The agricultural, energy and environmental sciences thematic group is a group of experts dedicated to work that harnesses Africa’s indigenous and exotic bio-resources and energy sources to ensure modern, efficient, reliable, cost-effective, renewable-sustainable and environmentally friendly food, timber and energy delivery systems. The group’s activities focus on the nexus between agriculture, ecosystems health and environment in view to improve Africans’ livelihoods, and foster renewable and sustainable energies uptake and expansion in Africa.

The group of experts produces both applied and basic research, facilitates technology transfer, distills best-learned experiences and technologies relevant to Africa, develops regulatory and policy frameworks, creates awareness in renewable energy and environment, and fosters capacity building. This includes conducting tailored cutting-edge research on people, agriculture ecosystems, energy sources (solar energy, wind energy, hydropower, bio resources such as biomass and waste, fossil fuels including oil and natural gas, geothermal, nuclear, hydrogen, marine and ocean energy etc.), utilization (electrochemical energy storage systems such as batteries, super capacitors, hybrids, fuel cells etc.), energy storage/energy sources integrated systems (solar PV/battery, solar PV/super capacitor, solar PV/battery-super capacitor etc.), environment (atmosphere, climate changes, carbon capture etc.), education (informing policymakers and other decisionmakers, teaching, awareness creation etc.), techno-socio-economic aspects (energy policy, energy economics and marketing, social dimension etc.), systems (energy-food-water-gender nexus, energy and environment modelling, smart infrastructures and cities, life cycle assessment, etc.) for various applications including buildings, industry, transport, and electricity.

The research group strives to support progress towards the UN-2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), and the Agenda 2063 of the African Union. Experts from this group have received support from competitive organizations such as Alexander von Humboldt foundation, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the National Natural Science Foundation of China, and the European Union.