Transcript Slide 1

CHALLENGES OF
INTEGRATING THE “JUA
KALIS” INTO THE NATIONAL
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SYSTEM IN UGANDA
Bashir Rajab Kagere
Policy Analyst
Uganda National Council for Science and Technology
P.O. Box 6884, Kampala, Uganda
August, 2008
Negombo, Sri lanka
Introduction
 Uganda’s industrial sector
 GDP contribution of 21% in the financial
year 2006/07, up from 20.9% in
2005/06
 focused on light manufacturing and
offering services for local consumption
 90% of Uganda’s exports are agricultural
products with little technological input or
value addition
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Colombo, Sri lanka
Introduction Cont…………..
 Small Scale Industries
 Poor performance of industries and the
high levels of unemployment have led to
the emergence of micro and small scale
enterprises within both the formal and
informal sector
 fill in gaps between imported products
and what is produced locally either
because they are too expensive to afford
or not available in the market
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka
SSE growth: The Path to
Industrialization
 SSEs as a source of entrepreneurship and
continual innovation
 “breeding ground” or “seedbed” from which
larger firms emerge
 modern small and medium scale
enterprises did not primarily originate from
micro manufacturing enterprises but rather
started with more than ten employees.
 Firms uncover their true efficiencies, over
time, through a learning process
(Jovanovic, 1982)
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka
“Jua Kali”: Who are they?
 “Jua Kali” is a Swahili word meaning hot
sun.
 term is used to refer to small scale artisans
eking out a living through manufacturing of
products and offering services in the open
scorching heat of the sun
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Colombo, Sri lanka
Metallic doors
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Metallic windows
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Carpentry
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Water Peddling Pump
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Water Peddling Pump Cont…..
 The water peddling pump was developed by
the “jua kali” in kisenyi, kampala district.
 The pump is used for irrigation and is
powered by two bicycles
 The prototype was tested at Makerere
University and is capable of delivering a
water flow of upto 27 litres per minute at a
distance of 5metres
 Still undergoing modification, but could
pump upto 300 litres/ 45 sec
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka
“Jua kali” Contribution to
the Economy
 It is estimated that there are
800,000 small scale enterprises
operating under the informal sector
in Uganda, employing 2.6 million
people
 Over 20% contribution to GDP
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka
Characteristics of “Jua Kali”
 Sole proprietorships with the owner as
the only person in a managerial position
 Do not have well laid out plans
 Labour intensive
 Imitation/ copying
 Easy entry and Exit
 Extensive use of local raw materials in
production
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka
National Innovation System
 Uganda possesses a poorly
functioning national innovation
system and innovation processes for
her prevailing objectives and
circumstances.
 Developing countries are not
organized in ‘systems of innovation’
but ‘learning systems’ (Viotti, 2002)
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka
Components of Uganda’s STI
System
STI Policy & Institutional Framework
•Institutions
•Policies
•Resources (financial)
STI Human
Resources
•Knowledge
•Skills
•Entrepreneurship
August, 2008
STI Infrastructure
•R&D facilities
•ICT facilities
•Others
Colombo, Sri lanka
STI Manufacturing
and Marketing
•Products and
services
•Prices
•Consumers
Management of the STI
System
 Uganda’s STI system is managed
through a constellation of macro and
sectoral policies whose major focus is
on non-STI specific indices of
development
 Parallel mandates of STI governing
bodies complicate coordination of the
system
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Colombo, Sri lanka
Jua Kali: A case of Metal
Fabrication
 Metal fabrication industry in Uganda is still in
its infancy
 Skills in the metal fabrication sector are
basically learned on the job through an older
and experienced worker teaching a novice over
a relatively long period of time
 Some of the commodities produced include;
metallic windows and doors, staircases,
mortars, vehicle spare parts, spare keys,
grinding machines, tanks, source pans, chairs,
tables, etc
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka
Metal fabrication Cont….
 low levels of technology
 45% of the metal fabricating firms did
not introduce any new products over
a 3 year period ranging from 1997 to
2000 (Z.M. Nyiira et al, 2001).
 Products introduced are either
imitations of domestic models or
applications of existing technology in
the market
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Colombo, Sri lanka
Metal fabrication Cont…..
 Most metal fabricating enterprises
begin small (1 to 5 people) and
remain in this state since the goal of
the initiative is for personal survival
and not growth
 Modern metal fabricating enterprises
in the business include: Hwan Sung,
Alminium halloware, Steel Rolling
Mills Ltd, casements, etc
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Colombo, Sri lanka
Challenges of Integrating Jua
Kalis into the S&T System
i. Policy Environment
ii. Institutional Framework
iii. Classification of SMEs
iv. Deepening of the Concept of
National Innovation System
v. Financing
vi. Technology Incubation/
clustering
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Colombo, Sri lanka
Challenges Cont…..
vii. Technology Transfer and
Management
viii. Standardization of Products
ix. Competition and Legal Protection
x. Link between Jua Kali and
Industrial Establishments
xi. Entry and Exit
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Challenges Cont…..
xii. Jua kali Capacity to Absorb
Technology
xiii. Tacit Knowledge
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Conclusion
 In developing countries, SMEs are the
engines of growth and are responsible
for most jobs, products, tax revenue
and development. It is therefore
imperative that governments in
developing countries as a matter of
necessity and survival of their
economies support and fund
knowledge creation and infusion into
SMEs
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Thank You For Listening
August, 2008
Colombo, Sri lanka