26 Mar 2023

Research funding is critical to the creation of knowledge in the achievement of a high-income economy, of Minister of Communications, Knowledge and Technology, Mr Thulagano Segokgo has said.

Minister Segokgo said this in his presentation of the ministry’s 2023/2024 financial budget proposals in Parliament recently. He said that the process to establish a dedicated National Research Fund was at an advanced stage and expected to be finalised in the next financial year.

Additional research funding, he said would be sourced from industry, partners and donors both locally and internationally.

He said P5 million was disbursed to five institutions for projects in the agriculture and health areas in the current financial year following the national call for research, adding that the major task was to demonstrate the return on investment in funding of research.

“Focus at this stage is in conducting applied research that culminates in product and service development and licensing the intellectual property for economic exploitation hence emphasis in the 2023/2024 financial year would be on strengthening the national research coordination systems,” he said.

The minister also said that the current department of research, science and technology was being divided into two departments which included research and knowledge business as well as technology and commercialisation, with the former’s emphasis on putting in place requisite systems to support the full research value-chain from concept to product consumption.

Minister Segokgo further said the review of the Research Science Technology and Innovation (RSTI) Policy that Parliament approved in 2012, was concluded and alongside the review of the policy was a maiden national Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) foresight framework.

He explained that the STI foresight framework should lead to seamless prioritisation of the national research value-chains from which the national research agenda was determined.

“The intention is to institutionalise the foresight framework so as to keep abreast with the continually evolving technology landscape,” he added.

Additionally, Mr Segokgo indicated that the Indigenous knowledge systems policy, whose main aim was to create seamlessly interface of modern science with indigenous knowledge, would be completed in the next financial year.

He further noted that participation in the science granting council initiative had created inflows for international funds into the local research landscape.

“Several research projects supported under this framework are ongoing in the areas of mining and minerals research, health, agriculture, water and sanitation,” he said.

On one hand, the minister emphasised the importance of collaborations in research for knowledge sharing, skills transfer and as an additional avenue for increasing research funding opportunities. Ends