NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 9 – More than 200 journalists, researchers, policymakers and technology experts are expected in Nairobi in April 2027 for a conference aimed at strengthening science reporting across Africa.
The sixth African Conference of Science Journalists (ACSJ 2027), organised by the Media for Environment, Science, Health and Agriculture (MESHA), will run from April 26 to 28 under the theme Frontlines of Resilience: Science, AI, and the Future of African Reporting.
The meeting will focus on equipping journalists with skills to cover scientific developments and issues such as climate change, public health, food security and artificial intelligence (AI).
MESHA Chief Executive Officer Aghan Daniel said the conference would also examine how journalists can counter misinformation and pseudoscience to improve public trust in scientific institutions.
The programme will cover four main areas: agriculture, environment, energy and algorithms; health, epidemics and technology; the future of science journalism; and visits to laboratories, farms and companies around Nairobi.
The conference comes as African countries face challenges linked to climate change, food security, energy supply, biodiversity loss and emerging public health threats.
The growing use of AI in newsrooms will also feature in discussions, including how journalists can use the technology in research, data collection and information distribution while addressing the risks of misinformation.
Aghan said the meeting would highlight the role of science journalism in ensuring that scientific knowledge and technological developments translate into benefits for African communities.
MESHA, which was established 21 years ago, has organised the conference as its flagship platform for scientific communication and collaboration since 2012.
The organisation plans to launch a dedicated conference website with details on the programme and registration.
