Une réunion qui s’est tenue récemment a souligné que de solides partenariats multipartites étaient essentiels pour accélérer le développement axé sur la recherche en Afrique. L’Initiative des Conseils Subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique (SGCI) a tenu sa réunion régionale virtuelle du 29 au 30 juin 2021 afin de faciliter l’apprentissage croisé, le partage d’expériences et […]
On March 30, 2021, the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) hosted its annual Masterclass on the theme of “Ethics and Integrity in Research and Innovation,” bringing together stakeholders from across the research and innovation sectors. This year’s virtual session welcomed 82 participants from 22 countries, representing Science Granting Councils (SGCs). The event aimed to address […]
Uganda is another outstanding success case. We had this bee project that resulted in products. Quality science and one that connects to the community. Bee keeping is a huge issue in Uganda. The use of propolis and bee venom is very important. We supported a project that resulted in propolis tea that has been branded […]
The Scinnovent Centre, alongside its partners, embarked on a mission to strengthen African Science Granting Councils (SGCs) through the Science Granting Councils Initiative II (SGCI-2) under the theme “Strategic Communications and Knowledge Uptake.” This initiative, funded by major stakeholders, aims to enhance SGCs’ knowledge management and strategic communication capabilities to foster better science and technology […]
Mussika tourism technology, is an online platform that aims to present the potentialities with a special focus on the areas of Tourism, Music and Culture of the province of Zambézia, located in the central region of Mozambique. […]
The Mussika project aims to enhance tourism and improve the purchasing system in Zambézia province by creating a digital platform that highlights its cultural and tourist heritage. […]
When key actors in the research and innovation landscape, such as Science Granting Councils, work in isolation, a huge opportunity to leverage resources, skills and expertise is missed. How, then, can Science Granting Councils catalyze and facilitate knowledge exchange and collaborative partnerships with the private sector and among other actors in the innovation landscape? A […]
These are some of the major discussion points that emerged from a recently concluded three-day workshop dubbed: “Science Technology and Innovation Policy Training for Africa.” The workshop brought together about 32 representatives from the Science Granting Councils (SGCs) involved in the Science Granting Council initiative. The countries represented were: Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, Namibia, Ghana, […]
For over two decades, the concept of innovation systems has received considerable attention as a key approach in enhancing agricultural development. In a newly published book, innovation systems approach is acclaimed as an effective strategy for supporting smallholders. One of the chapters considers how institutional arrangements influence interactive learning among actors in an innovation system. […]
Kenya’s development blueprint (Vision 2030) acknowledges that science, technology and innovation (STI) plays a fundamental role in a modern economy, with knowledge at the center of boosting economic growth and global competitiveness. Highlighting the need for effective exploitation of knowledge, the strategy further elucidates that an effective innovation system which can tap into knowledge, and […]
Une réunion qui s’est tenue récemment a souligné que de solides partenariats multipartites étaient essentiels pour accélérer le développement axé sur la recherche en Afrique.
L’Initiative des Conseils Subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique (SGCI) a tenu sa réunion régionale virtuelle du 29 au 30 juin 2021 afin de faciliter l’apprentissage croisé, le partage d’expériences et la mise en réseau entre les Conseils Subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique (SGC) et avec d’autres acteurs continentaux et mondiaux de la Science, de la Technologie et de l’Innovation (STI). Lors de la réunion, les participants ont également discuté des moyens d’élaborer des feuilles de route pour la recherche et le développement (R&D) qui peuvent influencer les agendas de recherche nationaux.
Parmi les participants figuraient des représentants de certains conseils subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique africains, du ministère des entreprises du Royaume-Uni, de l’énergie et de la stratégie (BEIS), des bailleurs de fonds de la SGCI et de ses partenaires opérationnels. Dans son discours d’ouverture, Tom Ogada, Directeur Exécutif du Centre Africain d’études Technologiques (ACTS), a souligné l’importance des feuilles de route de R&D en Afrique. “Il s’agit d’un cadre important que peuvent utiliser les gouvernements pour informer l’allocation des ressources, les priorités de recherche et soutenir la mise en œuvre des politiques connexes”, a souligné M. Ogada.
