From October 2nd to 15th, 2024, the Faculty of Tropical AgriSciences (FTZ) had the honor of welcoming esteemed guests from the University of Bangui, Central African Republic. Dr. Lucie Aba-Toumnou, Dean of the Faculty of Science, and her colleague, Dr. Solange Makatia-Wango, visited the Czech University of Life Sciences Prague as part of a short-term Erasmus+ stay. The main objective of their visit was to deepen cooperation between the two universities and explore collaborative research initiatives that contribute to the development of science, education, and higher education management in CAR.
The visit’s program was organized by Assoc. Prof. Karolína Brandlová, Ph.D. During their stay, the scientists from the Central African Republic participated in key activities such as the presentation of the Advalue project, which focuses on sustainable development in Africa, and a roundtable discussion in celebration of the International Day of Rural Women. They also presented their research during a seminar hosted by the Wild Ecology Lab, which focuses on the conservation and research of large mammals.
Botanical Garden and Prague Zoo Visits
A part of the visit was a tour of the FTZ Botanical Garden and Prague Zoo, where the delegates were joined by colleagues from Université de Thies, Senegal, who are also long-term partners of FTZ and were in Prague through Erasmus+. The visit to the zoo provided a rare opportunity to observe animal species not commonly seen in the wild and highlighted the importance of zoological gardens in species conservation.
“As a result of zoological gardens, we have the opportunity not only to admire and study wildlife but also to actively protect it,” said Dr. Lucie Aba-Toumnou. Many African species were seen up close for the first time by the professors from CAR and Senegal.
Collaboration with the Institute of Vertebrate Biology and Field Research in Central African Republic
The visitors also met with the team from the Institute of Vertebrate Biology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, who have long been engaged in research on lowland gorilla symbionts in the Central African Republic. Dean Aba-Toumnou and her colleague participated in discussions about recent expedition of the Institute to the Chinko Nature Reserve, where over 40 species of small mammals were confirmed. Chinko is also home to the eastern subspecies of the giant eland, the largest antelope in the world, whose conservation is supported by Antelope Conservation at FTZ.
This visit represents another step forward in the ongoing scientific and educational collaboration between the Czech Republic and Central African Republic. A key focus of this partnership is the improvement of higher education quality in CAR, which supports the country’s sustainable development and contributes to its security and stability. Joint projects in biodiversity research and higher education advancement hold the potential to significantly enhance expertise and scientific progress in CAR. Through these international partnerships, FTZ continues to expand its efforts to promote sustainable development both in Africa and globally.
