By Siviwe Mxuma

Rhodes University’s celebration of its 120th anniversary was marked by a significant event on 22 April 2024 – the launch of the EU-funded collaboration project Nature-based Solutions for African Resilience (NbS4AfrRes).

Aptly timed on Earth Day, this launch symbolised a commitment not just to commemorate the past but to shape a sustainable future for Africa.

The NbS4AfrRes project consortium, a formidable alliance comprising two South African universities, Rhodes University and the University of Cape Town, alongside two Senegalese institutions, Ecole Polytechnique de Thies and Université Cheikh Anta Diop, together with three esteemed partners from the EU — TÜ Delft (Netherlands), AgroParisTech (France), and Institut National de Recherche Pour L’Agricuture, L’alimentation et L’Environnement (INRAE, France) — embarks on a mission to enhance the capacity of both current environmental specialists and future professionals.

At the heart of this initiative lies a shared commitment to promoting Nature-based Solutions (NbS) as a cornerstone for climate resilience. With NbS gaining prominence on the agendas of global, continental, and national policies, the project endeavours to integrate these solutions into higher education curricula. By doing so, it seeks to empower students with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate a rapidly changing world, while also equipping current professionals with specialised training courses to address pressing environmental challenges.

For the full article please see [RU120] New project aims for climate resilience in Africa