How we can stop Africa's scientific brain drain | Kevin Njabo

翻译人员: Linda Lai 校对人员: jackson leo

So many of us who care about sustainable development

许多人往往会因为强烈的个人因素

and the livelihood of local people

而关心当地的可持续发展

do so for deeply personal reasons.

和当地人的生活。

I grew up in Cameroon,

我在喀麦隆长大，

a country of enchanting beauty and rich biodiversity,

这是一个美丽迷人，物种丰富的国家，

but plagued by poor governance, environmental destruction, and poverty.

却由于疏于管理，环境的破坏 和贫穷等因素而发展缓慢。

As a child, like we see with most children in sub-Saharan Africa today,

就像今天我们看到的许多 亚撒哈拉地区的孩子们一样，

I regularly suffered from malaria.

我的童年也经常遭受疟疾的折磨。

To this day, more than one million people die from malaria every year,

直到今天，每年依旧有 超过一百万人死于疟疾，

mostly children under the age of five,

大部分都是不到五岁的儿童，

with 90 percent occurring in sub-Saharan Africa.

有百分之九十的病例都来自 撒哈拉以南的非洲地区。

When I was 18, I left Cameroon

我 18 岁离开了喀麦隆，

in search of better educational opportunities.

去寻找更好的教育机会。

At the time, there was just one university in Cameroon,

在那时，整个喀麦隆只有一所大学，

but Nigeria next door offered some opportunities

但是邻国尼日利亚 为懂英语的喀麦隆人

for Cameroonians of English extraction to be trained in various fields.

提供了各科的一些培训机会。

So I moved there,

所以我搬到了那里，

but practicing my trade,

但是凭借在尼日利亚毕业后

upon graduation as an ecologist in Nigeria,

获得的生态学家身份去谋生，

was an even bigger challenge.

对我来说是一个更大的挑战。

So I left the continent

所以拿到波士顿大学

when I was offered a scholarship to Boston University for my PhD.

的博士奖学金后，我离开了非洲。

It is disheartening to see that,

说起来非常令人沮丧，

with all our challenges,

在非洲，我们面临

with all the talents,

很多困难和挑战，

with all the skills we have in Africa as a continent,

尽管非洲有人才，有技能，

we tend to solve our problems

但我们却倾向于将解决问题的希望，

by parachuting in experts from the West for short stays,

寄托于空降到非洲 做短期停留的西方专家身上，

exporting the best and brightest out of Africa,

同时将非洲最聪明最优秀 的人才输出出去，

and treating Africa as a continent in perpetual need of handouts.

并认为非洲大陆 会永远需要别人的援助。

After my training at Boston University,

在完成波士顿大学的学业之后，

I joined a research team

我加入了加利福尼亚大学

at the University of California's

环境和可持续发展研究所

Institute of the Environment and Sustainability

的一个研究小组。

because of its reputation for groundbreaking research

那里吸引我的地方在于

and the development of policies and programs

在开创性研究方面的声望，

that save the lives of millions of people the world over,

由此带来的政策和计划的发展 拯救了全球数百万的人，

including in the developing world.

包括一些发展中国家的人民。

And it has been shown

研究表明，

每一个有技能的非洲人回国，

that for every skilled African that returns home,

nine new jobs are created in the formal and informal sectors.

会为家乡创造九个正式 或非正式的工作岗位。

So as part of our program, therefore, to build a sustainable Africa together,

共同建设可持续发展的非洲， 是我们计划的一部分。

we are leading a multi-initiative to develop the Congo Basin Institute,

所以我们通过多方协作 建立了刚果盆地研究所，

a permanent base

它是一个长期的基地，

where Africans can work in partnership with international researchers,

在这里，非洲人可以作为合作伙伴 和各国研究员一起工作，

but working out their own solutions to their own problems.

找到解决非洲人自己问题的办法。

We are using our interdisciplinary approach to show how universities,

我们将利用跨学科研究的方式去说明

NGOs and private business

大学机构，非营利组织和私人企业

can partner in international development.

如何可以在国际发展中协同工作。

So instead of parachuting in experts from the West for short stays,

不同于空降到这里 短暂提留的西方专家，

we are building a permanent presence in Africa,

我们现在做的是 在非洲建立一个长期的基地，

a one-stop shop for logistics, housing

一个一站式的服务中心， 提供后勤，住房

and development of collaborative projects

以及非洲与国际研究员

between Africans and international researchers.

