President Jakaya Kikwete
President Kikwete observed adding that the government has tried its
level best to create favourable environment for science, technology and
innovation development.
Speaking at Fourth Annual Scientific Conference on science and
technology and innovation on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam Kikwete said no
country in the world had attained its development without science and
technology. “If there are no industries there shall be no development .”
“Therefore, innovation is the mother of invention. Innovation
increases productivity, and also adds the quality of products. Likewise,
innovation is the results of research, whose foundation is the use and
development of science,” he explained.
Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) Director
General Dr Hassan Mshinda said the Annual National Science, Technology
and Innovation (STI) Conference 2015 focuses in nurturing innovations
for sustainable development and industrial growth.
He said COSTECH had organised the conference bringing together
researchers, academicians, innovators, entrepreneurs, inventors from the
public, private sectors and policy/decision makers from various
disciplines to share experiences.
The stakeholders will deliberate how science, technology and
innovation can contribute to facilitating the attainment of Tanzania’s
National Development Vision 2025.
Tanzania’s economic trajectory for the next five years emphasises
nurturing industries and promotion of regional industrial development.
In this context the conference focuses on “Fostering innovations
for sustainable development and industrial growth, also anticipating
providing linkages between science and industry, and creating new
strategies to improve livelihoods while ensuring sustainable use of
resources.
“A flexible and creative economy based on a national culture of
technology and innovation is the fastest and most sustainable way to
reinforce the Tanzania’s competitiveness on a global level,” he noted.
National Development Vision 2025 clearly lists the key drivers of
sustainable development, the most important of them being science,
technology and innovation.
These drivers can only generate more new jobs through collective
skills available in the country. This will also trigger the continued
use of STI as a means to continue the development of local skills and
providing sustainable job opportunities for coming generations.
Some of the key topics that will be discussed at the 4th Annual
conference are strategies that encourage science, technology and
innovation advancement or transfer.
Furthermore, the platform will also provide space for exhibitors
to display products, services and projects from industries like
agriculture, basic commodities, trade, construction, education, research
centres, energy, financing, financial services, insurance, government,
healthcare, IT communications, pharmaceutical, marine industries, real
estate development, transportation and waste management.
“STI breakthrough is key means to continue development of local
skills and provide sustainable job opportunities emanating from
development and industrial growth.”
Kikwete had officially launched the fourth Annual National
Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Conference at the Nyerere
International Conference Centre in Dar es Salaam on Wednesday.
A three day Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Conference is
an annual conference which brings together researchers, academicians,
innovators, entrepreneurs, inventors from the public, private sectors
and policy/decision makers from various disciplines to share experiences
and deliberate how science, technology and innovation can contribute to
facilitating the attainment of Tanzania’s National Development Vision
2025.
Delivering his speech during that Conference which also involved
exhibitions from local scientists and innovators, Kikwete said that the
STI Conference theme this year of ‘Fostering Innovations for Sustainable
Development and Industrial Growth’ intends to provide linkages between
science and industry, creating new strategies to improve livelihoods
while ensuring sustainable use of resources.
“You cannot transform the economy without industries. Vibrant
industries depend on high investment of Science, Technology and
Innovation.”President Kikwete observed adding that the government has
tried its level best to create favorable environment for Science,
Technology and Innovation development.
President Kikwete noted that his government has maximised the Fund
located for Research from 135 million to 10 billion. “It is very
challenging for a poor country like Tanzania to locate even one per
cent of its budget in conducting research. We have many priorities but
our government has seen the significance of research that is why it has
improved it from time to time.”He noted.
The President also promised that he would advise the coming
government to continue supporting science, technology and innovation
because all Tanzanians have the same vision of being a middle country
economy in 2020 with mushrooming of industries.“My government managed to
locate its little fund to COSTECH to support research projects,
research infrastructures and sponsor Masters and PhD science students.
Currently we have about 517 students benefited from that programme,”
President Kikwete said.
He also said the government has done much to invest in research
infrastructures. “We have managed to build many secondary schools which
soon are going to bring new young scientists. We also have new
laboratories built under our new programmes to bring in many
scientists.” he said reminding that his government also has extended the
fibre optic technology reducing call rates and internet charges, a good
environment for ICT investment.
Earlier the Minister for Communication, Science and Technology Prof
Makame Mbarawa said his ministry through COSTECH had been organising
the STI Conference for years in order for researchers, academicians,
innovators, entrepreneurs and inventors to meet and share different
challenges affecting their society.
“Science, technology and innovation are always there to bring
solutions to problems in our society. We organised this Conference in
2006, 2007 and 2008, today this is the Fourth STI Conference. We are
very optimistic that at the end of this conference, We are going to come
up with tangible suggestions and recommendations for the decision and
policy makers. “He said.
For his part COSTECH Director General Dr Hassan Mshinda listed
different achievement of his commission in coordinating and supporting
research projects.“We have so far supported about 56 research projects
and we can stand majestically affirming that all the research projects
have given promising results.”Dr Mshinda said referring to the new
poultry vaccine against fowlpox, known as Thermostable fowlpox vaccine
discovered by Prof Philemon Wambura from SUA.
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