Transcript THE NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY OF …

THE NATIONAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT POLICY
OF TANZANIA WITH SPECIAL EMPHASIS ON TECHNOLOGY
TRANSFER AND COMMERCIALIZATION
BY
JOHN S. KASONTA
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATION, SCIENCE AND
TECHNOLOGY
1. BACKGROUND
• Policies aimed at guiding research activities play an
important role in planning the socio-economic
development of any country
• In Tanzania, policies addressing science have basically
gone through three eras:
- 1960s- 1970s: Science Policy
- 1970s -1980s: Science and Technology (S &
T ) Policy
- 1990s-2000s: Science, Technology and
Innovation (STI) Policy
• Until recently, Research and Development (R & D)
activities in Tanzania were being guided by the
National Science and Technology Policy of 1996
following the review of the National Science and
Technology Policy of 1985.
• The S & T Policy of 1985 was formulated with the
background of the break up of the East African
Community in 1977; the carrying out of the
National Economic Survival Programme and the
Structural Adjust Programme from 1981-1985.
• In 1986 another Economic Recovery Programme was
undertaken, which was in 1991/92 followed by policy
measures to reform the parastatal sector that led to
the restructuring and privatization of parastatal
enterprises.
• Therefore, the National S & T Policy of 1996 was
formulated taking into account the economic reforms
that had been undertaken previously as well as
inadequacies realized in implementing several sectoral
policies, for example, the Basic Industrial Strategy
(1975-1995), which was actually never implemented.
• However, the main reasons for dismal socioeconomic developed in most developing
countries despite being endowed with
abundant natural resources include their
inability to formulate and implement
comprehensive R & D Policies as well as their
inability to make use of research results to
harness their human and natural resources for
improving their socio-economic development.
• The National S & T Policy of 1996 has been found
to have the following gaps and inadequacies, just
to mention a few, and hence the need to
thoroughly review it and formulate a National STI
Policy and a STI Act on one hand and also
formulate the National R & D Policy on the other:
- Benefits realized over the years from
investment made in human resource
capacity building and infrastructure
development were inadequate;
- The research management system was not
properly coordinated and hence ineffective
and inefficient;
- There was lack of adequate incentives to
attract private sector participation in R & D
activities as well as to stimulate its
involvement in funding R & D activities; and
- Researchers were not adequately being
rewarded on the basis of their performance
partly due to the absence of the National
Intellectual Property Rights Policy.
• The National R & D Policy of 2010 does not
only address the issues listed earlier on but
provides for a framework through which
linkage, coordination and harmonization of
existing as well as new mechanisms that are
going to be developed adequately support
other policies and initiatives in order to
address challenges of building a knowledgebased economy that is driven by science,
technology and innovation.
• In other words, this policy emphasizes that in
Tanzania, research undertaking should be
directed towards generating knowledge and
building skills that will be of long-term benefit
to the country.
2. RATIONAL AND JUSTIFICATION
• The formulation of the National R & D Policy
was necessary due to the fact that the
National S & T Policy of 1996 addressed the
research and development issues based on
the old policy model that puts more emphasis
on the supply side at the expense of the
demand side, the latter emphasizing the role
of innovation and market forces in the
globalized economy.
• The National R & D Policy, therefore, has tried
as much as possible to align R & D activities to
the aspiration of the nation as spelt out in
various document viz. The Tanzania
Development Vision 2025; The Tanzania Mini
Tiger Plan 2020; The MKUKUTA 2005; and
the CCM Election Manifesto of 2005.
3. VISION AND MISSION STATEMENTS
• Vision: To be a nation with a strong, dynamic,
resilient and competitive economy that is
knowledge-based and innovation-driven.
• Mission: To develop a research system that
will increase the outcome and efficiency of R
& D activities leading to sustainable socioeconomic development.
General Objective
• The general objective of the National R & D
Policy is to provide guidance to researchers in
the public and private sector, policy- and
decision-makers as well as development
partners in addressing the present and future
national research challenges for socioeconomic development.
