07 Apr 2019

Parliament has been informed that the gross expenditure on research and development (GERD) measures the contribution from government, industry research institutions, and donor community to research and development.

Answering a question from MP for Selebi-Phikwe West, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, Assistant Minister of Tertiary Education, Research, Science and Technology, Mr Fidelis Molao said during the last three financial years, no comprehensive survey was conducted to establish the level of GERD.

Mr Molao said the information available for amount budgeted for the last three years reflected government contribution only. 

He revealed that the amount budgeted for represented 0.08 per cent of GDP for 2015/16, 0.07 per cent of GDP in 2016/17 and 0.09 per cent in 2017/18.

He highlighted that there was no ideal percentage relative to GDP of research and development budget for the economy. 

He divulged that SADC and AU, of which Botswana is a member, had set the percentage at one per cent. 

“This provides for a yard stick that can be used for comparison. No member state in SADC has been able to reach this level,” he said.

He said outputs arising from research were diverse, ranging from publications to products and services.

Mr Molao said the ministry was in the process of operationalising a research information management system (RIMS), an electronic platform that would enable them to track research information as well as investment in research and development.

He however explained that there were products and services that had arisen from investment in research and development in Botswana, adding that unfortunately he could not speak authoritatively about their impact as such was likely to only emerge in the long term.

MP Keorapetse had wanted the minister to state the amount budgeted and or used for research and development purposes as a percentage of GDP in the last three financial years.

He also asked about the ideal percentage relative to GDP of research and development budget for the economy and research output and its impact in the last three years. ENDS