October 2025 was an exceptionally productive and successful month for AKU's Arusha Climate and Environmental Research Centre (AKU-ACER). The Centre cemented its role as a regional leader in climate and health research by co-hosting a major scientific conference and launching an inaugural international symposium. AKU-ACER's researchers also showcased their expertise globally through key workshops and published high-impact journal articles.
AKU-ACER kicked off the month by co-hosting the 2nd Five University Consortium Scientific Conference in Morogoro, Tanzania. The event, themed Beyond Survival: Building Inclusive and Climate Resilient Societies, gathered over 70 high-level participants, including Vice Chancellors, Presidents, and scientists from the five member universities.
Among the key outcomes of the conference was an agreement by the consortium to adopt a more inclusive name to facilitate the entry of new member institutions, broadening its impact. Following a direct request from the Ministry of Education's Permanent Secretary, the organizing committee is now tasked with developing policy briefs based on the conference's research findings to inform national decision-making.
From October 8 to 10, AKU-ACER hosted the 1st International Artemisia Symposium at its campus in Arusha. The event drew an impressive 135 participants from 24 countries, bringing together researchers, health professionals, and government officials to explore the critical role of Artemisia in the One Health framework – focusing on human, animal, and environmental well-being.
The symposium was officially opened by AKU Provost Professor Tania Bubela. A major highlight for attendees was the opportunity to tour the global Artemisia research reference centre site at the AKU-ACER premises.
Professor Tania's visit also included a trip to the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and Technology (NMAIST) to discuss future collaborative initiatives, signalling a commitment to continuous partnership and growth in research capacity.
AKU-ACER researchers made significant contributions across various international and national forums throughout October. Dr Happiness Moshi attended and chaired sessions at the Land, Life, and Society Conference on October 7–12 in South Africa, organized by PLAAS. She also attended the launch of the “Medium Scale Farmers in Rural Africa" project, funded by the prestigious Volkswagen Foundation. Dr Emmanuel Sulle participated in the CHOICE Project Workshop from October 18 to 19 in Dar es Salaam. This vital event, titled Climate Change and Human Health: Building Resilience through Evidence-Based Policy, brought together over 100 stakeholders and was implemented by the Aga Khan Health Services (AKHST) Dar es Salaam in collaboration with the Medical College East Africa.
The Centre celebrated the academic achievement of Dr Bashir Adelodun, who co-authored two new journal articles, furthering AKU-ACER's visibility in cutting-edge science: “Integrating Molecular Farming into Sustainable Plant Biotechnology: A Review of Transgenic Plants as Biofactories for Protein-Based Pharmaceutical Production," published in Plant Cell, Tissue and Organ Culture (PCTOC), 163(2), 45; and “Drought Monitoring Using Enhanced Soil Moisture Drought Index (ESMDI) Downscaled with Deep Learning from Multi-Satellite Data for Achieving Food and Water Security," published in Physics and Chemistry of the Earth.