Comment les pays progressent dans l’élaboration de leur feuille de route R&D
Lucy Absolom, responsable de la stratégie de R&D au BEIS, a partagé son expérience du processus d’élaboration de la feuille de route de la recherche et du développement au Royaume-Uni. Elle a souligné qu’il est primordial d’avoir un bon processus pour s’assurer que le résultat est accepté par tous les acteurs clés. Absolom a insisté sur le fait que l’engagement intentionnel de multiples parties prenantes dès le début est fondamental pour le succès d’une feuille de route R&D viable qui peut influencer les agendas de recherche nationaux et améliorer le développement.
Les leçons tirées de l’expérience de l’Ouganda, du Burkina Faso et de la Namibie ont mis l’accent sur les progrès réalisés et les défis auxquels sont confrontés les pays africains dans l’élaboration de feuilles de route pour la recherche et le développement. Le Burkina Faso a attribué à la R&D un pourcentage des revenus perçus de ses industries minières et des télécommunications. Inoussa Zongo, Directeur Général de la Recherche et de l’Innovation à l’Agence de Financement du Développement du Burkina Faso, a souligné que l’allocation intentionnelle de ressources à la R&D est essentielle pour garantir la priorisation des programmes de recherche nationaux.
La politique STI de la Namibie met l’accent sur l’augmentation et le renforcement des partenariats stratégiques afin de mobiliser davantage de ressources en faveur de son programme de R&D. Vincent Nowaseb, Directeur du cadre de l’Innovation et du Développement Technologique à la Commission Nationale Namibienne de la Recherche, de la Science et de la Technologie, a donné un aperçu de la politique STI du pays, qui s’articule autour de neuf objectifs favorisant l’application de la STI dans divers secteurs.
Les cadres institutionnels et les politiques sont essentiels pour faciliter le développement axé sur la recherche.
L’Ouganda a élaboré son programme national de recherche et un projet de politique STI. Ces politiques ont permis au gouvernement de s’engager à augmenter ses dépenses brutes dans le domaine scientifique, d’encourager le secteur privé à investir dans la recherche et l’innovation pour le développement, et de s’efforcer à augmenter le nombre de brevets annuels enregistrés au niveau international de 2, comme c’est le cas actuellement, à 50 d’ici 2025. L’Ouganda continue d’explorer le potentiel des systèmes de connaissances indigènes pour contribuer à sa stratégie de R&D et l’améliorer.
La réunion a mis en évidence la nécessité d’une collaboration entre les secteurs, d’un engagement précoce de plusieurs parties prenantes et d’une planification d’interventions d’urgence, et a jugé ces éléments importants pour l’élaboration d’une feuille de route solide. La Namibie, par exemple, a entrepris la révision de sa politique STI en 2015, par le biais d’un processus hautement consultatif avec les ministères et les agences, les organisations non gouvernementales, les universités et les organisations de la société civile.
Les Conseils Subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique jouent un rôle essentiel dans la promotion de la recherche et du développement, étant donné qu’ils ont pour mission de conseiller les gouvernements sur les stratégies en matière de STI et de définir les programmes de recherche nationaux. Des Conseils Subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique forts contribuent à une R&D efficace, d’où la nécessité de continuer à investir dans leur renforcement. Ellie Osir, du CRDI, a fait remarquer qu’au cours des cinq dernières années, la SGCI a accompli des progrès remarquables dans la réalisation de ses objectifs de soutien aux Conseils Subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique, organisés autour de cinq domaines thématiques, notamment le renforcement des capacités à gérer la recherche, à améliorer les politiques et les décisions fondées sur des données probantes, le soutien à la gestion de la recherche, le soutien dans le cadre de la Communication Stratégique et la mise en pratique des connaissances, et le renforcement des capacités à atteindre l’équilibre entre les sexes et l’inclusion.
La réunion a apporté aux Conseils subventionnaires une connaissance accrue sur la manière d’aligner leurs agendas de recherche et de développement avec les plans de développement nationaux et de renforcer ce lien pour la STI en Afrique.
