Encyclopaedia Africana · Volume 4 Production
Call for Abstract Submissions
Thematic Area: Medicinal Sciences, Indigenous Pharmacology and Natural Products
Preamble
The Encyclopaedia Africana Project (EAP), a flagship project of the African Union and under the scientific guidance of the Pan-African Scientific Committee (PASC), seeks to produce a comprehensive, authoritative and enduring account of the history, development and future trajectories of Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) in Africa, grounded in African perspectives, indigenous knowledge systems and contemporary scientific scholarship.
In keeping with the vision of the founding fathers, Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Dr. W. E. B. Du Bois, the Encyclopaedia Africana seeks to challenge historical narratives that portray Africa merely as recipient of scientific knowledge and instead demonstrates the continent’s role as a generator, custodian, and disseminator of knowledge systems that have contributed to global civilization.
Three (3) Volumes of the Encyclopaedia Africana have previously been published, focusing primarily on biographies of distinguished heroes and heroines and selected political histories. Volume IV seeks to expand this legacy by documenting Africa’s scientific heritage, including indigenous technologies and innovation ecosystems that have sustained societies, transformed economies, and contributed to global scientific advancement.
The Encyclopaedia Africana Project Secretariat therefore invites scholars and knowledge holders from Africa and the African Diaspora to contribute to this landmark Pan-African publication.
Accepted entries will be published progressively on the Encyclopaedia Africana digital reference platform and also incorporated into the printed edition of Volume IV.
Contributors whose abstracts are accepted and who successfully complete commissioned full entries will:
- —Receive an honorarium in recognition of their scholarly contribution to Encyclopaedia Africana Volume IV.
- —Be awarded an Official Certificate of Contribution acknowledging their participation in this landmark Pan-African scholarly initiative.
- —Become part of an international network of scholars, researchers and indigenous knowledge holders contributing to one of Africa’s most significant knowledge and heritage projects.
Overview
Medicinal Sciences, Indigenous Pharmacology and Natural Products
Africa possesses one of the world’s oldest, richest and most diverse medical traditions. For thousands of years, African societies have developed sophisticated systems of healthcare grounded in extensive knowledge of medicinal plants, minerals, animal products, nutrition, spirituality, psychology and community well-being. These systems evolved through observation, experimentation, empirical practice and intergenerational transmission, enabling communities to diagnose diseases, prevent illness, promote wellness and restore health long before the emergence of modern biomedical institutions.
Across the continent, indigenous health systems have contributed significantly to public health, particularly in rural and underserved communities where traditional medical practitioners continue to provide accessible, affordable and culturally relevant healthcare. African medicinal knowledge has also informed scientific research leading to the discovery, validation, development and commercialisation of numerous herbal medicines and pharmaceutical products.
Despite these achievements, indigenous African medical knowledge has often been dismissed as “alternative” or “primitive” medicine within dominant biomedical discourse. Furthermore, many medicinal resources and traditional healing practices have been subjected to bioprospecting and commercial exploitation without adequate recognition, equitable benefit-sharing or protection of the intellectual property rights of the communities from which they originated.
Recognising these realities, the Encyclopaedia Africana seeks to document the full breadth of African medicinal sciences, indigenous pharmacology and natural products, while acknowledging the holistic nature of African healing systems that integrate physical, psychological, social, environmental and spiritual dimensions of health.
This thematic area aims to demonstrate that African medicinal knowledge represents a dynamic scientific tradition that continues to contribute to healthcare delivery, pharmaceutical innovation, biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
Aims
Objectives
This thematic area seeks to:
- —Document the historical evolution and diversity of African medicinal sciences and indigenous healthcare systems.
- —Highlight Africa’s contributions to pharmacology, natural product research and pharmaceutical innovation.
- —Promote African medical knowledge systems as legitimate scientific traditions.
- —Preserve indigenous therapeutic knowledge and healing practices for future generations.
- —Showcase the role of traditional medicine in improving public health and community well-being.
