As Africa battles converging crises of food insecurity, climate change, and disease outbreaks, scientists and policymakers are warning that misinformation and disinformation have become a major barrier to innovation, public health, and sustainable development.
At the Africa Biennial Bioscience Communication (ABBC2025) symposium in Lusaka, Zambia, experts called for accurate science communication as a cornerstone of the One Health approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health.
Dr. Ndashe Kapula, Director of the Zambia Agriculture Research Institute, representing the Minister of Agriculture, Reuben Mtolo Phiri, said misinformation has emerged as a significant concern in today’s fast-changing information landscape.
“In Africa, we face the convergence of food insecurity and disease, and collectively, these create a complex crisis that threatens health and development. Science must not only be advanced but also defended through accurate communication and trust building,” Kapula said.
The three-day ABBC2025 symposium, held under the theme “The War on Science: How Can We Overcome the Burden of Misinformation and Disinformation?” brought together stakeholders from public health, agriculture, academia, and the media. Its aim is to promote cross-sectoral collaboration, identify best practices in science communication, and advocate for evidence-based policies.
Kapula highlighted that Africa bears the highest per capita prevalence of foodborne and zoonotic diseases, worsened by a dysfunctional food system.
“The intensification of agriculture, deforestation, urban expansion and climate change further weaken ecological and epidemiological natural regulatory processes, thus worsening the spread of infectious diseases and degrading natural resources essential for food production.
The holistic One Health approach is therefore essential in addressing environmental challenges, transforming our food systems, reducing disease burdens and fostering sustainability,” he said.
He stressed that misinformation and disinformation have delayed processes, eroded trust, and in some cases, cost lives. He also acknowledged the critical role of the media in countering falsehoods.
“We recognise you, because without you, we cannot communicate effectively. If we fail to communicate, silence will be like that tree that falls in the forest that makes a loud noise that is never heard of. We need to communicate rightly and correctly so that science is accurately and effectively communicated to the public for the common good of humanity,” he said.
Dr. John Mukuka, Chief Executive Officer of the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), echoed these concerns, noting that misinformation undermines public confidence.
“It will serve as a vital counterweight to misinformation, helping policymakers, the media, and the public to engage with biotechnology from informed and evidence-based perspectives,” Mukuka said.
He added that ABBC2025 provides a platform to develop practical strategies for safeguarding truth in science and ensuring innovation delivers inclusive growth for COMESA Member States.
Dr. Margaret Karembu, Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agri-biotech Applications (ISAAA) AfriCenter, warned that misinformation continues to stall Africa’s progress in leveraging biosciences to strengthen food systems and the One Health approach.
“The urgency of this issue has been globally recognised, with the World Economic Forum naming disinformation as the second most severe global risk after extreme weather,” Karembu said.
She described it as so painful for a scientist to work for more than ten years, and then when you bring out a product, you find the environment is so toxic that you have to spend another 10 years trying to convince your end users about the value of what you have done in 10 years.
“In those 20 years, a baby born will already be an adult, and those are 20 years lost. This is a big, big pain in the scientific community,” she said.
Her colleague, Dr. Robert Karanja, Board Chairperson of ISAAA AfriCenter, stressed the importance of scientists communicating directly with society.
“Unless scientists communicate effectively the science that they want to make a difference, it will be very difficult to reach the societies,” Karanja said.
He described misinformation as a painful obstacle to progress: “The theme of this year’s symposium is the War on Science. The question we are asking ourselves is, how can we overcome the baggage of misinformation and disinformation?
Karanja added that the World Economic Forum has ranked misinformation and disinformation among the top global risks, surpassing even pathogens.
“It is eroding trust, and it is delaying access to innovations that can help us in dealing with some of the very challenging problems that we are having with our communities within the food systems, within the health of our health systems, and within the efforts in building a resilient community of practice in climate change,” he said.
By Hope Mafaranga, Lusaka, Zambia