On behalf of the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL), I have the distinct honour to announce the convening of the SASSCAL 2.0 Science Conference, a strategic milestone marking the culmination of a transformative journey in regional climate science, innovation and capacity development. The science conference will be held under the theme “From Research to Action: Enhancing Sustainability through Climate-Change Impactful Solutions in the Southern African Region” in Luanda, Angola, from 7 to 9 October 2025 at the ENAPP – School of Administration and Public Policy.
With 10 million Euros in funding from the German Government through the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR), the 2.0 Research Programme, which was launched in March 2023, represents our second flagship research portfolio, advancing regional resilience through science-based interventions. With its conclusion scheduled for early 2026, the programme has, to date, delivered measurable impact through 13 multidisciplinary projects and 51 sub-projects, spanning across 24 institutions in 5 countries: Angola, Botswana, Namibia, South Africa and Zambia.
The thematic areas of SASSCAL 2.0 include Food Security, Water Security, Biodiversity Conservation, Sustainable Forests and Climate Data. These focus areas reflect our commitment to tackling the multifaceted challenges posed by climate change. Our groundbreaking projects: ANGSOILS, ANTALOPE, BEEKEEPING, ELNAC, Climate Smart Crops, FoSReCs, FRAME, PLANT PROPERTIES, RIBS, SUSTAIN, TIPPECC, VRPE, and WIRE have produced critical data, innovative solutions and policy-relevant knowledge designed to serve both people and planet.
This landmark conference will serve as a regional platform for strategic reflection, celebration of progress and forward-thinking dialogue. We will be honoured to welcome distinguished delegates from the SASSCAL Council of Ministers, our Governing Board, research institutions, government authorities, the private sector, media, students and civil society.
A defining feature of this event will be the active engagement of over 100 SASSCAL 2.0-funded students, who will showcase their research, innovations and contributions to both academic excellence and climate resilience. Their voices are the embodiment of our region’s scientific future.
As we gather in Luanda, Angola, let this conference be more than a retrospective. Let it be a rallying call, a decisive moment to translate science into action, knowledge into solutions and ambition into coordinated regional progress.
I therefore extend a heartfelt invitation to all stakeholders from policymakers to practitioners, researchers to regional leaders to join us in shaping the next chapter of climate action in Southern Africa.
Together, let us move boldly from research to action with unity, purpose and shared responsibility.
Thanking you all in anticipation.