À propos de la Réunion
La réunion régionale virtuelle de 2021 a été organisée par la SGCI en partenariat avec le Scinnovent Centre. La SGCI vise à renforcer les capacités des Conseils Subventionnaires de la Recherche Scientifique (SGC) en Afrique Subsaharienne afin de soutenir la recherche et les politiques fondées sur des preuves qui contribueront au développement économique et social. L’initiative est financée conjointement par le Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office du Royaume-Uni, l’International Development Research Centre (IDRC) du Canada, le National Research Foundation (NRF) de l’Afrique du Sud, la Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) et la German Research Foundation (DFG).
On March 30, 2021, the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) hosted its annual Masterclass on the theme of “Ethics and Integrity in Research and Innovation,” bringing together stakeholders from across the research and innovation sectors. This year’s virtual session welcomed 82 participants from 22 countries, representing Science Granting Councils (SGCs). The event aimed to address current challenges, share experiences, and develop actionable strategies for promoting ethical standards in research across Africa.
During the event, participants discussed how the ethical landscape in research is constantly evolving, while many Research Ethics Committees (RECs) appear slow to adapt. This gap risks leaving African researchers out of crucial conversations on international standards. The group noted specific ethical issues needing more attention, such as managing conflicts of interest and preventing misconduct across research phases, from proposal submissions to commercialization.
The keynote address, delivered by Dr. Paul Ndebele, a leading figure in research ethics, was followed by a panel featuring representatives from Botswana, Senegal, and Burkina Faso. They shared insights on the practical realities of fostering ethics and integrity in their research environments. Representatives from the African Academy of Sciences (AAS), the International Development Research Centre (IDRC), and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) also contributed perspectives on how African researchers can better align with international standards while addressing local challenges.
Strengthening Governance and Oversight: The Masterclass identified the need for SGCs to assess their internal structures and establish clear roles in coordinating and enforcing ethical standards.
Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR): Participants highlighted the importance of mandatory RCR training to cover ethical issues like authorship and fair grant distribution. Transparency in funding processes was recommended to foster trust and prevent biases in research grants.
Building Human Resources in Ethics: A shortage of qualified ethics professionals limits effective oversight in many African countries. Masterclass participants recommended that SGCs work with existing capacity-building programs to address this gap and integrate ethics training into their annual budgets for government funding.
Strengthening Local Infrastructure for International Research: Concerns were raised about African countries’ reliance on foreign facilities for data storage and bio specimen handling, which often results in loss of control over valuable information. The SGCs were encouraged to support local research infrastructure, including equipment costs in grant applications and collaborating with the private sector to build capacity within Africa. 5.Ethics in Traditional Knowledge Systems: The session emphasized the need for ethical considerations in research involving traditional knowledge. SGCs were urged to promote ethical research in indigenous knowledge systems, particularly regarding fair compensation for communities that contribute. The 2021 Masterclass highlighted the pressing need for consistent ethical standards across disciplines and regions in Africa. Participants left with a greater awareness of potential conflicts between institutional and national policies and a commitment to fostering ethical practices. Through these efforts, SGCI aims to strengthen ethics and integrity as cornerstones of African research and innovation, paving the way for sustainable, responsible research practices across the continent.
Uganda is another outstanding success case. We had this bee project that resulted in products. Quality science and one that connects to the community. Bee keeping is a huge issue in Uganda. The use of propolis and bee venom is very important. We supported a project that resulted in propolis tea that has been branded and is on its way to the market. We are dealing with Intellectual Property Rights (IPRs) protection for it. We are trying to find the best way to protect it within the institutional IPR policy of Makerere University and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology.
The propolis tea and propolis powder in Uganda is for us a success that we need to shout about because of the scientific process that went into it. The science in Makerere on the propolis was a very high-level science.
The propolis tea is actually a medicinal product. This is scientific intervention at a point when the private sector in Uganda and the bee keepers association were already struggling with how tosell propolis to the masses. It is something that they were trying to get into the market but there was no scientific backing. They used to sell propolis in some fairly crude form. We came up and supported them. This is a research project that has led to a product that is ready to go to the market.
