Ministry of Science & Technology The Experience of the Development of Science, Technology and Innovation Policy in Kenya Crispus M. Kiamba Permanent Secretary Ministry of Science & Technology Presentation to the Global Forum on Building Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity for Sustainable Growth and Poverty Reduction Washington, D.C. 12-15 February 2007 Crispus M. Kiamba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology Outline The National Economic Council and the Establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on STI Recognition of the crucial role of STI in development STI Linkages with the Economy and Sector Working Groups and Lead Institutions The Creation of the Ministry of Science and Technology STI and the Kenya Vision 2030 The Status of STI STI Strategic Issues The Way Forward Ministry of Science & Technology Crispus M. Kiamba, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology The National Economic Council (NESC) and the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce On September 2005 NESC agreed on the crucial of STI in the economy and proceeded to establish an Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on STI To review the policies and strategies related to science, technology and innovation for Kenya Clearly this was in recognition of the role of STI in national development and global competitiveness The ability to create, access, comprehend, select, adapt, distribute and exploit knowledge (S&T) is usually the determinant of material well-being and quality of life, and has made possible the significant reductions of poverty, wealth creation, improvements in the quality of life and competitiveness of a society In particular, there was a recognition that achievement of MDGs depends largely on the use of STI Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology The Taskforce TOR Review existing policies affecting STI and their applications in the country Review the resources (physical, human, and financial) relating to STI in the country Review the institutional capacities available for use of STI Suggest policies to promote the use of STI in business and national development Review the relevance of the current STI education needs to national needs Identify the financing gaps for STI in various areas Propose how to nurture values which promote the learning of STI in schools and institutions of learning Ministry of Science & Technology

Taskforce Anticipated Output A report - a new National Science , Technology and Innovation Policy - detailing the status of science and technology in the country in terms of:- Human, physical and financial capacities Indication of available technologies Scientific inputs and innovations Technological, institutional and financial gaps Recommendations and the way forward on the strategies to be adopted for harnessing science and technology for development. Ministry of Science & Technology

The Ministry of Science and Technology (MoST) The MoST established late 2005 Immediately took over the co-ordination of the the exercise of the development STI Policy including an effective National Innovation System (NIS) Continued the use of the Inter-Ministerial Taskforce and Sector Working Groups (SWGs) worked in close consultation with the NESC The SWGs a reflection of close links between STI and the economy Ministry of Science & Technology

Basis of Sector Working Groups STI Linkages to the Economy Health and Life Sciences Trade & Industry Information and Communication Technology Agriculture & Related Industries SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION Physical Infrastructure Natural Resources Management & Energy Mining Manufacturing Ministry of Science & Technology

Sector Working Groups & Lead Institutions Existing Policies (Kenya Institute for Public Policy Research) Agriculture and Rural Development (Kenya Agricultural Research Institute) Health and Medical Services (Kenya Medical Research Institute) Industry and Entrepreneurship (Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute) Education (Kenya Institute of Education) Information and Communication Technology (E-Government Office) Physical Infrastructure (Ministry of Public Works) Natural Resource Management (Kenya Forestry Research Institute) Energy (Ministry of Energy) Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology Tentative STI Vision A country that uses science, technology and innovation to foster national development and global competitiveness Objective/Mission To ensure that science, technology and innovation are mainstreamed in the various sectors and processes of the economy Ministry of Science & Technology

STI and the Kenya Vision 2030 STI seen as a fundamental element of the achievement of the country’s evolving new Vision 2030 Proposed Kenya Vision 2030 “A globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life by 2030” Ministry of Science & Technology

The Vision, the Three Pillars, and STI A globally competitive and prosperous nation with a high quality of life by 2030 The Overarching vision Vision Strategy Master Plan Implementation Economic Social Political To maintain a sustained economic growth of 10% p.a. over the next 25 years A just and cohesive society enjoying equitable social development in a clean and secure environment An issue-based, people-centered, result-oriented, and accountable democratic political system Strategy Plans and implementation Science, Technology & Innovation Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology STI underpins every one of the three pillars Economic, Social, & Political S&T capabilities determine the ability to, e.g., provide clean water and improved sanitation improved health care adequate infrastructure safer food and increased agricultural productivity better management of disasters improved quality and increase access to education through modern technology new and efficient sources of energy, Ministry of Science & Technology

Kenya’s STI Status Benchmarking Kenya’s STI Performance The Indicators used to benchmark or evaluate international performance of Kenya’s STI policy and regulatory framework Technology Achievement Index (TAI) Captures data on the performance of countries in creating and diffusing technology and in building a human skills base The ArCo Technology Index Captures three main dimensions of technological capabilities: the creation of technology; the diffusion of technology; and the development of human skills Mathematics, English and Science Performance This evaluation is not concluded… Ministry of Science & Technology

