SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION A SURE STRATEGY FOR GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS

Competitiveness is increasingly important to succeed in the global economy and Kenya must improve in this area to enhance the nation’s standard of living and to catch up with the current globalisation wave.

To remain relevant and competitive regionally and globally, Kenya must plan for the future. It must chart a new road map that learns from our past failures, builds on our strengths and confronts the realities of poverty, unemployment and globalization. Kenya Vision 2030 lays the foundation for an economic revolution for the present and future leadership. The vision is anchored on three pillars with ST&I being the bedrock.

Our country is keen on joining the league of nations that are knowledge-driven or otherwise referred to as knowledge economies where creation, adaptation and use of knowledge forms the most critical factor for rapid economic growth. To fast track this aspiration, she must learn from experiences of countries such as South Korea and the BRICS which have illustrated that rapid progress can be made over relatively short periods of time by pursuing coherent strategies and building the capabilities to create, access, and use scientific knowledge.

Kenya should harness science, technology and innovation in all aspects of its social and economic development in order to foster national prosperity and global competitiveness through coordination of Kenya’s multiple institutions dealing with research and development and infrastructure development.

Strategies for promoting science, technology and innovation include; ensuring increased awareness of science, technology and innovation to facilitate the emergence of Kenya as a society that harnesses and enables its people to fully and effectively participate in the application of science, technology and innovation for solving problems and enhancing human welfare, ensuring food, agricultural, nutritional, environmental, water, health and energy security for the people. For effective application of science, technology and innovation, effective mechanism for promoting the use of existing new technologies that have broad applications such as developments in ICT, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and new materials have to be mainstreamed within the national economy system. Besides, the country need to build a strong innovation system to support the whole process of innovation by integrating participation of academia, research institutions and industry through networking focused on nurturing, developing and applying, and diffusing ST&I in the nation.

We must groom Kenyans from the youngest possible age to pursue careers and opportunities in science, engineering, technology and innovation by conveying a sense of excitement concerning the advancing frontiers, and by creating suitable employment opportunities for them; promoting the empowerment as well as full and equal participation of women and disadvantaged persons in matters science, technology and innovation.

Many opportunities abound in ST&I that should be harnessed in protecting, preserving, evaluating, updating, adding value to, and utilizing Kenya’s extensive traditional knowledge potential for sustainable national benefit. Some of these opportunities include; using scientific research and applications for forecasting, prevention and mitigation of emergencies and natural hazards, particularly, floods, landslides, drought, acts of terrorism, and epidemics.

Strengthening mechanisms that relate to technology development, evaluation, absorption and up scaling could also help realization of Vision 2030 besides promoting Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regimes that maximises incentives for the generation and protection of intellectual property by all types of inventors. The regime would also provide a strong, supportive and comprehensive policy environment for speedy and effective domestic commercialization of such inventions and innovations to maximize public good/interest. There is need to create effective funding mechanisms for national research and to provide an enabling frameworks for knowledge brokerage and venture venture capitalist to pick ideas and move them to commercial enterprises. The role of the government in suh initiatives would include providing cheap innovation grants to spin off firms, friendly tax regimes to would be investors in the technology sector and R7D system and incentives to researchers in terms of good salary package and scholarships for those pursing career in the ST&I disciplines to build a critical mass of skilled human capacity in the sector.

Above all, scientific technologies require forward looking policy frameworks that are pro-public and aimed providing relevant interventions that improve human welfare. Such policies must strive to be inclusive and broadly engaging to allow effective involvement of scientists, policy makers and the public in decision making especially at the agendas setting stages. Of course because of the high price tag of technologic advancement, there is need for in built monitoring and evaluation structure to ensure efficient use of resources and minimal wastage.

So far, there are good signs that the ST&I sector is waking up considering the remarkable number of legislations passed by the last parliament. Many more need to be done and we must build form our current position by securing our gains while strengthening our weak areas. Mainstreaming science and technology within key sectors of our economy will help leap frog this country towards a faster realization of the goals of the vision 2030. All it needs is for all to have the same strategic vision.