The inception meeting of the Research for Agroecology Network of Southern Africa (RAENS) was held from 24th - 28th February, 2025 at the University of Cape Town and Lagoon Beach Hotel in Cape Town, South Africa. The meeting was attended by representatives of the Centre for Coordination of Agricultural Research and Development in Southern Africa (CCARDESA) and the eight members of the consortium, namely Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), University of Cape Town - UCT (South Africa), Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources - LUANAR (Malawi), Marondera University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology - MUAST (Zimbabwe), Zambia Agricultural Research Institute (ZARI), Research Institute of Organic Agriculture - FiBL (Switzerland), World Agroforestry Centre - ICRAF (Zambia, Malawi) and Young Professionals for Agricultural Development - YPARD (Germany).

The Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA) continues to demonstrate its significant contribution to the livestock sector by launching the NANO COMM research project. This initiative is focused on developing an alternative treatment for mastitis, an infection that causes swelling, redness, and inflammation of the breast tissue in dairy-producing animals. Through this research, SUA aims to address the ongoing challenges faced by many farmers in Tanzania, particularly in the regions of Iringa, Njombe, Mbeya, Arusha, and Tanga.