5. POLICY ISSUES, SPECIFIC
OBJECTIVES AND POLICY STATEMENTS
1. Strategic R & D Leadership and Institutional
Framework
1.1 Issue: Inadequately harmonized leadership
and institutional capacity to manage and
guide R & D activities
1.2 Objective: Establishing effective R & D
coordination, guidance and foresight
mechanisms
though
a
harmonized
institutional framework
1.3: Policy Statements:
(i) Establish foresight mechanisms in the national
planning unit for R & D policy foresight and
national strategic positioning; (ii) harmonize the
roles of various MDAs in coordinating research
matters; (iii) carry out a review of sectoral policies
and legislation establishing the existing R & D
institutions; and (iv) reform COSTECH so as to
effectively discharge its mandate of research
coordination and promotion.
2. Prioritization of Research Areas
2.1 Issue: Ineffective mechanism for setting up
priority research areas for national economic
growth, societal and human welfare
2.2 Objectives: (i) Create a mechanism for setting
up and periodically reviewing priority areas so as
to as to identify strategic research areas and (ii)
align research planning, implementation, M & E
as well as reporting to the national development
agenda
2.3 Policy statements: (i) establish mechanisms
for setting up short-, medium- and long-term
strategic research priorities; (ii) ensure that
priority setting is inclusive and based on
societal needs; and (iii) support and fund
research activities for societal as well as
human well being and for the national
economical growth.
3. Enhancing Research Capacity in ICT and
Social-economic Disciplines
3.1 Issue: Weak and low socio-economic
research and use of ICT in research
undertaking
3.2 Objectives: (i) Increase the contribution of
research in socio-economic disciplines as well
as in ICT ad (ii) increase the use of ICT in
research undertakings.
3.3 Policy Statements: (i) facilitate the
establishment of R & D institutions as well as
Centers of Excellence in ICT and socioeconomic disciplines; (ii) facilitate and
encourage R & D establishments to expand
their research areas into ICT and socioeconomic disciplines; and (iii) facilitate the
increased use of ICT in research.
4. Commercialization and Dissemination of
Research Results
4.1 Issue: Ineffective mechanism for ensuring
that research results and developed
technologies
are
commercialized
and
disseminated
4.2 Objectives: (i) Ensure the identification and
translation of innovative research results into
products, processes and services; (ii) establish
an efficient management system for
commercialization and dissemination of
innovative research results; (iii) ensure that R
& D Institutions collaborate with local
industries in up-scaling the local technologies
and skills in order to produce quality products
and services; and (iv) ensure that COSTECH
takes the lead in gathering and dissemination
of research results in the country.
4.3 Policy Statements: (i) Facilitate putting in
place
institutions
required
for
commercialization of research results; (ii)
develop and enforce mechanisms for setting
standards for different technologies; (iii)
establish legal mechanisms for the
development and enforcement of IPR; (iv)
facilitate the development of mechanisms that
allow researchers and research
institutes/centers
to
market
their
technologies; (v) promote local industries to
establish linkages with R & D institutions ; and
(vi) develop incentive mechanisms to attract
industries to engage into R & D activities.
5.
Human Resources Development and
Management
5.1 Issue: Ineffective mechanism to develop,
motivate and retain adequate and competent
human resources
5.2 Objectives: (i) establish and implement a
human resource development programme
focusing on short-, medium-, and long-term
research needs; and (ii) create a conducive
working environment through provision of
necessary infrastructure, better remuneration
and incentives.
5.3 Policy Statements: (i) put in place a
mechanism for strategic research staff training
and retraining, deployment , and succession
plan, and (ii) provide optimal motivation to
research staff through promotion and
recognition of their achievement.
6. Financing of Research and Development
6.1 Issue: low funding of research activities
6.2 Objectives: (i) Ensure adequate fund
allocation to research activities and (ii)
motivate
the
private
sector/industry,
development partners and individuals to
contribute to research funding.
6.3 Policy Statements: (i) create a National
research Fund and allocate to this fund not
less than 1% of the GDP annually; and (ii)
create conducive environment to attract
research funding from the private sector,
development partners and individuals.
7. Research Ethics and Intellectual Property Rights
7.1 Issue: Inadequate mechanism to ensure that
researchers adhere to research ethics and uphold
intellectual property rights
7.2 Objectives: (i) strengthen ethics management and
(ii) foster equitable sharing of research resources as
well as benefits especially between local
researchers/institutions/research communities
7.3 Policy Statements: (i) establish research ethic
review mechanisms in all sectors; (ii)
strengthen local capacity to monitor
compliance with national IPR and legislation;
and (iii) ensure equitable sharing of research
resources; and benefits.