There is also the propolis powder. This is a powder that can be used in the food industry, the pharmaceutical industry, in the medical field, you can use it in almost every industry. Connect that to the bee farmers and begin to see how this project is able to change lives from the ground up. We are talking about 9000 plus farmers, products and distribution channels or supply chains that are already exciting. Thus, we have an opportunity there to make a big impact on the lives of the farmers but also to Research and Development(R&D) industry.
The Scinnovent Centre, alongside its partners, embarked on a mission to strengthen African Science Granting Councils (SGCs) through the Science Granting Councils Initiative II (SGCI-2) under the theme “Strategic Communications and Knowledge Uptake.” This initiative, funded by major stakeholders, aims to enhance SGCs’ knowledge management and strategic communication capabilities to foster better science and technology policy-making across the continent.
A comprehensive gap analysis was recently conducted to identify challenges within SGCs’ communication strategies and knowledge management systems. The findings informed a draft knowledge management strategy and a strategic communication model, which are now undergoing finalization. These strategies are intended to bolster the councils’ effectiveness in communicating research insights, advocating policy needs, and sharing resources efficiently.
As part of the strategy finalization, a two-day virtual workshop took place from November 10–11, 2020, bringing together 34 stakeholders from diverse backgrounds, including science council members, scientists, ministry officials, and partner organizations. Among the attendees were representatives from the SGCI Initiative Management Team, the East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), and funders like the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA). The workshop’s objectives were:
Validating and Contextualizing the Gap Analysis.
Incorporating Participant Insights.
Building Communication Capacity.
Developing Implementation Plans
Dr. Maurice Bolo opened the workshop with an overview of SGCI’s journey. From its inception in 2016, with a needs assessment conducted in Maputo, to the validation of a communication strategy with the private sector in 2017 in Pretoria, and further planning in Nairobi in 2018, SGCI has evolved to address the unique requirements of SGCs. In 2019, an annual regional workshop helped identify additional support areas, including gender inclusivity, which has become a core focus in strategic planning.
Dr. Bolo emphasized the workshop’s importance for enabling councils to address communication gaps, improve knowledge management, and integrate gender inclusion strategies into their operations. This, he noted, would allow councils to track and report scientific developments, ensuring that research informs policy and benefits society broadly.
The workshop facilitators, Dr. Wanja Mwaura-Tenambergen, Mr. Obyerodhyambo, and Mr. Ondigo, guided participants through discussions and exercises aimed at building networks, setting engagement rules, and clarifying each participant’s role within the science and technology ecosystem. Dr. Mwaura-Tenambergen encouraged participants to share expectations and insights, initiating discussions around attitudes towards science and research, and prompting each attendee to articulate their perceptions using one word.
Overall, the workshop was a crucial milestone for SGCI-2, paving the way for a robust implementation phase. By equipping councils with strategic tools and enhancing staff capacities, the Scinnovent Centre and its partners hope to amplify African councils’ voices in science policy and strengthen knowledge dissemination and uptake across the region.
Mozambique is in its early stages of development as a tourism destination with much room to develop various products. Travelers today use their mobile phones to control every aspect of their lives and travels. They check flight schedules, route options and keep up-to-date with possible delays.
In Mozambique for example, visitor arrivals totaled approximately 400 000 in 2019. This is very low compared to other in countries in the region. There is, however, considerable opportunity for growth given.
This demonstrates a very low utilization compared to registered numbers by countries in the region. There is, however, considerable latitude for growth given that projections of the World Tourism Organization indicate that the region could attract 36 million tourists in 2020. However this may not be realized because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But Mozambique is on track to capitalise on the global tourism and initiatives are being put in place in preparation to achieve its share.
Mussika tourism technology, is an online platform that aims to present the potentialities with a special focus on the areas of Tourism, Music and Culture of the province of Zambézia, located in the central region of Mozambique and whose capital is the city of Quelimane, located about 1,600 kilometers north of Maputo, the country’s capital. Mussika which means markets in Chuambo language, is a project of the Zambezia Development Studies Center was created in 2019.
Mussika, is an online mobile application that guides users on the rich tourism exploits of the Zambezia region. The Mussika App whose development was made possible by a grant from the National Research Institute (NRI) to the tune of 2.5 million meticais, is one of the key success stories of and the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Mozambique.