合作项目的发展。

So this has allowed students like Michel

这样就可以让像米歇尔一样的学生

to receive high-quality training in Africa.

在非洲受到高质量的教育。

Michel is currently working in our labs

米歇尔现在在我们的实验室工作，

to investigate the effects of climate change on insects, for his PhD,

他的博士研究课题是调查 气候变化对昆虫的影响。

and has already secured his post-doctorate fellowship

目前他已经取得了 博士后研究员资格，

that will enable him to stay on the continent.

这让他可以继续留在非洲。

Also through our local help program,

此外，通过我们的本地帮助计划，

Dr. Gbenga Abiodun, a young Nigerian scientist,

年轻的尼日利亚科学家 格本加·阿比欧登博士

can work as a post-doctoral fellow

可以作为博士后研究员

with the Foundation for Professional Development

同时在南非的南开普顿大学

in the University of Western Cape in South Africa

职业发展基金会

and the University of California at the same time,

和加利福尼亚大学工作。

investigating the effects of climate variability and change

他的课题是研究气候的变异和变化

on malaria transmission in Africa.

如何影响疟疾在非洲的传播。

Indeed, Gbenga is currently developing models

实际上，格本加正在研究一些模型，

that will be used as an early warning system

将来可以用作预测疟疾在非洲传播的

to predict malaria transmission in Africa.

一个早期预警系统。

So rather than exporting our best and brightest out of Africa,

所以，我们不再把 非洲最优秀的人才输出出去，

we are nurturing and supporting local talent in Africa.

而是要培养和扶持非洲本土的人才。

For example, like me,

我就是一个例子，

Dr. Eric Fokam was trained in the US.

艾瑞克·福克姆博士 在美国接受的教育。

He returned home to Cameroon, but couldn't secure the necessary grants,

他回到喀麦隆，但是不能保证 拿到他所需的经费，

and he found it incredibly challenging

而且他发现在这里实践 和学习科学太难了，

to practice and learn the science he knew he could.

即使他明白他有这样的能力。

So when I met Eric,

当我见到艾瑞克的时候，

he was on the verge of returning to the US.

他正打算要回美国去。

But we convinced him to start collaborating

但我们说服他留下来，

with the Congo Basin Institute.

与刚果盆地研究所合作。

Today, his lab in Buea has over half a dozen collaborative grants

现在，他在布埃亚的实验室 获得了超过六项经费，

with researchers from the US and Europe

正在同美国和欧洲的研究员合作，

supporting 14 graduate students, nine of them women,

支持十四名研究生， 其中九个是女生，

all carrying out groundbreaking research

进行开创性的研究，

understanding biodiversity under climate change,

以理解气候变化下的生物多样性，

human health and nutrition.

人类健康和营养。

(Applause)

（掌声）

So rather than buy into the ideas of Africa taking handouts,

我们要摒弃非洲需要施舍的想法，

we are using our interdisciplinary approach

利用我们的跨学科方法

to empower Africans to find their own solutions.

让非洲人找到自己的解决办法。

Right now, we are working with local communities and students,

现在，我们与当地的社团，学生，

a US entrepreneur,

一个美国企业家，

scientists from the US and Africa

以及来自美国和非洲的科学家，

to find a way to sustainably grow ebony, the iconic African hardwood.

一起合作，想办法实现可持续种植 乌檀，一种典型的非洲阔叶木。

Ebonies, like most African hardwood, are exploited for timber,

与大多数非洲阔叶木一样， 乌檀被采伐用作木材，

but we know very little about their ecology,

但是我们对它的生态知识 了解得很少。

what disperses them,

它们是如何播种的？

how they survive in our forest 80 to 200 years.

它们是如何在森林中 生存八十到二百年的？

This is Arvin,

这是阿尔文，

a young PhD student working in our labs,

我们实验室的一位年轻的博士生，

conducting what is turning out to be some cutting-edge tissue culture work.

她在实施一项培育 某种高级生物组织的工作。

Arvin is holding in her hands

阿尔文手里拿的是

the first ebony tree that was produced entirely from tissues.

第一棵完完全全 由组织细胞培养出的乌檀树，

This is unique in Africa.

这在非洲是独一无二的。

We can now show that you can produce African timber

我们现在可以证明， 非洲木材可以用

from different plant tissues --

不同的植物组织培育——

leaves, stems, roots --

包括树叶，树干，树根，

in addition from generating them from seeds,

再加上从种子长成木材，

which is a very difficult task.

