STORY BY JONATHAN THOMPSON
Stakeholders at a Natural Resources Management conference have stressed the need for African Science Researchers to capitalize on modern digital technology to produce practical solutions to sustaining the continent’s forests, lands and water resources.
Expert researchers in the fields of agriculture, aquaculture, forestry and wildlife are participating in the conference dubbed “Sustainable Natural Resources Management Summer School, to share their expertise and impart their knowledge to young scientists and researchers with the passion to improve natural resources management in Africa.
The natural resources endowment of the African continent has recently come under serious threat due to illegal and bad environmental practices like illegal mining, incessant bush burning and pollution of water bodies.
These challenges have necessitated the call for natural resources researchers to apply all the available technology to test, diagnose and recommend practical solutions for the sustainable mangement of these resources.
The Sustainable Natural Resources Management Summer School is a 3- week workshop with researchers from different countries in Africa coming together to learn innovative ways to enhance their work. One of the lead facilitators and an Agronomy Research Expert from Germany, Dr. Eric Bonecke said he has worked with the summer school for the past 7 years and helped in training participants in how to deal with data in their research work and how to use computer technology in getting the needed analysis and results from their data.
According to Dr. Bonecke, the rapidly evolving digital world today demands that natural resources researchers must be abreast of new technological methods in statistical analysis and field investigations in their work in order to get accurate data and results.
Another Facilitator, Dr. Lydia Olaka urged young African Msc and PhD students to join the workshop in order to develop their skills in data collection in a challenging career such as research.
Participants were drawn from Science researchers from various African countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Uganda, Togo among others. They were hosted by the Department of Marine and Fisheries Sciences of the University of Ghana, Accra, to learn from Expert Researchers on innovative ways to produce envidenced-based solutions to inform policy directions on sustainable natural resources management.
Participants who spoke to this writer said they expect to be well equipped in research and data collection skills to contribute to solving ecological and environmental challenges bedevilling Africa.
A Nigerian Science Researcher, who was a participant, Triumph Oruwale said the fact that young African researchers are getting expert advise from renowned specialists is a benefit that must not be underestimated. He also commended the organisers of the summer school for fostering unity among African science researchers to collectively help tackle Africa’s environmental problems.
The Sustainable Natural Resources Management Summer School runs from 5th October to the 16th of October, 2026 and it is being hosted by the Department of Marines and Fisheries Sciences of the University of Ghana, Legon, Accra.
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Story by Jonathan Thompson