Mussika has made it quite easy for tourist visiting or planning to visit Mozambique, to locate some of the country’s richest tourism attractions, including sandy beaches, music and cultures thereby boosting the tourist numbers to grow the economy.
The App contains all the wealth of the Zambezia province, thus allowing everyone who has the application to access to all that the province has to offer its visitors.
Mussika Executive director, Amin Daud says although it is currently based in the province of Zambezia, which is in the center of Mozambique. Mussika intends to expand to the national level before going international but starting with countries in the African continent such as Angola. “We got our initial investment capital through a funding from Mozambique National Research Institute, FNI and we started work in the commercial part, so that people who are not residents in Mozambique get informed about the services that the company provides; If an individual is outside the country and wants to know where to spend a holiday or find accommodation in any part of the country, then Mussika comes in the picture as a solution,” Daud explained. In order to operate in this area, the company carried out a field study to find out if this business would be profitable to participate. It participated in a national tender floated by FNI and won. According to Daud, after participating in this competition he felt that he was in a position to open the company something he does not regret since he has so far managed to earn a living through this company while also creating jobs for other people and their families. However, there are challenges despite the progress. These include power shortages and the firm is collaborating or work together with the Mozambican government to overcome this situation. “This is a bankable project and we want to expand our services nationwide. We have since designed a project which we hope to present to the ministry of culture and tourism, so that artists from the country can advertise their products in their online platforms, something that is planned for July” Daud said . In turn, Paulo Gomes, Mussika general director added that it is the first company to work in this region. Despite being in early operation stages it is showing good signs of prosperity. At the moment, Mussika has sought to advertise its services and has a partnership with Mozambican singer Sheila Mahoze, to play the role of an ambassador, so that she can support the company’s activities through music. She will produce songs in local languages. `Being an ambassador for a project like MussikaTurismo is a great honor and I will do anything to leverage MussikaTurismo services. I hope that this project will boost this country’s tourism development in the area of technology and tourism, so that Mozambique is known worldwide” said Sheila Mahoze.
Amin Daud, Executive Director of Mussika, explains that Mussika was registered as a company in 2019. Although it is currently based in the province of Zambezia, which is in the center of Mozambique, the Daud has plans to cover the whole country and even to go across borders, starting with neighboring countries, such as Angola and Tanzania. “We got our initial investment capital through a funding from the FNI through a tender process to develop the App so that people who are not residents in Mozambique get informed about the services that the company provides. If an individual is in or outside of the country and wants to know where to spend a holiday or find accommodation, then Mussika would provide the solutions,” Daud explains. In order to operate in the tourism sector, the company carried out a field study to test viability of the business. The results were positive and the rest is history as the saying goes, Daud intimates. The grant enabled Daud to open the company, something he does not regret since it has become his main source of livelihoods as well as many others directly and indirectly.
The App has five subscription packages: basic, bronze, silver, gold and platinum. The packages provide different marketing features, such as publicity, company profile and public campaign. 107
Other features include bulk SMS, vacancies, advertisement, contact management and online sales.
“This is a bankable project and we want to expand our services nationwide. We have since designed a project, which we hope to present to the ministry of culture and tourism, so that artists from the country can advertise their products in their online platforms,” Daud says.
Paulo Gomes, Mussika’s general director, added that Mussika is the first company of its nature to work in the Zambezia region. Despite being in its infancy, it is showing good signs of prosperity.
The Mussika project aims to enhance tourism and improve the purchasing system in Zambézia province by creating a digital platform that highlights its cultural and tourist heritage. The project will survey the province’s rich traditions, including dishes, dances, landmarks, and local games, and transform this information into a comprehensive web and mobile application. The app will allow users worldwide to explore Zambézia’s offerings, make reservations for activities, book transportation, order local dishes, and complete transactions directly through the platform.
The project acknowledges the importance of technology in modernizing how people access and engage with services, reflecting the global shift toward digital tools for information sharing and communication. To achieve this, the initiative will involve members of the local community, who will collect data through field visits, interviews, and multimedia documentation. A comprehensive review of existing research will guide the project in identifying gaps and ensuring that all aspects of the province’s culture and tourism are represented.
