03 Feb 2015

The indicators generated from the 2012/2013 data show that Botswana’s capability in research and development in terms of investment, private sector involvement and human resource dedicated to research is still too low.

This was said by fnance and development planning minister, Mr Kenneth Matambo, when delivering the 2015/16 Budget Speech, on Monday. 

Research and development, Mr Matambo said were essential ingredients in driving economic growth and keeping the country abreast of emerging global competition, hence the need for a coordinated, aggressive and concerted implementation of the Research, Science, Technology and Innovation Policy of 2011. 

To inform on the current status of Botswana’s capability in supporting and maintaining research and innovation, he said government had undertaken to regularly generate indicators of Research, Science, Technology and Innovation. 

Furthermore, as part of implementation of targeted Research and Development, the minister said the Botswana institute for Technology Research and Innovation (BITRI) was setting up a Centre for Material Sciences to be able to adapt material of any kind and respond to the challenges of industry in; manufacturing, medicine, energy production, environmental management, transportation and communication. 

In addition, through private sector participation, Mr Matambo said the institute had also established a Centre for Coal Studies with a view of contributing towards coal beneficiation. 

He also said BITRI continued to sensitise government departments on the solar driven technology and had demonstrated its use in Gaborone, Ghanzi and Southern Kgalagadi districts. 

“All these are meant to give Botswana a competitive edge by increasing value addition to local products,” he added.

For its part, Mr Matambo said the Botswana Innovation Hub(BIH) continued to foster technology transfer and innovation. To this end, he said BIH had set up a national technology transfer office to provide local entrepreneurs and innovators with the required tools to learn the latest technology in order to absorb and adopt it in their businesses. 

In addition, the minister said an Innovation Fund was being established to support emerging innovators, and thus facilitate BIH’s mandate of promoting innovation and technology in the country. ENDS