The African Union has set a target of 1 percent of GDP to be invested in research and development by African countries. But data from the UNESCO Institute for Statistics show that only South Africa, Kenya, and Senegal are close to this target, investing around 0.8 percent of their GDP. Countries like Nigeria – Africa’s largest economy currently spend 0.1 percent of the GDP compared to countries like Singapore, contributing 2.1 percent of the GDP. In this week’s edition of the Africa Climate Conversation, Dr. Judy Omumbo, a senior Programs Manager at the African Academy of Sciences, explains why research is essential and if Africa is investing enough in research as it seeks to develop.