17 Aug 2022

Resolute on transforming to a knowledge based economy and attaining high income status, Botswana will from next financial year increase funding for research.

Minister of Communication, Knowledge and Technology, Mr Thulagano Segokgo announced during a press briefing on Tuesday.

He explained that the country was investing 0.54 per cent of its GDP on research and development and that the ministry would operationalise the Research Fund in 2023 and subsequently increase funding to two per cent.

“From the next financial year, we will operationalise the Research Fund and as a result increase our support for research funding so that we can have a cohort of post graduate enrolled in masters and PhD at tertiary institutions,” stated Mr Segokgo.

After a year, the country would fund graduates at post-doctoral level as this is the only way to generate knowledge to drive the economy, Mr Segokgo said.

He further said government was committed on resetting the national economy to accelerate to GDP growth of at least 5.7 per cent by 2036 through science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Minister of Education and Skills Development, Dr Douglas Letsholathebe said education and training was among the fundamental pillars of a knowledge economy, as it lies at the nexus of growth of jobs, competitiveness and had potential to catalyse economic transformation.

He said higher education was at the apex of the education system, supporting lower levels and preparing professionals and skilled labour as well as serving as an incubator for research.

“The need to develop human capital with relevant skills to build a viable economy has been in existence since the attainment of independence,” he said.

However, he said funding for young people to access this service continued to be a challenge despite government’s efforts hence the need for the private sector to come onboard.

The Minister of Agriculture, Mr Fidelis Molao said the agriculture sector was a source of livelihoods and employed many people and that rendered it an important sector in the economy.

Nonetheless, he said the sector which used to contribute about 40 per cent of GDP and now contributing 2.11 per cent, was inundated with challenges such as climate change, soil erosion, meeting rising demands for quality food and aging farming population among others.

He said advances in agricultural science and technology historically played a critical role in alleviating hunger and rural poverty and his ministry stood to benefit.

The three ministers joint press briefing was part of the SADC Science Week, which the Ministry of Communication, Knowledge and Technology has expanded by designating the month of August to be a month of Science. ends