Science, policy and development in Africa: challenges and prospects

"Africa is the oldest of the continents, the birthplace of civilisations, the storehouse of the earliest remains of humans and possesses the most wonderful works of humans. This is what Gardiner Hubbard wrote about Africa over a century ago in 1889. For ages Africa has refused to reveal its secrets to the world although explorers had penetrated from every side of the continent (Hubbard, 1889). Africa remains to be an inadequately explored and studied continent

Since gaining political independence in the 1950s, science has rapidly become a prerequisite for national development within many African nations. Supported by international agencies, such as UNESCO, initiatives were taken to direct Africa on the road of scientific development, enabling contributions to world science and significant progress in many specific research areas. However, from a developmental perspective there remains the question of how science influences national development plans and strategies. How far are science policies integrated into the national development plans? What potential and challenges do science and technology pose for Africa and its prospects for wider development? Offering a comprehensive historical and empirical study of science in both colonial and post-colonial Africa, R. Sooryamoorthy brings to light the connections between science, policy and development in African nations. Focusing on understanding the widening gap in science and technology between developed and developing regions, and the integration (or lack of) with national development strategies, this study provides important insights into the potential opportunities and challenges facing