African Centre For Technology Studies (ACTS) launched ACTS Pathways Academy on July 5, 2023, at Safari Park Hotel in Nairobi. This was in line with ACTS commitment to promote capacity building, sustainable development by leveraging on Science, Technology and Innovation while fostering climate change mitigation actions.

The launched was officiated by the ACTS Head of the CRE (Climate Resilient Economies) Programme, Dr Joel Onyango.  He gave a brief introduction to what the ACTS Pathways aims to achieve with focus on:

• Enabling Capacity building
• Sustainable Development through focusing on leveraging Science, Technology and Innovation. (STI)
• Action for climate change empowerment

The ACTS Pathways will focus on four areas of work which will be divided into: Policy Lab, Business Hub, Learning Lab and Partner Hub.

Dr. Joel’s main emphasis was on the Learning lab area which will focus on delivering training in collaboration with other programs under the ACTS. These include:

1. Agriculture, Food, Nutrition and Security Programme.

The ACTS Pathways Academy will provide a platform for those in the agri-food sector to get training focused on:

• Sustainable agri-food systems in the country and continent at large through:
  • Digitalization of agriculture
  • Climate action-based agrifood system
  • Regional trade
  • Training and capacity building
  • Demand-driven training through reaching people in their own spaces or environments.
• Leveraging modules being offered and directing various partners to the academy for training.
• Develop bespoke modules which are demand and market driven by customizing information based on demand.

2. Digital Economy

ACTS Pathways Academy will leverage AI (Artificial Intelligence) by setting up an AI institute. The main agenda to be addressed by this institute will be:

1. Modeling business needs in technology according to the demand and level of business i.e., either SME or. This will also be achieved through leveraging data science and the collection of well-informed data.
2. Setting up a Project management component.
3. Providing training to institutions, companies or individuals on AI, data science and youth training in new and emerging trends in technology through project-based training.
4. Develop a virtual laboratory where companies and institutions can access massive data and apply the tools to their work.

The ACTS Pathways Academy will offer both professional and executive training.

The mode of learning will be divided into: Self-paced learning, bespoke training through specifically designed or tailor-made courses to meet institution’s or companies’ needs and summer schools in partnership with relevant institutions.

Some of the courses in the portfolio to be offered are:

1. Climate change modeling for decision making
2. Climate policy and leadership
3. Climate change finance
4. Science communication for climate change

Special Notes:

How can young healthcare professionals contribute to climate change mitigation?

In order to ensure that healthcare professionals contribute to, inform and inspire the future of climate change mitigation through their varied vocations, they can:

• Get informed on the principles of climate change, drivers and determinants. These could be through self paced learning on bespoke training which could be through platforms such as the YouTH Voices Network to contextualize the learnings into practical insights.
• Research on the nexus between climate change and healthcare with specific focus on specialty areas such as earlier works by Ryculture in collaboration with ACTS to commemorate world forests day under the theme: Nexus between Climate Change and Mental Health. Insights gained from such forums shape the trajectory of interventions and policies towards resourcing of the same.
• Design innovative healthcare delivery models and practices that foster the interdisciplinary & multisectoral approaches to human wellbeing which will be critical in delivering on a multipronged success matrix.
• Leverage on technology as an enabler, driver and tool for optimal healthcare service delivery across the continuum from insights generation, new drug discovery to patient care and treatment monitoring. Such advances are viable with commitment, focus and strategic execution.

Report written by Dr. Wangechi Kanyari, Pharmacist & Member, Ryculture YouTH Voices Network