Acclaimed Tanzanian botanist Keto Mshigeni, elected to TWAS in 1987, passed away on 22 March. He made significant contributions to research on Africa's bioresources, focusing on documenting indigenous knowledge of edible and medicinal plants to promote sustainability and well-being.

Mshigeni earned a PhD in botanical sciences from the University of Hawaii (1974) and became a full professor of botany in 1979. He served as vice-chancellor of Kairuki University (Tanzania), director of a United Nations Development Programme Africa project on biodiversity and sustainable development, and was the founder of the UNESCO/ United Nations University (UNU) Africa Chair, leading the Zero Emission Research Initiative in Africa.

He was an elected fellow of the African Academy of Sciences, the World Technology Network, and the Tanzania Academy of Sciences. His pioneering work on seaweeds, mushrooms, medicinal plants, and zero-waste systems earned him global recognition.

Throughout his career, Mshigeni received numerous awards, including the AAS/CIBA Prize for Agricultural Biosciences (1996), the Boutros Boutros-Ghali Prize for Africa (2004), the AAU Higher Education and Research Excellence Award (2005) in recognition of his contributions to higher education and research, in the fields of agricultural biosciences and sustainable development in Africa, and the Africa Continental Titans Award in Education (2017) for his leadership and contributions to the advancement of education and research. 

His latest endeavour was the launch of his book Curiosity and Quest for Knowledge: The Story of Keto Mshigeni, on February 27, at Kairuki University, just a month before his passing.