Edited by Dr Priscilla Mensah (NRF), Prof Katerere (TUT), Dr Sepo Hachigonta (NRF) and Prof Andreas Roodt (UFS), the book contains a collection of review articles while it also focuses on evidence-based policy-making. It will serve as a valuable resource for both postgraduate students conducting research using systems analysis thinking, and policy makers.
Since a book on applied systems approaches with a strong focus on Africa is not common, the editors saw a need to approach it from an African perspective. The book also examines health, environmental, political and socio-economic risks aimed at providing an analytical foundation for the management and governance of natural resources, disasters, addressing climate change, and easing the technological and ecological transitions to sustainability.
Alumni and faculty of the Southern African Young Scientists Summer Programme (SA-YSSP) authored the book, with the support of the NRF in Partnership with the Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA).
“As a trainer for the three iterations of the SA-YSSP, it inspired me to meet and work with so many young scientists from Africa and the global South. I learnt a lot from them and it was a great honour to work on this groundbreaking collection. We are confident that this tangible output will be a useful resource and have wide reach among policy makers, researchers and students. I was particular happy working with Dr Mensah, who often took me out of comfort zone,” says Prof Katerere.