Rudolf Gaiseb
LUSAKA, ZAMBIA – Africa’s research and development (R&D) financial investment averages 0.5%, which has negatively affected the continent’s biosciences sector.
The latest data, as illustrated by the former Minister of Natural Resources and Tourism in Tanzania, Jummane Maghembe, highlights countries such as Nigeria, Kenya, Ethiopia, Angola and even Tanzania, which have a low investment in R&D, at less than 0.6% of their gross domestic product.
Speaking at the 6th edition of the Africa Biennial Biosciences Communication Symposium, in Lusaka, Zambia, Maghembe emphasised the need to increase investment in this area to enhance technological development and expand economies.
At the three-day event that started on Tuesday, he noted that the industry needs foresight to respond effectively to technical emergencies such as Covid-19, malaria, or HIV and AIDS.
“The reasons have been attributed to the countries’ overall low national budgets, limited involvement of the private sector, and dependence on external funding,” he said.
Namibia
Nevertheless, according to the National Commission on Research, Science and Technology (NCRST), Namibia’s R&D stood at 0.73% of GDP in 2021/2022, a significant increase from 0.34% in 2013/2014.
Last year, NCRST reported that the growth in Gross Expenditure on Research and Development (GERD) was mainly driven by higher education (72.5%) and business enterprises (21.7%).
The government’s share dropped sharply from 46% to 3.3%. The number of researchers more than doubled to 3,439, with 49.5% being female.
Most researchers were Namibian (83%) and early-career professionals aged 24 to 35, holding primarily master’s (41.2%) and doctoral degrees (22.5%).
Agricultural cciences received the highest R&D investment (29.4%), particularly in forestry and fisheries, while business enterprises focused on crop and animal production R&D.
It notes natural sciences and social sciences also received significant funding.
Conversely, engineering and technology, medical and health sciences saw the lowest R&D investments.
In the same period, full-time R&D technicians decreased from 150 to 91, posing a concern, the institution noted. Transport, telecommunications and infrastructure sectors showed low R&D investment, while agriculture and environment received the highest funding.
The undercuts
Yesterday, however, NCRST Chief Executive Officer Anicia Peters said that the GERD might be lower after the completion of the next National R&D Survey.
“R&D funding did not increase significantly, and already in 2021/2022 the cost of doing research increased, and although the number of researchers doubled, the time full-time researchers are spending on research increased only by 25%, indicating that researchers spend more time on teaching,” she told New Era.”
This is a result of research funding cuts internationally.
This year, N$63.3 million was allocated to NCRST. Included under this programme is technology forecasting and opportunities identification for strategic use of emerging technologies for development.
Peters said universities do not receive a separate research budget but only an educational, operational and capital subsidy while students pay tuition fees.
This means that NCRST and universities apply for external funding, and NCRST then funds research at universities in addition to external funders.
She said the limited available funding for research hampers their ability to conduct impactful research to inform decisions in the country, build capacity and develop unique research infrastructure and full-time master’s and PhD students, including researchers who could work with the private sector and government on national imperatives.
In addition, she emphasised that the current situation keeps the country dependent on external funders’ agendas, external universities and researchers, while the country pays money for expensive external studies, research labs and equipment elsewhere.– rrgaiseb@gmail.com