- —Examine the contribution of African biodiversity to global drug discovery and natural product research.
- —Encourage ethical research, intellectual property protection and equitable benefit-sharing.
- —Promote interdisciplinary scholarship that bridges indigenous knowledge and contemporary biomedical science.
Scope
Areas of Interest/Entry Categories
Abstracts are invited on, but are not limited to, the following thematic areas.
1
Indigenous Health Systems
- —Historical development of African healthcare systems
- —Traditional medical institutions
- —Indigenous models of healthcare delivery
- —Preventive healthcare practices
- —Community health systems
- —Holistic concepts of health and well-being
- —Indigenous approaches to rehabilitation and palliative care
- —Maternal and child healthcare
- —Ageing and elder care
2
Indigenous Pharmacology
Contributions may explore:
- —Medicinal plants
- —Herbal formulations
- —Ethnopharmacology
- —Pharmacognosy
- —Indigenous drug preparation
- —Traditional dosage systems
- —Toxicology
- —Standardisation of herbal medicines
- —Clinical validation of traditional medicines
- —Safety and efficacy studies
3
Natural Products and Drug Discovery
Topics include:
- —Natural product chemistry
- —Bioactive compounds
- —Plant-derived medicines
- —Marine natural products
- —Fungal and microbial products
- —Animal-derived therapeutics
- —Drug discovery from African biodiversity
- —Pharmaceutical biotechnology
- —Medicinal chemistry
- —Commercialisation of natural products
4
African Biodiversity and Medicinal Resources
Suggested topics include:
- —Medicinal flora
- —Indigenous botanical knowledge
- —Conservation of medicinal species
- —Sustainable harvesting
- —Medicinal forests
- —Ethnobotany
- —Ethnozoology
- —Environmental sustainability
- —Biodiversity and healthcare
5
Traditional Healing Systems
Contributors are encouraged to explore:
- —Traditional healers
- —Indigenous diagnostic methods
- —Physical therapies
- —Psychological healing
- —Social dimensions of healing
- —Spiritual healing traditions
- —Ritual healing
- —Community healing practices
- —Indigenous mental healthcare
6
Public Health and Indigenous Medicine
Potential topics include:
- —Traditional medicine in primary healthcare
- —Disease prevention
- —Epidemic response
- —Nutrition and public health
- —Community resilience
- —Health education
- —Indigenous responses to emerging diseases
- —Integrative healthcare models
7
Intellectual Property, Ethics and Indigenous Knowledge
Topics may include:
- —Protection of indigenous medicinal knowledge
- —Bioprospecting
- —Benefit-sharing
- —Access and benefit-sharing agreements
- —Community rights
- —Ethical research practices
- —Indigenous intellectual property
- —Traditional knowledge databases
- —Regulatory frameworks
8
Scientific Validation and Innovation
Suggested contributions include:
- —Laboratory validation of herbal medicines
- —Pharmaceutical innovation
- —Clinical trials
- —Traditional medicine research
- —Drug development
- —Biotechnology
- —Translational medicine
- —Evidence-based evaluation of indigenous therapies
9
History of Medicine in Africa
Submissions are welcomed on:
- —Ancient African medicine
- —Medical knowledge in African civilisations
- —Historical medical texts
- —Medical education
- —Colonial medicine
- —Medical missions
- —African medical pioneers
- —Evolution of healthcare institutions
10
Contemporary Contributions
Topics include:
- —Integration of traditional medicine into national health systems
- —African Centres of Excellence in medicinal research
- —Indigenous medicine and Universal Health Coverage
- —Digital documentation of medicinal knowledge
- —Pharmaceutical entrepreneurship
- —Traditional medicine policy
- —Indigenous medicine and sustainable development
Contributions Welcomed
Types of Entries
The Encyclopaedia welcomes entries on:
- —Medicinal plants
- —Natural products
- —Diseases and therapeutic practices
- —Traditional healers
- —Scientists and medical pioneers
- —Healthcare institutions
- —Indigenous pharmacological concepts
- —Medical innovations
- —Pharmaceutical discoveries
- —Public health initiatives
- —Scientific techniques
- —Medical texts
- —Biodiversity resources
- —Professional associations
- —Regulatory institutions
Standards
Editorial Expectations
Contributors should:
- —Demonstrate scholarly rigour, originality and sound scientific methodology.
