The Africa Regional Call (ARC) is a Belmont Forum Collaborative Research Action (CRA) led by the National Research Foundation, South Africa (NRF). Launched in 2024, the ARC was developed to address critical knowledge gaps and priorities in climate change vulnerability across Africa, aligning with the African Union’s climate, environment, and sustainability goals for Agenda 2063. The call focused on three main themes: a) Water-Energy-Food-Health Nexus, b) Pollution, and c) Disaster Preparedness, Responsiveness, and Recovery. Additionally, the green and blue economy was identified as a cross-cutting issue, and education and awareness were encouraged as cross-cutting activities.
Nineteen organizations, including ANR, BMFTR, FAPESP, FE, FNI, FONSTI, IOC, MSRTI, NCRST, MInT, NRF-KE, NSF, ReGIG, SNSF, SOI, START, TÜBİTAK, and WRC, joined NRF South Africa (ARC lead) in supporting this initiative. The rigorous application process, which spanned from May 2024 to March 2025, saw 172 pre-proposals and 59 full proposals submitted. Following a comprehensive review, ten projects were selected for up to three years of funding. These projects represent diverse research efforts that address the complex challenges at the interface of climate, environment, and health in Africa.
Awarded Projects
- ACCENTS-4CO2
- ICWE-SD Co
- FEAT4AFRICA
- PURE-MW
- FEWTURE
- SHIELD
- Sustainable Solutions for Slaughterhouse and Dairy Industries’ Wastewater Treatment
- Co-creating Circular Sanitation Systems
- BIO-NEXUS
- CoPPAQ
Stay informed about these impactful projects and their contributions to the region. Explore our website for in-depth details on the ARC CRA and discover how these initiatives will contribute to addressing environmental challenges across Africa: ARC 2024.