Once the data is collected, it will be converted into a functional app by the Academy of Science and Technology, making the province’s cultural assets easily accessible to people globally. The project aims to provide more flexibility in the tourism processes within Zambézia and facilitate a smoother interaction between tourists and local services.
When key actors in the research and innovation landscape, such as Science Granting Councils, work in isolation, a huge opportunity to leverage resources, skills and expertise is missed.
How, then, can Science Granting Councils catalyze and facilitate knowledge exchange and collaborative partnerships with the private sector and among other actors in the innovation landscape? A newly published toolkit contains tools and strategies to support Science Granting Councils in strategic communication and engagement with the actors in the innovation landscape and particularly with the private sector.
With increased emphasis on the need for more structured communication and engagement among actors to spur sustainable public-private partnerships, a guiding framework is not only essential but paramount. The new toolkit contains tools and strategies for initiating and sustaining knowledge exchange while also equipping users with skills to ‘down-step’ the knowledge and also institutionalize the approach within their organizations. It suggests ways to design and implement structured communication and engagement in projects, programs, or institutions.
The toolkit is also conceived as a guide, containing resources and materials to help plan and execute a three-day training workshop. The design, presentation, and content are geared towards supporting customized, self-use by the facilitators.
While the guidelines have been specifically tailored for Africa’s Science Granting Councils, the insights it provides are relevant for other Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) actors.
Responding to expressed needs and identified gaps
In March 2018, The Scinnovent Centre together with the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS), the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Research Organization (STIPRO) and the Association of African Universities (AAU) under the auspices of the Science Granting Councils Initiative in Africa (SGCI) organized a regional training workshop for Science Granting Councils on ‘Strategic Communication and Engagement with the Private Sector’. The training was responding to the results of a training needs assessment conducted with the 15 Science Granting Councils participating in the Initiative, in which “strategic communications with the private sector” emerged as the most critical and urgent need. Out of a fundamental need to institutionalize and increase the dissemination of the tools and strategies offered by the training, Theme 3 of the SGCI conceptualized and produced this toolkit, led by the Scinnovent Centre. It is conceived both as a resource book and as a training manual that can be used to replicate the learnings to a broader audience.
For policies to serve the purpose for which they are designed, there must be a framework for their implementation, which needs to be guided by some evidence.
Institutionalizing policies for science technology and development in Africa is the most challenging task
Scientists need to understand and appreciate the nuances of policy-making processes, which vary in different contexts
These are some of the major discussion points that emerged from a recently concluded three-day workshop dubbed: “Science Technology and Innovation Policy Training for Africa.” The workshop brought together about 32 representatives from the Science Granting Councils (SGCs) involved in the Science Granting Council initiative. The countries represented were: Malawi, Mozambique, Kenya, Ethiopia, Namibia, Ghana, Zambia, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Botswana, Senegal, Zimbabwe, Burkina Faso, and Cote d’Ivoire.
Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) are fundamental for the economic and social development of any country. Dr. Hezron Makundi from STIPRO recommended that African governments should prioritize financing of health and agricultural research.
“We take Science Technology and Innovation as our daily bread.” Said Professor Tom Ogada, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) as he welcomed the workshop participants.
“If it is not happening, it is not a policy but a mindset,” said Dr. Bitrina Diyamett from the Science Technology and Innovation Policy Research Organization (STIPRO) who emphasized that we must see some results following policy formulation for us to know that it has undergone a successful implementation process.
The workshop revealed that in most of the countries, STI is under the umbrella of a particular ministry, mostly the Ministry of higher education in the countries. For instance, in Kenya STI is under the Ministry of Higher Education; Ghana has it under the Ministry of Environment whereas Zambia and Mozambique have it under the same ministry as Kenya.
However, participants at the workshop expressed the need to establish a stand-alone Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation in the countries for a more significant impact. “Science technology and innovation (STI) should not be based in one ministry, because this could limit its impact and influence on the wide range of STI activities in the country” added Kalisa, a participant from Rwanda.
The highly participatory workshop featured cross learning of different policy-making processes in different countries.
Participants noted that successful implementation of evidence-based policies for enhanced STI highly depends on several factors including; close collaboration and coordination of involved actors (and organizations), identification of evidence gaps, clear implementation framework, political goodwill, and financial support.
