01 Aug 2017

 The Israel Government through facilitation of the Botswana Innovation Hub has agreed to share experiences on innovation funding with the view to strengthen Ministry of Tertiary Education Research Science Technology’s ability to implement the Botswana Innovation Hub.  

Israel currently sits among the most innovative countries with evidence reflected by its top ranks in innovation Index Rankings in the region and its new products and services with global impact

The mandate of the workshop which was held at the University of Botswana Conference Centre on July 31 was to impart knowledge on innovation funding strategies and implementation framework, to discuss they hey elements of implementing the national framework.

The Botswana Innovation Hub is a parastatal under the Ministry of Tertiary Education Research Science Technology.

Chief executive officer of Botswana Innovation Hub, Mr Alan Boshwaen said they are mandated to drive the national innovation agenda with commercialization of national innovations.

He stated that they were the first and only Science and Technology Park in Botswana which is currently under development in Block 8, Gaborone.

“We have a specific mandate of implementing the innovation Fund, a gap closing funding scheme gazetted under the ministry,” he said, adding that the implementation of the Fund requires a number of inputs from different stakeholders.

Mr Bashwaen stated that the key element was for the support for national innovations to be commercialized and have a positive impact on Batswana at Large.

Ministry of Tertiary Education Research Science Technology’s Permanent Secretary Dr Theophilus Mooko stated that when reflecting back to the past there has been realisation of the need as country to take bold strides to embrace science, technology and innovation as a future driver of our economy.

He said his ministry has adopted a pragmatic approach to developing and implementing the policy so that it will positively impact the society.

He stated that as a new ministry, having been set up just under a year ago, they have come to terms with the fact that the future lies in developing and implementing value adding STI policies and strategies.

Mooko said he found the visit of the Israel government relevant in providing the much needed guidance on how to best formulate similar strategies based on how their country’s experience.

 “I find it essential that as a country we seek guidance and support from success by Israel to identify what opportunities we can best harness to address our own challenges through innovation,” he said, adding that his ministry is in process of implementing a national innovation funding framework, with key policy instruments already in place.  

Mooko stated that the workshop was to target stakeholders whom he believes occupy the critical components of the national system of innovation and theses entities include government agencies, industries and corporate entities and academic/research bodies.

He mentioned how keen he was to see opportunities presented by adopting a pragmatic approach on innovation as per the Israel experience which directly impacts the lives of Batswana.

“It is on the basis that my ministry has tasked Botswana Innovation Hub to carry the national innovation agenda and to ensure that Batswana gain meaningful knowledge on how best they can innovate their way to prosperity for all by 2036,” he said.

Mooko said  through the learning from the Israel Innovation Ecosystem (which at some time was a myth) but has now reached its maturity, there were  opportunities for the nation.

He spoke of our key national challenges being water shortage, increases aridity due to climate change impacting crop and livestock production, extreme temperature regimes, cumulative waste material among others, there is need for concerted efforts to develop long lasting and sustainable solutions that will ensure we create sustainability into the future.   

Mooko mentioned that the Botswana Innovation Hub handed over a new Israel-technology for treating saline water to portable quality in Zoroga as part of diffusing essential technologies that will be developed to suit the local environment.

He advised that people be enlightened by the workshop and strategically help them identify which part of this puzzle of innovation they shall unlock.

He encouraged the Israel Innovation Authority to engage with them such that can identify the key elements of developing a national innovation funding framework and associated policies with key implementation thrust.
The Ambassador of Israel to Botswana Mr Gershon Kedar and Israel Innovation Vice President Ayna Eldan were amongst the attendees and speakers. ENDS