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HSRC Annual Report 2016/17
Research
Programme
Performance
Africa Institute of South Africa (AISA)
“Africa’s story has been written by others;
we need to own our problems and solutions and write our story”.
President of Rwanda, Paul Kagame, 2013
Profile of AISA
AISA undertakes policy-relevant applied and comparative research that focuses on the development challenges
and opportunities facing the African continent. It collaborates with other research institutions, various actors, and
key stakeholders on the continent to provide research-based policy advice to African multilateral organisations and
governments on public affairs. The work contributes to addressing the many dimensions of the study of Africa in Africa
and reversing the continent’s global marginality in terms of knowledge production. In their work, AISA’s researchers
pay special attention to issues of poverty, inequality, socio-economic exclusion; the role of science and technology; and
conflict, peace and security on the continent.
Research highlights
In the year under review, AISA implemented or completed the following projects:
Critical Skills Attraction Index for South Africa
The project assessed and developed an index for critical skills attraction in South Africa. Phase 1 of the project was
completed, funded through the HSRC CEO’s Research Fund. AISA will launch the research report in collaboration with
the Department of Home Affairs at the end January 2017, with the aim of fostering national ownership of the index.
The next phase of the project will commence in 2017, namely to update the index at an agreed frequency, e.g. annually.
Two journal articles were produced from this study and submitted for publication and one presentation was made at
an international conference in September 2016.
Land and Water Reforms in the Context of Small-Scale Irrigation and Food Security in the Limpopo Province of
South Africa
The study was funded by the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany) and the National Research Foundation of South Africa.
It sought to contribute directly to the quest for better agricultural productivity by analysing factors that constrain or
enhance productivity of farming schemes established under the land redistribution programme in the Limpopo Province.
The outcomes of this study were presented at an international conference in September 2016.
Protection of Civilians in Humanitarian Emergencies
The study was designed to generate knowledge on the situation of refugees from South Sudan and Somalia in the
context of humanitarian emergencies in Uganda and Kenya. It also sought to contribute directly to the quest for peace
and security in East Africa. Data collection was completed in January 2017.