Calestous Juma, Ph.D.

Research

Project Details

Technology and Sustainable Development in Africa

The main focus of Juma's fellowship project was research on policy issues related to the conservation and utilization of biological resources to support sound policy reform. He developed a master's level program in Technology and Environmental Policy at the University of Agriculture and Technology in Kenya. Juma also designed and conducted training courses in policy analysis and sustainable development for young environmental leaders from seven countries in the region as well as Japan, to support local capacity-building efforts.

Juma's fellowship research resulted in numerous published articles and several publications including In Land We Trusts: Ownership, Conservation and the Constitution of Kenya and Forging Ahead: Technology and Sustainable Development in Africa.

Biography

Calestous Juma was professor of the practice of international development at Harvard University. Previously, he was executive secretary of the Convention on Biological Diversity in Quebec, Canada.

Juma was the founder of the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), the first independent policy research institution in Africa focused on environmental and technology issues. His work examined the relationships between technological innovation and biodiversity conservation and he was active in promoting the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity signed in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. He was also the first environment and science journalist in East Africa in the late 1970s and was instrumental in raising awareness of environmental issues in the region.

In 2005, Juma was selected to co-chair the new African Panel on Biotechnology (APB), which designed an African policy and strategy for biotechnology and provided comprehensive and independent science policy advice to the African Union (AU). The APB identified and recommended specific ways of building Africa's capacities to apply and safely handle modern biotechnology. The APB submitted its recommendations to the AU Summit and considered submissions from various stakeholder groups.

CV

EDUCATION

Ph.D., Sussex University
1986: Science and Technology Policy, UK

Master of Science, Sussex University
1983: Science and Technology Policy, UK

Teachers Certificate, Egoji Teachers Training College
1974: Science Education, Kenya

KEY LEADERSHIP POSITIONS

African Panel on Biotechnology, the African Union Commission and the New Partnership for Africa's Development
2005: Co-Chair

Public Library of Science
2003: Board of Directors

Secretariat of the U.N. Conference on Environmental and Development, Member
Working Party on Biological Diversity

WRI/IUCN/UNEP Biodiversity Conservation Strategy Programme, Member
International Coordinating Group

University's Institute for New Technologies (UNU/INTECH)
Board Member

Manor House Agricultural Center, Kenya
Board of Directors

KEY AWARDS & HONORS

Foreign Associate
2005: National Academy of Sciences

Marine Fellow
1991: Pew Fellows Program in Conservation and the Environment

UK
Royal Society of Arts

New York Academy of Sciences

SELECT PUBLICATIONS

• Juma, C. and Yee-Cheong , L. 2005. Innovation: Applying Knowledge in Development. U.N. Millennium Report: Task Force on Science, Technology, and Innovation (online at: http://www.unmillenniumproject.org/reports/tf_science.htm).
• Juma, C. and D. Honca. 2002. Biotechnology and the precautionary principle. International Journal of Biotechnology 4(1): 1-3
• Juma, C. and V. Konde. 2002. Industrial applications for biotechnology: opportunities for developing countries. Environment 44(6): 22-35
• Sustainable Development to International Organizations, Development, Security, and Cooperation Committee of the National Research Council. 2002. Down to Earth: Geographic Information for Sustainable Development in Africa. National Academies Press Juma served on the coordinating Committee for Survey and Analysis of Science Advice
• Sustainable Development to International Organizations, Development, Security, and Cooperation Committee of the National Research Council. 2002. Knowledge and Diplomacy: Science Advice in the United Nations System. National Academies Press Juma served on the coordinating Committee for Survey and Analysis of Science Advice
• Juma, C., K. Fang, D. Honca, J. Huete-Perez, V. Konde, S.H. Lee, J. Arenas, A. Ivinson, H. Robinson and S. Singh. 2001. Global governance of technology: meeting the needs of developing countries. International Journal of Technology Management 22(7): 629-655
• Juma, C. and J. B. Ojwang (eds.). 1997. Land We Trust : Environment, Private Property and Constitutional Change.. African Centre for Technology, Nairobi. Acts Environmental Policy Series, No 7
• Juma, C. 1995. Get up, stand up, keep up. Ceres 27(3): 34-40
• Juma, C. 1995. Public policy research in Africa: An exploration
• Juma, C. and P. Kameri-Mbote and J. Mugabe (eds.). 1995. Coming to Life: Biotechnology in African Economic Recovery., Nairobi. Acts Technology Policy Series, No. 8
• Juma, C. 1994. Ecophilosophy and parental earth ethics: On the complex web of being. In: Philosophy, Humanity and Ecology: Philosophy of Nature and Environmental Ethics (H.O. Oruka ed.). Acts Press and the African Academy of Sciences, Nairobi
• Juma, C. 1994. Environmentally sound technology transfer and capacity building in Africa: Strengthening incentive systems. In: Climate Change and the Agenda for Research (T. Hanisch ed.). Westview Press, Boulder, Colorado
• Juma, C., J.M. Magambo and H. Monteith. 1994. Tissue culture for coffee: The case of Uganda. Monitor 20:19-20
• Khalil, M., W. Reid and C. Juma. 1992. Property Rights, Biotechnology and Genetic Resources. Acts Press, Nairobi. Biopolicy 7