B. ASSAf Workshop Proceedings and Other Reports
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Proceedings Reports are a verbatim reflection of a live ASSAf event. It is published with consent of all speakers.
Peer-Review Status: Non-Peer Reviewed
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Item The State of Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity in the SADC Region(Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf), 2018) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)This proceedings report is the product of a two-day workshop (19 –20 March 2018) on The State of Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region which was held at Emperor’s Palace, Johannesburg. The key objectives for this two-day workshop were to: • Discuss issues of laboratory biosafety and biosecurity importance for the region. • Strengthen existing collaborations/networks and establish new ones. • Exchange information and knowledge. The four key challenges that were found to be common across all SADC countries that participated were: • Lack of or inadequate (and fragmented) legislation, regulations and guidelines relevant to laboratory biosafety and biosecurity. • Limited or lack of capacity – including infrastructure, resources and human capacity. • Lack of or limited training programmes on laboratory biosafety and biosecurity. • Low level of awareness about laboratory biosafety and biosecurity, especially among researchers/scientists.Item The shale gas industry in South Africa: Toward a science action plan. 31 August – 1 September 2017, Proceedings Report(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2017) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The objective of the conference was to showcase critical national reports on shale gas in South Africa; analyse the regulatory environment; and consolidate common findings and recommendations and provide a platform for debate. The conference was attended by 126 key stakeholders from government, industry and academia. African and international delegates also attend the conference. Among the 126 delegates there were 12 speakers and 9 panellists. The programme was divided into 7 sessions with the last session comprising 2 roundtable discussions. The opening address was delivered by Dr Phil Mjwara, Director-General of the Department of Science and Technology. Further notable representations were made by Mr Jacob Moatshe, Acting Deputy Director-General of Mineral Policy and Promotion at the Department of Mineral Resources (representing the Chair of the governmental Hydraulic Fracturing Monitoring Committee, Advocate Thabo Mokoena (DG of the DMR)), and Ms Busisiwe Khumalo, General Manager at the Eastern Cape office of the Premier.Item Preparing for the Future of HIV/AIDS in Africa: A Shared Responsibiltiy(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2012) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The sub-Saharan Africa region still remains the region most heavily affected by HIV/AIDS. In 2010, about 68% of all people living with HIV resided in sub-Saharan Africa and the region also accounted for 70% of new HIV infections. However, there has been a notable decline in the regional rate of new infections. The epidemic continues to be most severe in southern Africa, with South Africa having more people living with HIV (an estimated 5.6 million) than any other country in the world (UNAIDS World AIDS Day Report, 2011).Item Proceedings of a Symposium on Our Nuclear Future: Delay or Demise?(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2014) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The purpose of the symposium was to bring together a diverse range of stakeholders and invite engagement in a rigorous, evidence-based, scholarly debate on the issue of nuclear energy. Participants and presenters were drawn from various backgrounds: academia, government, private and public sectors, and civil society. South Africa is not alone in the world in grappling with issues related to nuclear energy. International perspectives on costs of nuclear energy were also presented.Item Workshop Proceedings Report GMOs for African Agriculture: Challenges and opportunities(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2010) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)This proceedings report is the product of a two-day workshop hosted by the Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) from 17-18 September 2009. ASSAf, in partnership with the Union of the German Academies of Sciences and Humanities, the Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) and the Uganda National Academy of Sciences (UNAS) received funding from the InterAcademy Panel (IAP) to conduct a study on “Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Opportunities and Challenges in Africa”.Item Proceedings report Changing patterns of Non-Communicable Diseases(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2013) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The theme of this conference was a superb example of the various activities in which the academies had been involved. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) constituted one of the most critical set of health challenges that faced the global community. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), NCDs constituted some 60% of all mortality at the present time, and more worrying was the upward trend. It was clear that there was urgent work to be done in this area. The timing and appropriateness of the conference theme were of unquestionable pertinence. NCDs provided a set of challenges that could not be successfully addressed through the isolated actions of various institutions and academies, but required collective wisdom, in this case of the group of medical academies.Item Proceedings Report: Technological Innovations for a Low Carbon Society Conference(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2013) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)The challenge of finding sustainable, low carbon solutions to a global problem, such as climate change, is pertinent for both Germany and South Africa, notwithstanding their different developmental stages and different socio-economic and political contexts. Themes addressed included the energy-water-food nexus for resilient societies; low cost, low carbon innovations for poverty alleviation; smart city innovations; new and emerging technologies, such as carbon capture and storage and The Beauti-fuel Project aimed at converting biomass to liquid fuel, and the potential for solar power in South Africa. It was noted that South Africa can be viewed as a ‘playground’ for finding innovative low carbon solutions due to the untapped wind and solar energy resources and the excellent research capability.Item Workshop on Measuring Deprivation in Order to Promote Human Development(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2015) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Poverty reduction is a critical factor outlined in both the Millennium Developmental Goals 2015 (MDGs) and the National Developmental Plan (NDP) – Vision 2030. In order for South Africa to make progress in this regard, definitions of the different forms of deprivation and human development and indicators for their measurement are needed to monitor and evaluate any programme implemented to reduce poverty. The focus of the workshop was to understand the different dimensions of poverty and how appropriate and good measures of poverty can be developed and implemented. The workshop aimed to facilitate a holistic approach, inclined toward key recommendations outlined in the NDP – Vision 2030. The aims and objectives of the workshop were to: • Enhance understanding of poverty and its different dimensions. • Enhance understanding of the debates over the types of measures required to monitor the different dimensions of poverty and the levels at which poverty thresholds should be set and by whom. • Document the phases and substance of the poverty measurement debate in post-apartheid South Africa and the details surrounding this discussion.Item Nuclear Energy Safety Symposium. Proceedings Report(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2012) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)Both public and political attitudes on the introduction and use of nuclear energy change with time and events. A movement towards extending its use and building new advanced power stations is driven largely by the contribution that nuclear energy can make to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and hence nuclear energy’s positive role in the climate change debate, as well as its contribution to satisfying the world’s increasing demand for base load electricity. Should the South African government continue with its plans to expand the contribution of nuclear energy to the energy mix, there is no room for complacency, particularly after the March 2011 events at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Japan. These events have focused attention on safety and risk as key issues in the use of nuclear power and have created an understandable anxiety about the use of nuclear technology. South Africa needs to heed the lessons learned from the Fukushima Daiichi accident, as well as other accidents and ensure that these lessons are incorporated into current and future nuclear energy planning. The symposium was initiated by the ASSAf commentary on the IRP 2010 requested by the Deputy Minister of Science and Technology. The idea developed during the meeting of the G8+5 Academies of Science. The international and local inputs to this symposium were very refreshing, original and decisive in conveying specific and relevant points.Item Proceedings of a Workshop on the Implementation of Core Competencies for Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders(Academy of Science of South Africa, 2014) Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf)According to the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), one in six South Africans suffers from disorders such as anxiety, depression or substance use; this excludes disorders such as bipolar or schizophrenia. Due to inadequate resources in managing this burden, less than 16% of patients receive treatment (South African College of Applied Psychology, 2013). The Academy of Science of South Africa (ASSAf) has a strong focus on health issues of the nation and through its convening influence, hosted a workshop on The Implementation of Core Competencies for Mental, Neurological and Substance Use Disorders on 27 –28 May 2014 in Johannesburg. The workshop was attended by stakeholders from government (national and provincial), academia, non-government organisations (NGOs), civil society organisations (CSOs) and professional association/council representatives. This ASSAf workshop follows a series of workshops initiated by the United States’ Institute of Medicine (IOM) aimed at contributing towards addressing the burden of mental, neurological, substance use (MNS) disorders in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This included a workshop (August 2009) titled Reducing the Treatment Gap, Improving Quality of Care that was held in Uganda (in collaboration with the Ugandan National Academy of Sciences). In September 2012, a second workshop titled Strengthening Human Resources through Development of Core Competencies for MNS Disorders in SSA was also held in Uganda. It was at this 2012 workshop that the candidate core competencies for providers across all MNS disorders were developed, and the output from that workshop forms the basis for the ASSAf workshop. The core competencies enable screening, identification, formal diagnosis, referral, treatment and care of MNS disorders. The objectives of the ASSAf workshop were to: 1. Identify and discuss the key challenges in the implementation of the MNS disorders core competencies within the South African health system context. 2. Explore the best strategies and opportunities that could be adopted by the different stakeholders for effective implementation of MNS disorders core competencies. Workshop participants and speakers identified and discussed a number of overarching key challenges and gaps when it comes to addressing MNS disorders adequately in South Africa.