African academics urged to do more research about the SDGs

African academics should conduct research about the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and national plans, which could help the continent achieve the goals set by these initiatives, according to John Victor Mensah, a professor of development economics at the school for development studies at the University of Cape Coast in Ghana.

Speaking on ‘The role of Sustainable Development Goals, [the] AU Agenda 2063 and national plans in shaping the research agenda of the social sciences and humanities’ in a recent public lecture organised by North-West University in South Africa, Mensah said: “Academia possesses the necessary expertise and knowledge to conduct research that will help us to achieve the various goals that we have.”

He said the goal date for achievement of the SDGs is 2030 and academics across Africa could monitor and evaluate these goals to ensure that the continent was able to achieve them, adding, “let us hope that positive actions will be taken so that we will be able to say that, even if we have not been able to achieve all 17 goals, we have been able to perform creditably so that we will get a pass mark”.

Mensah said if African academics brought together their expertise in the various fields of economics, environmental, physical, biological, social and medical science, public health and engineering, they would be able to “come up with multidisciplinary research that will help us to achieve or to formulate policies that will help to achieve these [developmental] goals”.

“Their [combined] knowledge and expertise can bring [about] a deeper understanding of the opportunities and challenges relating to the SDGs and Agenda 2063,” he said, adding that, “academic research can contribute to raising awareness and educating the public about the importance of sustainable and specific targets outlined in these two particular frameworks”.

Evidence-based policy recommendations

Mensah said research could lead to innovative solutions and technologies that could help deal with the complex issues outlined in these two frameworks, and this “can include new approaches to renewable energy, sustainable agriculture and climate-change adaptation”.

“Research conducted by academics can provide evidence-based policy recommendations to governments and international organisations, thereby helping to guide decision-making and resource allocation towards the achievement of these goals,” he said.

He noted that academics could play a crucial role in monitoring progress towards the SDGs by developing indicators, conducting evaluations and providing regular updates on the status of various goals and targets, explaining that, “academic research related to these areas can lead to a more comprehensive and informed approach to sustainable development, ultimately contributing to the achievement of this important global and continental agenda”.

He said research should be conducted at masters and PhD levels.

“The consideration may involve identifying how their research contributes to specific agendas such as clean water and sanitation, affordable and clean energy, quality education, access to quality healthcare, sustainable cities and communities or partnerships for the goals,” Mensah said.

In addition, he said, researchers should explore how their work supports the aspirations of this agenda by integrating the SDGs and Agenda 2063 into masters and PhD programmes. He added: “Scholars can ensure that their work is relevant, impactful, aligned with global and continental efforts to address and present challenges that promote sustainable development.”

Consider ordinary people’s knowledge

He reminded academics not to approach their work with a “know-it-all” attitude and urged them to involve those they consider as “ordinary people, who know little about the academic disciplines”, in their masters and PhD research.

“Ordinary people have a lot of experience ... They take decisions. And, therefore, we cannot ignore them in many areas. When we are doing research, we should be mindful of the fact that ... we can consider them as respondents or participants,” Mensah said.

On national plans, Mensah questioned how they are working towards the achievement of the SDGs and Agenda 2063, adding that these plans must pursue the global and continental agenda. He questioned whether, in the preparation of these documents, the people were consulted, or only bureaucrats.

In 2015, the UN adopted the SDGs with 17 goals as part of its efforts to bring about peace and prosperity for all people around the globe in 2030. The Agenda 2063, on the other hand, is a set of initiatives proposed and currently under implementation by the African Union. It was also adopted in 2015, with the stated goals to achieve economic development, including the eradication of poverty on the continent.