Welcome to AfricArXiv
This initiative showcases UbuntuNet's commitment to fostering knowledge sharing, collaboration, and accessibility within the African research community. With AfricArxiv, researchers across the continent have a dedicated platform to disseminate their findings, making them accessible to a global audience. By facilitating open access to scholarly work, UbuntuNet Alliance plays a pivotal role in advancing the principles of open science, enhancing research visibility, and driving innovation across Africa.
Communities in AfricArXiv
Select a community to browse its collections.
- The general repository is open for individual submissions by researchers, librarians and research administrators.
- Showcase of project activities, presentations, and scholarly contributions curated by the AfricArXiv initiative.
- Scholarly items sorted by country > Institution > Department
- A Rapid Grant Fund to address research questions and implement science engagement activities associated with COVID-19
Recent Submissions
Building and sustaining an HPC cluster as a bioinformatics resource in resource-limited settings: principles and practice from the UVRI experience
(2025-07-16) Edward Lukyamuzi; Timothy Kimbowa Wamala; Alfred Ssekagiri; Ronald Galiwango; Grace Kebirungi; Atwine Mugume; Mike Nsubuga; Suresh Maslamoney; Sumir Panji; Nicola J Mulder; Daudi Jjingo; Jonathan Kayondo
Building and sustaining a High-Performance Computing (HPC) cluster in resource-limited settings presents unique challenges and opportunities. This article outlines ten key rules derived from the Uganda Virus Research Institute’s (UVRI) experience in establishing an HPC cluster using a mix of previously existing equipment and servers mobilised from different sources including donations from partners. Our journey demonstrates that clusters can be built from diverse repurposed hardware resources combining donated and existing components into a cohesive and functional system. These rules focus on critical aspects to facilitate a home-grown solution such as strategic investment in people, proper planning, leveraging collaborations and adopting open-source tools to ensure sustainability. The article aims to offer practical guidance to institutions facing similar constraints on how to approach HPC infrastructure development strategically and sustainably. By following these basic principles, institutions can build robust HPC clusters and associated technical capacity while ensuring long-term operational success.
Snail intermediate-host occurrence recorded by citizen scientists in rural Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(2025) Valderrama Bhraunxs, Noelia del Carmen; Bonifacio, Larissa; Tumusiime, Julius; KAPOUR, Germain; Namirembe, Daisy; Tolo, Casim Umba; Kagoro-Rugunda, Grace; Mulopo Mitashi, Patrick; Mandinga, Joule; Jacobs, Liesbet; huyse, tine
Snail-borne parasitic diseases, such as schistosomiasis and fascioliasis, pose significant public health and economic challenges worldwide. Schistosomiasis affects over 250 million people globally, with most cases occurring in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), while fascioliasis contributes substantially to livestock morbidity and economic losses. Freshwater snails (Biomphalaria, Bulinus, and Radix spp.) act as intermediate hosts, making their surveillance critical for disease control. Mass drug administration (MDA) alone is insufficient, as high reinfection rates highlight the need for complementary strategies, including targeted snail control. To address limited malacological capacity and logistical constraints, the ATRAP project trained 50 citizen scientists in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo to monitor intermediate host snails at the genus level. Between 2020 and 2023, citizens recorded 28977 snail occurrences. Data quality was ensured through automatic validation and manual verification of submitted snail pictures. This rigorously curated dataset, combining citizen science with expert validation, provides valuable insights for mapping snail distributions, identifying high-risk transmission areas, and developing sustainable, cost-effective snail control strategies.
RDC-1000 Chemical NanoDisc: A new molecular approach for low-cost data storage using colorimetric coding
(2025-07-12) Barack Ndenga
Modern digital storage systems are predominantly based on silicon microelectronics,
which—despite their ubiquity—face increasing challenges related to durability, cost, energy
demands, and environmental impact. These limitations are especially critical in developing
regions where infrastructure and access to advanced hardware remain restricted. To address
this gap, this paper introduces a novel chemical-based data storage approach:
NanoDisqueChimique RDC-1000, a prototype system designed to encode and store binary data
using molecular colorimetric signals.
The core principle involves mapping digital bits to chemically distinct states using visually
detectable pigments. These states are read via a low-cost optical sensor (TCS3200) interfaced
with an Arduino Nano microcontroller, enabling translation of chemical information into digital
signals. This fusion of chemistry and microelectronics creates a tangible, physical
representation of digital data—transforming molecules into memory units.
The system is designed to be inexpensive, scalable, energy-independent, and highly adaptable
for African scientific and educational contexts. It provides a blueprint for data archiving where
electronic resources are scarce or unstable, offering not only technological innovation but also a
decolonized pathway to local hardware innovation.
Preliminary experimental results confirm the successful encoding, physical storage, and digital
reconstruction of various file types, including text, simple images, and audio/video data
converted into binary form. The system shows reliable performance with strong color stability
over several weeks and decoding accuracy above 99%.
This proof-of-concept opens a new frontier for hybrid molecular-electronic storage systems,
bridging chemistry, computing, and accessible innovation. The NanoDisqueChimique RDC-1000
lays the groundwork for future research into long-term, low-cost, and decentralized memory
architectures—particularly suited for the Global South.
Hunting and bush mango harvesting
(University of dschang FASA, 2015-01) Charles Le Bon NGALAGOU NGALAGO
Dans le cadre de la révision du plan d'aménagement de l'ufa 10040, il a été question de caractériser l'activité de collecte des mangues sauvages ( Irvingia spp) et déterminer ses rapports avec la chasse pratiquée par ses acteurs.
Il en ressort que les collecteurs sont aussi des chasseurs. Cette chasse est pratiquée sans autorisation avec des techniques illégales.