8. Collaboration, Partnership and Networking
8.1 Issue: Inadequate collaboration among
researchers from different
disciplines/institutions and the private sector
8.2 Objectives: (i) establish and institutionalize
an efficient system of partnership, networking
an collaboration among researchers and the
private sector; and (ii) create favourable
environment.
8.3 Policy Statements: (i) establish legal and
administrative frameworks to promote
partnerships, networking and collaborations
between stakeholders; (ii) promote R & D
activities being carried out by conglomerates
of institutions; and (iii) encourage R & D
institutions to formulate their own research
policies that promote collaboration.
9. Regional and International Cooperation
9.1 Issue: Inadequate participation of Tanzania
in strategic international R & D systems
9.2: Objectives: (i) promote strategic
partnerships and collaboration between
research institutions, the government,
regional and intentional dev. partners,
including the diaspora; and
(ii) strengthen collaboration between
national research coordinatig body,
research institutions and othjer regional
and international coordinating bodies.
9.3 Policy Statements: (i) promote strategic
partnerships, collaborative partnerships and
woring relations between local researchers, R
& D institutions , regional and international
dev. Partners including the diaspora;
(ii) strengthen regulation and monitoring of
internal and external research activities ; and
(iii) develop a mechanism for continuous
popularization of research activities and
outputs through various fora.
10. Cross cutting Issues
10.1 Gender and other factors of Inequalities
10.1.1 Issue: Inequitable participation and
benefits in respect to R & D activities
10.1.2: Objectives: (i) take affirmative action in
promoting research that addresses challenges
facing disadvantaged groups of people; and (ii)
empower all segments of the population to
benefit from research results .
10.1.3: Policy Statements: (i) ensure that
research activities and benefits accrued from
do not discriminate against disadvantaged
groups; and (ii) ensure equitable access to
research funds, education and training.
10.2 Environment
10.2.1 Issue: Inadequate protection of the
environment during research undertaking
10.2.2 Objectives: (i) minimizing the effects of
research undertaking to the environment;
and (ii) promoting research that is beneficial
to the environment.
10.2.3 Policy Statements: (i) ensure that
research undertakings abide by environmental
policies, laws and regulation; (ii) regular
assessment and monitoring their impacts; and
(iii) facilitate and promote research that has
positive impact to the environment.
10.3 Occupational Risks Including HIV/AIDS
10.3.1 Issue: Increasing occupational risks and
HIV/AIDS among research staff
10.3.2 Objective: Mitigating the risks associated
with research activities to research staff.
10.3.3 Policy Statements: (i) Create awareness of
HIV/AIDS in relation to research activities as
well as prevention measures; (ii) create
awareness of the occupational risks associated
with R & D activities and (iii) encourage R & D
institutions to take precautionary measures to
reduce risks associated with research
activities.
6. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES ON
COMMECIALIZATION AND DISSEMINATION OF
RESEARCH RESULTS
• The implementation of the National R & D
Policy has been vested in the hands of various
stakeholders.
Specific
roles
and
responsibilities have been identified to
selected relevant sectoral Ministries but the
Ministry responsible for Research and
Development has been given the mandate to
implement the policy and to ensure that
national strategic goals are set and achieved.
• In
implementing
the
policy
on
commercialization and dissemination of
research results, the following strategic goals
have been set to be achieved:
(1) The establishment of incubation
centres, engineering entrepreneurship
centres , clusters and the establishment
of venture capital together with its access
mechanism.
(2) The develop of a mechanisms of setting
standards for the different technologies and
their full documentation.
(3) Ensuring that a National IPR Policy
together
with its
implementation
strategies have been formulated as well as the
required legislations enacted. Institutions
carrying out R
&
D
activity
will
be
encouraged to formulate their own policies to
suit their operations.
(4) Procedures of allowing researchers as
well as research institutes/centres to
market their technologies and benefit from
their work shall be proposed and
approved.
(5) A package shall be developed and
approved that
will
attract
the
establishment of linkages between
local industries and R & D institutions
(6) An incentive package shall be
developed and approved that will attract
industries to engage in R & D activities .
Thank you for your kind
attention!!