是一个非常艰巨的任务。

(Applause)

（掌声）

So other students will take the varieties of ebony

其他学生会用阿尔文在我们实验室

which Arvin identifies in our lab,

鉴定的乌檀树品种

graft them to produce saplings,

来培育树苗，

and work with local communities to co-produce ebony

并与当地社区合作，

with local fruit tree species in their various farms

利用我们自己的树木种植方式， 将乌檀树苗和当地的果树

using our own tree farm approach,

种到各种农场里，

whereby we invite all the farmers

并让所有的农民

to choose their own tree species they want in their farms.

来选择他们想在 自己的农场种植的树种。

So in addition to the ebony,

除了乌檀树，

the species which the farmers choose themselves

农民们自己选的树种，

will be produced using our modern techniques

也将会用我们的现代技术来培育，

and incorporated into their land-use systems,

并纳入他们的土地利用系统中，

so that they start benefiting from these products

这样在等乌檀树成熟的过程中，

while waiting for the ebony to mature.

他们就可以用其他的树种来盈利。

Today we are planting 15,000 ebony trees in Cameroon,

现在，我们在喀麦隆 种植了一万五千棵乌檀，

and for the first time,

开创了

ebony won't be harvested from the middle of a pristine forest.

不再从原始森林 采伐乌檀树的先河。

This is the model for our African hardwoods,

这是我们非洲木材该有的模式，

and we are extending this to include sapele and bubinga,

我们将把它推广到 萨佩莱木和非洲红木上，

other highly prized hardwoods.

这些都是名贵的木材。

So if these examples existed when I was 18,

如果在我十八岁的时候有这些条件，

I would never have left,

我肯定不会离开非洲的。

but because of initiatives by the Congo Basin Institute,

因为刚果盆地研究所的创立，

I am coming back,

我回来了。

but I'm not coming back alone.

但我不是一个人回来的，

I'm bringing with me Western scientists,

我是带着西方的科学家，

entrepreneurs and students,

企业家和学生，

the best science from the best universities in the world,

以及世界上最好的大学 研究出的最好的科学技术，

to work and to live in Africa.

回到非洲工作和生活。

But we all need to scale up this local, powerful and empowering approach.

我们都需要将这种因地制宜， 卓有成效的方法发扬光大。

So far we have half a dozen universities and NGOs as partners.

截至目前，我们与六所大学 的公益组织建立了合作，

We are planning to build

我们计划

在现有的实验室基础上 扩建一个环保设施，

a green facility that will expand on our existing laboratory space

and add more housing and conference facilities

增加住房和会议设施，

to promote a long-term disciplinary approach.

来推动长期的多学科研究。

I want it to offer more opportunities to young African scholars,

我希望给年轻的非洲学者 提供更多的机会，

and would scale it up by leveraging

并凭借热带农业国际学院

the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture's existing network

在撒哈拉以南非洲地区已有

of 17 research stations across sub-Saharan Africa.

的十七个研究站来扩大规模。

The tables are starting to turn ...

事情已经开始有起色了，

and I hope they keep turning,

我希望继续保持这个势头，

to reach several African nations

延伸到像科特迪瓦， 坦桑尼亚，塞内加尔

like Côte d'Ivoire, Tanzania and Senegal,

这几个经济增长速度排在前列的

among the top fastest growing economies

非洲国家，

that can attract several opportunities for private-sector investment.

来吸引对私营企业的投资机会。

We want to give more opportunities to African scholars,

我们想为非洲的学者 提供更多的机会，

and I long to see a day

并盼望看到将来某一天，

when the most intelligent Africans will stay on this continent

大多数非洲知识分子都会留下来，

and receive high-quality education

并通过像刚果盆地研究所 这样的创新

through initiatives like the Congo Basin Institute,

接受高质量的教育。

and when that happens,

当那一天到来时，

Africa will be on the way to solving Africa's problems.

非洲就可以解决非洲的问题了，

And in 50 years, I hope someone will be giving a TED Talk

我希望五十年内， 有人会在 TED talk 上

on how to stop the brain drain of Westerners leaving your homes

讨论如何防止西方的人才 离开自己的国家

to work and live in Africa.

到非洲工作和生活。

(Applause)

(掌声）

Thank you.

谢谢。

(Applause)

（掌声）