06 Mar 2013

Professor of Physics at the University of Botswana, Pushpendra Jain says Africa lags behind in research, development and innovation.

Professor Jain, who is also the African Materials and Engineering Network (AMSEN) Coordinator said this during the sixth international conference on frontiers of plasma, physics and technology in Gaborone on March 4, stating that African economies were too weak to create and sustain adequate research and  train adequate research manpower.

Presenting on Scientific Research in Southern Africa, he stated that Africa was unable to attract external research funding and produce notable research outputs, saying the only option was to forge sustainable global and regional collaborations. Regional and global networking he said, was also essential to sharing of skills and resources.

Professor Jain highlighted economic landscape, infra-and support structures as well as educational landscape as barriers to scientific development in Africa.

He explained that primary and secondary schools lacked well equipped science laboratories and staff, adding that government jobs have minimal opportunity for research and innovation.

He further elaborated that on the economic landscape, traditionally raw materials and mineral based economies are some of the factors hindering economic development in Africa.

Also on the economic landscape, he cited lack of value addition to raw materials by manufacturers, little industrial and technological development as some of the factors acting as barriers.

He added that pricing of raw materials and minerals which are determined by external forces were some of the barriers to economic development in Africa.

Professor Jain stated that there were only 31 African scientists among 5 000 most highly cited world scientists noting that 25 are from South Africa, three Kenya, and one from Senegal, Tanzania and Uganda respectively.

Their research areas, he said covered plant and animal science, chemistry and pharmacology, environment and ecology as well as medicine.

He stated that networking was an essential tool for solving global problems, adding that sharing of resources is also an essential necessity for quality of research. ENDS