Material Sciences, Manufacturing, Laser & Post-Harvest Technologies

	Building Africa's capacity for material sciences The poor state of Africa’s infrastructure (e.g. roads, energy, telecommunications, rails and houses) is a major impediment to economic and social development. It undermines the continent’s efforts to stimulate the emergence and growth of industries, including small and medium scale enterprises. The lack of good infrastructure is also one of the sources of low foreign direct investment in and technology transfer to many African countries.
	Building engineering capacity for manufacturing The exclusion of the continent from the industrial revolution stimulated by advances in manufacturing clearly demonstrate the need for African countries to build strong engineering capacity. Globalization is largely influenced by the capacity of nations and their firms to produce new and novel industrial goods and services. This capacity is to a large extent of an engineering nature.
	Strengthening the African Laser Centre (ALC) If African nations are to play a major role in utilizing light to advance science and technology, thereby contributing to the strengthening of their economies, it is essential to wait no longer in making the kinds of investments that will lead to substantial economic payoffs. Recognizing the need to invest in light sources, most of which fall under the scientific term laser, the African laser community came together to establish the African Laser Centre (ALC).
	Technologies to reduce post-harvest food loss One of the sources of food insecurity in Africa is post harvest crop loss. In African countries preand post-harvest crop losses are higher than the global average and impact more severely on already endangered livelihoods. It has been estimated that at least 10 percent of the continent’s crop productivity is lost on and off farm. This is mainly because most subsistence farming communities to do not have access to appropriate technologies. A wide range of existing food processing technologies is not accessible to and adapted by African countries and their communities. Climatic conditions also contribute to crop losses. Floods, heavy rains, droughts and other related factors cause considerable post harvest crop loss.