African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
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African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS)
ICRAF Campus, United Nations Avenue, Gigiri
P.O. Box 45917 Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: (254-20) 7224700/7224000
Fax: (254-20) 7224701/7224001
E-mail: acts@cgiar.org
Website: http://www.acts.or.ke
Prof. Judy Wakhungu, Executive Director
Description
African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) is a Nairobi-based international intergovernmental science, technology and environmental policy think-tank that generates and disseminates new knowledge through policy analysis, capacity building and outreach. The Centre strives to provide scientific and technological information to enable African countries make effective policy choices to improve living standards. To achieve its mission, ACTS has identified three core strategies: Research provides African countries and institutions tools in science, technology and environmental policy; capacity-building maintains and strengthens contact with scholars of national, regional and international repute; policy and outreach gives African countries, institutions and people voice in harnessing science and technology The three strategies are integrated into all five programmatic areas to effectively achieve the mission.
Thematically, ACTS carries out activities organized in five programmatic areas: Biodiversity and Environmental Governance; Energy and Water Security; Agriculture and Food Security; Cross-Cutting Issues; and, Science and Technology Literacy.
ACTS works and collaborates with scholars and institutions of national, regional and international repute like the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (Kenya), the Graduate School of Environmental Studies at the University of Strathclyde (United Kingdom), department of Environmental and Biosystems Engineering of the University of Nairobi, the United Nations Environment Program, the United Nations Development Program, the Secretariat of the Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Resources Institute and the World Conservation Union (IUCN). It also works closely with governments, both members and non-members, in all its areas of research, capacity-building and outreach activities.
It also maintains a formidable global team of associates called upon from time to time to carry out and participate in some of its activities. Besides partnerships with governments, international and national NGOs, academic and research institutions, and UN bodies, new partnerships and collaborative arrangements are gradually emerging between ACTS and many regional and sub-regional organizations such as the East African Community (EAC), Southern Africa Development Cooperation (SADC) and the New partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
The main donors of ACTS are: United States Agency for International Development (USAID); Swedish International Development Agency (SIDA); Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (NORAD); The World Bank; United Nations Environment Program (UNEP); The Ford Foundation; Association for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA); International Institute for Environmental Development (IIED); Environmental Law Institute and Norwegian Embassy.
Track Record
From 1988 to 1993, the Centre invested its energies and resources into demonstrating the feasibility of independent policy research on science, technology and environmental issues. These formative years of ACTS coincided with the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) process. The centre played a key role in building the capacity of African countries to negotiate the provisions of the international agreements concluded at UNCED. The second phase (1994–1997) of ACTS program development was dominated by formulation and implementation of programs and projects on AGENDA 21 and related conventions on biological diversity and climate change. The subsequent period, 1997–2002, built on the foundation laid before to ensure a further evolution of ACTS programs. The main focus was on biosafety in a regional context, conservation of genetic resources in the midst of erosion of biodiversity and the potentials in biotechnology. This programmatic focus was designed to respond to the challenges from the perspective of a number of African countries.
The organization’s collaboration with partners and networks including academic and research institutions, national governments, regional and international organizations continues to benefit diverse stakeholders. Besides links with the government of Kenya, new links have emerged with the governments of Uganda, Malawi, Ghana and South Africa. Some of these collaborations include organizing the 6th Global Civil Society Forum (6th GCSF) in preparation for the 23rd UNEP Governing Council meeting held in February 2005; Capacity strengthening in the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) for Adaptation to Climate Change (CLACC) with the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED); serving as sub-Saharan Africa’s coordinating institution for the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development (IAASTD); and coordinating the Regional Approaches to Biotechnology and Bio-Safety in East and Southern Africa (RABESA). The organization has also actively contributed to sub-regional and regional processes such as the East African Community and the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD).
In the past 12 years, ACTS has contributed to national, regional and international biodiversity policy processes. For example, the center’s pioneering work on policies and laws to regulate access to genetic resources and promote fair and equitable sharing of benefits with local custodians of the resources, generated reference material for the negotiations on how to implement Article 15 of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity. This and related work has helped governments develop laws and policies to regulate illegal collection of genetic resources and allowed benefits to be shared with local communities. Another area where the Centre played a pivotal role in 2005 is the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology Development (IAASTD). ACTS hosted the IAASTD sub-Saharan Africa Regional meetings in Nairobi and the Executive Director of ACTS is the IAASTD co-Chair.
Challenges
The challenges of globalization are adding new pressures on ACTS to contribute to the scientific and technological knowledge needed to bolster the competitiveness of nations and enterprises in the global economy. The organization needs to sharpen its competitive edge and acquire more resources to fulfill these and other expectations.
Opportunities
Besides, the rising concern over implementation of sustainable development programs offers new opportunities for ACTS to play new socio-economic functions. The organization has to develop adaptive capabilities and a high degree of commitment to excellence in research, training and outreach.
