18 Mar 2015

The 2011 Research, Science, Technology and Innovation Policy has envisaged that investment in research would be two per cent of the Gross Domestic Product by 2016.

However, the Minister of Infrastructure Science and Technology, Mr Nonofo Molefhi, told Parliament that the target had not been met the reason being that between 2008 and 2013 rationalisation of research institutions and the process of establishing new entities dealing with research slowed down the scaling up of research provision.

The minister said in 2005, research allocations were 0.43 per cent of GDP while in 2013 it went down to 0.26 per cent. 

Mr Molefhi said the creation of the Research Fund was part of the Global Strategy for supporting research, including the constitution of the Botswana National Research Development and Innovation Coordinating Council and establishment of the Directorate of Research, Science and Technology.  The Attorney General, he said was already drafting the bill for the establishment of the fund.

He said the efforts were recognition by government of the importance research plays in national development and efforts would be made to enroll the private sector.Minister Molefhi was responding to a question from Member of Parliament for Tati West, Mr Biggie Butale who had asked the minister whether it was not time government invested more money into Research and Technology activities and if so, would he consider setting up a National Science and Technology Fund. ENDS