Dr Yaw Bediako, and Prof Nicki Tiffin reflect on the state of Africa’s Research & Development ecosystem offering bold, clear-eyed perspectives on local production, data sovereignty, and science as a tool for economic transformation.

This is a conversation about doing science differently: rooted in context, driven by excellence, and aimed at creating lasting impact across the continent.

#Evi4Dev2025 #Agenda2063 #SDGs @scienceforafricafoundation6498 @auda-nepad4206

Keep the conversation going in the comments and on our social media on https://x.com/CTDPodAfrica, https://www.instagram.com/ctdpodafrica/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/scilink-global/ to continue the conversation

From the Evidence for Development Conference 2025, this special two-part episode features four Calestous Juma Science Leadership Fellows in a dynamic follow-up to their panel discussion. Prof Collen Masimirembwa, Prof Isabella Oyier, Dr Yaw Bediako, and Prof Nicki Tiffin reflect on the state of Africa’s Research & Development ecosystem, offering bold, clear-eyed perspectives on local production, data sovereignty, and science as a tool for economic transformation.

This is a conversation about doing science differently: rooted in context, driven by excellence, and aimed at creating lasting impact across the continent.

#Evi4Dev2025 #Agenda2063 #SDGs  @scienceforafricafoundation6498   @auda-nepad4206 

Keep the conversation going in the comments and on our social media on https://x.com/CTDPodAfrica, https://www.instagram.com/ctdpodafrica/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/scilink-global/ to continue the conversation

Prof. Thumbi Ndung’u returns to the show after presenting promising HIV cure trial results at CROI 2025 in San Francisco. At the center of the research? Combination immunotherapy, an approach that could help the immune system control HIV without lifelong medication.

Prof Thumbi is the Director for basic & translational science at Africa Health Research Institute, and professor at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is also the lead researcher on the HIV cure trial. In this episode, we unpack The science behind the trial and the FRESH study and what this means for future generations.

Do you think we'll see a HIV in our lifetime? Let us know in the comments. Follow us on https://x.com/CTDPodAfrica, https://www.instagram.com/ctdpodafrica/ & https://www.linkedin.com/company/scilink-global/ to continue the conversation

This episode of Connecting The Dots with Juliette we’re joined by Dr. Huyam Salih, Director of AU-IBAR (African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources) and Dr. Obai Khalifa, Deputy Director for Agricultural Development at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, two leading experts who break down the science and controversy behind Kenya’s vaccination campaign for Foot and Mouth Disease and PPR, the climate implications of reducing livestock herds, and the widespread misinformation surrounding methane emissions and lab-grown meat. We also shine a light on the contributions and challenges of smallholder farmers, who are the backbone of African agriculture. With clarity and nuance, this episode explores why equitable, climate-smart, and locally driven solutions are essential to Africa’s food future.

Health is often seen as an expense, but what if we viewed it as an investment—one that fuels economic growth, strengthens societies, and ensures long-term stability? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Mary Moussa an Egyptian-born pan-Africanist, health specialist, and business development expert currently Head of Consulting at Africa Health Business. We discuss the urgent need for sustainable health financing in Africa, especially in the wake of USAID’s recent funding withdrawal.

Dr. Moussa breaks down the risks of over-reliance on donor-funded programs, using the powerful analogy: “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket—especially when the basket isn’t even ours.” She argues that African health systems must be African-funded, African-oriented, and African-owned, ensuring that healthcare data and resources serve the continent’s needs first. Drawing from discussions at the Africa Health Agenda International Conference in Rwanda, she shares inspiring insights on how local solutions can drive better health outcomes.