CONTENTS | ANB-BIA HOMEPAGE | WEEKLY NEWS
by Patrick Mawaya, Malawi, January 2000
THEME = DEVELOPMENT
At a time when Africa must rethink its position in the global
economy,
technology remains one of the burning issues of our time
The importance of technology cannot be over-emphasised. The spreading of scientific and technological knowledge, is fundamentally changing man's understanding of economic growth and international trade. The future of any country, depends on the speed in which a country is able to develop a form of technology that responds to the needs of the local community.
Commenting on the importance of technology, Malawi's Vice- President, Justin Malewezi, says: "Technology and its role in supporting sustainable livelihoods, is one of the burning issues of our time. We absolutely need to create a society in which technology plays its part. There is no doubt that technology will have an impact on every aspect of our lives, both now and in the future."
Mrs. Zahra Nuru, UNDP's Resident Representative to Malawi says: "Science, technology and research hold critical answers to many of the pressing sustainable human development challenges of our time."
Technology will remain a key issue in African development talks. This is equally crucial at this time when Africa is faced with a lot of problems. These include: poverty, illiteracy and HIV/AIDS. Furthermore, Africa has to respond to the challenges of globalisation and technological advancement.
Technology helps to save time and money; assists in preventing humanitarian disasters; works for good governance. Despite the increasing importance of technology in the world, science and technological advancement in Malawi have not fared well.
Malawi is still in the early stages of developing its scientific and technological capacity. But the importance of science and technology was recognised in a lukewarm fashion by the Malawi Government as early as the 1970s. This resulted in the establishment of the National Research Council of Malawi (NRCM) by a 1974 Presidential Decree.
In 1991, Malawi prepared its first national science and technology policy. This was in response to the problems encountered in the development of science and technology. Among the problems were: The country's pluralistic approach in the management of science and technology; lack of integration of a scientific and technological policy in the government's overall development plans; the low level of human, financial and material resources allocated for science and technology; the lack of any necessary supporting legislation.
Although the NRCM was established to play a coordinating, developmental and advocacy role, there have been a number of obstacles in the fulfilment of the mandate to promote and coordinate the development and application of research, science and technology. The obstacles include: The inability to coordinate and direct research without the power to influence budgetary considerations; the lack of advocacy for incorporating science and technology into the country's socio-economic development planning; the instability and uncertainty surrounding the institutional aspects of the NRCM; the lack of a body with the power and responsibility to develop and coordinate science and technology in Malawi. This is seen in both input and output.
According to a study by Peter N. Mwanza in his paper: "Science and Technology Policy in Malawi", Malawi is lagging behind its neighbouring countries in scientific and technological development. Statistics show that Malawi, when compared with Zimbabwe and Mauritius, produces one- tenth of the number of students in tertiary education per 100,000 inhabitants, as these other countries. Statistics also show that scientific enterprise in Malawi contributes very little by way of scientific publications and, when such Malawian publications are available, medical research appears to dominate. It's significant that research as a whole is dependent on foreign collaborators.
Peter Mwanza further says: "Of the 224 articles that were published during 1995 and 1996 with a Malawi address, 153 had at least one collaborator from abroad. This means that 70% of the Malawi research output is of a collaborative nature. For comparison, only 19% of the South African output is produced in collaboration with foreign scientists, and an international average is in the region of 20%. This dependence", contends Peter Mwanza, "is further verified by the finding that research performers are dependent for as much as 70%þ80% for their funding on international donors. As a consequence, Malawi is extremely weak in scientific and technological development and this affects many aspects of development".
Realising the weaknesses of the technological base in Malawi, the Malawi Government and other stakeholders, have taken steps to do something about it. In December 1996, the Government with the assistance of the UNDP, organised a symposium to consider among other things the role, development and application of science and technology in Malawi. The symposium formulated strategies for the rapid development and transfer of technology for the socio-economic development of the country. One of the priority strategies was the strengthening of a science and technology policy, with a view to creating a better understanding of, and commitment to, among policy makers and decision makers, the important role of science and technology in Malawi's socio-economic development.
Other initiatives supported by the UNDP, included: The formulation of the terms of reference and an outline of a scientific and technology policy; a draft parliamentary bill for science and technology; organising a study tour of the National Research Council of Malawi to countries in West Africa and Southern Africa, to study policy instruments and the organisational arrangements for science and technology.
On 2 November 1999, a national Workshop on the theme: "Technology Strategy for Sustainable Livelihood" was organised by the Government of Malawi with UNDP's financial support. The purpose was to determine strategies and technologies for improving productivity and the way of life of rural communities. Other objectives were: To assess how technology strategies will be linked to activities being undertaken under the government's programme, which has provided the policy framework under which poverty alleviation activities will be undertaken at district and community levels; to make relevant linkages between technology and problems of food insecurity and environmental degradation in Malawi; to provide a forum for promoting learning and dissemination of knowledge dealing with improving people's way of life, throughout the country; to provide an opportunity to re- visit policy and institutional aspects of technology development in Malawi.
Ours is a world of science and technology, but for Malawi this does not seem to be the case. Peter Mwanza says: "One of the factors that have contributed to the weaknesses in science and technology in Malawi, is that science and technology has had no home and no "father and mother" to nurture it. After the NRCM was established by Presidential Decree, there was little else to spur the organisation on to develop its potential and become fully functional and operational." Peter Mwanza proposes that a stronger institutional framework be established, and that there should be a Parliamentary Act to provide not only the basis for, but the necessary impetus for ensuring the NRCM fulfils its purpose.
In order to strengthen the role of science and technology in the country, Peter Mwanza proposes that Malawi's Vice-President should chair the National Commission for Science and Technology (NSCT). This is the body that will be responsible for operating the science and technology policy organisation. However, political analysts feel that this will not save the situation, as there is a general lack of political will in implementing policies.
END
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