NAPRECA - Natural Products Research Network for East and Central Africa

Natural Products Research Network for East and Central Africa (NAPRECA) is a network of natural products research scientists in East and Central Africa. NAPRECA branches are currently in:

• Botswana
• Cameroon
• DR Congo
• Egypt
• Ethiopia
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Sudan
• Rwanda
• Tanzania
• Uganda
• Zimbabwe

The network tries to discover useful chemical principles that can be applied in human and animal health as well as agrochemicals in the region in conjunction with the rest of the world.

The network was conceived by East and Central African scientist attending the "14th International Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Products" in 1984 in Poland. The necessity of NAPRECA was borne from the realization that Africa was rich in biodiversity but poor in research and development in Natural Products.

The network is coordinated by Professor Sameh AbouZid at Beni-Suef University in Egypt.

ISP support started in 1988.

Objectives

The main activities of NAPRECA are organisation of biannual Natural Product Symposia, staging of thematic workshops, either along with the Symposia (pre-Symposium Workshops) or, in intervening years (Summer Schools), running a post-graduate scholarship in Natural Product science to:

• Initiate, develop and promote research in the area of natural products in Eastern and Central Africa
• Coordinate and maintain regional links among research groups
• Foster research links with scientists in other parts of the world who are actively working in specific areas of natural products pertinent to Africa

In addition, NAPRECA, with sponsorship of the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), provides scholarships for students in East and Central Africa to pursue higher degree studies (MSc and PhD) in the region.