There was a resounding consensus from the workshop participants on the need to understand and appreciate the different components of policy-making processes for successful evidence-based policy formulation and implementation. Dr. Gussai Sheikhedin from STIPRO reiterated that research plays a fundamental role in the policy implementation process. He also pointed out the importance of communication and engagement between scientists and policymakers.
For over two decades, the concept of innovation systems has received considerable attention as a key approach in enhancing agricultural development. In a newly published book, innovation systems approach is acclaimed as an effective strategy for supporting smallholders. One of the chapters considers how institutional arrangements influence interactive learning among actors in an innovation system. The chapter is based on a case study of the floriculture industry in Kenya and focuses on how knowledge generation and sharing contributes to learning, innovation and capability building amongst farmers.
Focusing on key actors as “sources of knowledge” for farmers and farmers’ choices for such actors as “collaborators in research and development”, the study sought to investigate how these preferences influenced farmers’ capabilities to respond to challenges and changes in their contexts. It further investigated how institutional factors and organizational culture influenced the interaction and collaborations amongst the different actors. The paper outlines how farmers can organize themselves to demand for research services in a way that makes universities and research and development institutes respond. It further articulates new institutional arrangements that will enable R&D actors to respond to farmers’ requests.
The chapter, by Maurice Bolo from the Scinnovent Centre, concludes that institutional factors such as organizational culture play a huge role in shaping the tendency of the individual actors within an organization to interact with other actors within the wider innovation system. Different cultures are distinguished, depending on the nature of the organization’s activities and interests. For instance, Bolo notes that non-governmental organizations (NGO) demonstrated a ‘clan culture’ where teamwork and collaborations is highly valued; Input suppliers were characterized by a ‘market culture’ and were more results-oriented to winning market share and penetrating new markets while universities and public research institutes are still dominated by a ‘hierarchical culture’ that undermines their responsiveness to ad hoc client demands.
Kenya’s development blueprint (Vision 2030) acknowledges that science, technology and innovation (STI) plays a fundamental role in a modern economy, with knowledge at the center of boosting economic growth and global competitiveness. Highlighting the need for effective exploitation of knowledge, the strategy further elucidates that an effective innovation system which can tap into knowledge, and incorporate and adapt it to local needs to create new knowledge and appropriate technology is critical. The innovation system is described here as a network of research centres, universities, think tanks, private enterprises and community groups.
With research institutes and universities at the centre of knowledge generation and recreation, hence key in engineering Kenya’s transition to a knowledge-based economy, the central question remains; to what extent are they contributing to intellectual property and entrepreneurship?
A study by The Scinnovent Centre sought to investigate the contribution of Kenyan universities and public research institutes to industrial property (IP) rights applications and grants for the period 1990 – 2013. The analysis, covered different types of IP rights including patents, utility models and industrial designs by individual universities and public research institutes, including those filed and/or granted in partnerships with other actors.
The study findings revealed that contrary to the popular expectation that universities and public research institutes will engineer Kenya’s transition to the knowledge-based economy while steering the rapid transition to middle income status espoused in the country’s Vision 2030, their performance is dismal and does not inspire the confidence assumed in the Vision 2030 and the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) policy (2008). The private sector and individual investors outperform them in every IP segment.
While the Vision 2030 outlines various strategies for promoting STI, among them increased funding for basic and applied research to intensify innovation, these findings reveals that the panacea may not just lie in increased funding.
In a recently published policy brief based on the findings, the study recommends two options that could stimulate innovation and entrepreneurship from these knowledge-based institutions:
i) Competitive ranking of universities and
(ii) Instituting a performance-based research funding model as a means of stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship.
The study concluded that current university ranking based on Webometrics and Performance Contracting in the Civil Service provide useful lessons and experiences, that should be modified and improved towards a performance-based research funding model for universities and public research institutes.
The study further explored the experiences of other countries in performance-based research funding, and explains how such a funding model may be implemented in Kenya. It sets out the rationale for such a funding model, highlights its merits and demerits, assesses the impacts and explores whether such a system fits within Kenya’s context.