- —Respect indigenous knowledge systems as legitimate scientific traditions rather than subordinate them to external epistemological frameworks.
- —Recognise the holistic nature of African healing systems, encompassing physical, psychological, social and spiritual dimensions of health.
- —Employ culturally sensitive and ethically responsible research methodologies.
- —Acknowledge indigenous communities as custodians and co-creators of medicinal knowledge.
- —Address issues of intellectual property protection, equitable benefit-sharing and informed consent where applicable.
- —Present balanced, evidence-based and multidisciplinary analyses.
- —Highlight the continuing relevance of African medicinal sciences to contemporary healthcare, pharmaceutical research and global health.
Who Can Apply
Eligibility
The call is open to:
- —Medical scientists
- —Pharmacologists
- —Ethnobotanists
- —Ethnopharmacologists
- —Natural product chemists
- —Healthcare professionals
- —Traditional medical practitioners
- —Public health experts
- —Biotechnologists
- —Historians of medicine
- —Anthropologists
- —Environmental scientists
- —Indigenous knowledge holders
- —Researchers
- —Graduate scholars
- —Members of African and Diaspora institutions
Collaborative and interdisciplinary submissions are strongly encouraged.
Preparing Your Abstract
Submission Guidelines
Interested contributors should submit:
- —An abstract of 500–800 words.
- —A brief biography (maximum 150 words).
- —Five to seven keywords.
- —Institutional affiliation (where applicable).
- —Email address and telephone contact.
Abstracts should clearly indicate the proposed title, objectives, methodology, principal sources and significance of the proposed Encyclopaedia entry.
Process
Review and Commissioning
All submitted abstracts will undergo peer review by members of the Pan-African Scientific Committee and the Editorial Board of the Encyclopaedia Africana. Authors of selected abstracts will be formally commissioned to prepare full Encyclopaedia entries in accordance with the Encyclopaedia’s Editorial Guidelines and Style Manual.
Recognition
Honorarium and Certification
Contributors whose abstracts are accepted and who successfully complete commissioned full entries will:
- —Receive an honorarium in recognition of their scholarly contribution to Encyclopaedia Africana Volume IV.
- —Be awarded an Official Certificate of Contribution acknowledging their participation in this landmark Pan-African scholarly initiative.
- —Become part of an international network of scholars, researchers and indigenous knowledge holders contributing to one of Africa’s most significant knowledge and heritage projects.
Submission Procedure
Abstracts should be submitted electronically to:
Subject Line: Medicinal Sciences, Indigenous Pharmacology and Natural Products – [Author Name]
Languages
Abstracts May Be Submitted In
- —English
- —French
- —Arabic
- —Portuguese
- —Kiswahili
- —Spanish
Contributors are encouraged to use African languages where appropriate, particularly when discussing indigenous medical concepts, therapeutic practices and pharmacological knowledge that are best understood within their original linguistic and cultural contexts.
Timeline
Important Dates
Get in Touch
Contact Information
For further inquiries, please contact:
Encyclopaedia Africana Project Secretariat
EMAIL: info@encyclopaediaafricana.com/eapsecretariat@gmail.com
Closing Statement
This Call for Abstracts offers a unique opportunity to contribute to a landmark intellectual initiative aimed at documenting and advancing Africa’s scientific, technological, and Innovative heritage. Contributors are encouraged to bring forward innovative, rigorous, and transformative perspectives.
ISSUED BY:
Encyclopaedia Africana Project Secretariat
On behalf of the Pan-African Scientific Committee (PASC) of the EAP