Kenya’s STI Status Explanation for Low Status The sector working groups (SWGs) have identified a number of issues that inhibited the effective mainstreaming of science, technology and innovation in the various sectors: Ineffective high-level S&T leadership and ownership Lack of long term strategic planning perspective Lack of coherence, consistence and efficiency of STI policies Absence of a strong and explicit legal and policy framework on STI development Poor understanding/utilization of national/indigenous knowledge/technologies/capacities Ministry of Science & Technology

Explanation for Low STI Status (Cont..) Lack of links between enterprise, communities and R& D institutions – a weak “triple helix” (interactive collaboration between universities, industry and the state/government) environment Poor capacity to acquire global knowledge and ineffective linkages between knowledge, technology and production with global counterparts Unfavourable national endogenous STI environment (Limited funding; Limited public awareness of the role of STI in development; Unfavourable STI climate) Weak governance [i.e., existence of market-enhancing governance structure (MEGS)] which is the basis of an effective and sustainable STI (a stable macroeconomic framework; open markets and; secure private property rights; developed intellectual property regime; a secure politico-institutional foundation for formulating and implementing policy and enforcing regulations,etc) Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology Strategic STI Issues STI governance framework Strengthening infrastructure for STI Human resource development Technology development, transfer and diffusion Indigenous resources and traditional knowledge STI for disaster management Generation and management of intellectual property Public communication and advocacy for STI STI integration and collaboration Funding measures and mechanisms Performance assessment framework Ministry of Science & Technology

STI Strategic Objectives Ensure increased awareness of science, technology and innovation in Kenya to facilitate the emergence of Kenya as a society that harnesses and enables its people to fully and effectively participate in the application of science, technology and innovation for solving problems and enhancing human welfare. Ensure food, agricultural, nutritional, environmental, water, health and energy security of the people Enhance the livelihoods of the people by applying modern and traditional knowledge as well as capabilities through generation and widespread application of relevant technologies in the formal and informal sectors of the economy; Ministry of Science & Technology

STI Strategic Objectives (Cont..) Vigorously foster scientific research in universities and other academic, scientific, engineering and research institutions Centres of excellence will be built and maintained to raise the level of work in selected areas to the highest international standards. Provide necessary autonomy and freedom of functioning for all academic, R&D and innovation institutions so that an ambience for truly creative work is encouraged, while ensuring at the same time that the science and technology enterprise in the country is fully committed to its social responsibilities and commitments. Promote the use of existing new technologies, especially platform (generic) technologies that have broad application or impacts in the economy (e.g., developments in ICT, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and new materials will have profound implications for long-term economic transformation Ministry of Science & Technology

STI Strategic Objectives (Cont..) Build a strong innovation system to support the whole process of innovation, rather than merely R&D emphasising clustering and networking of interacting and/or interconnected public and private organizations or institutions focused on the nurturing, developing and applying, and diffusing STI in Kenya Attract the brightest young persons to careers in science and technology. The national innovation system will be geared to ensure grooming of Kenyans from the youngest possible age to pursue careers and opportunities in science, engineering, technology and innovation by conveying a sense of excitement concerning the advancing frontiers, and by creating suitable employment opportunities for them. Promote the empowerment as well as full and equal participation of women and disadvantaged persons in all science, technology and innovation activities; Ministry of Science & Technology

STI Strategic Objectives (Cont..) Use the full potential of science, technology and innovation to protect, preserve, evaluate, update, add value to, and utilize the extensive traditional knowledge available in the various Kenyan communities; Accomplish national strategic and security related objectives, by using the latest advances in science, technology and innovation. Substantially strengthen enabling mechanisms that relate to technology development, evaluation, absorption and upgradation from concept to utilization. Ministry of Science & Technology

STI Strategic Objectives (Cont..) Promote an Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) regime that maximises the incentives for the generation and protection of intellectual property by all types of inventors and fosters achievement of Kenya’s national development objectives. The regime would also provide a strong, supportive and comprehensive policy environment for speedy and effective domestic commercialization of such inventions and innovations to maximize public good/interest; Ensure speedy and secure access to information, at an affordable and competitive cost. Further, creation of digitized local content, that is of Kenyan origin and character will be prioritized; Ministry of Science & Technology

STI Strategic Objectives (Cont..) Promote research and application for forecasting, prevention and mitigation of emergencies and natural hazards, particularly, floods, landslides, drought, acts of terrorism, and epidemics; Promote international science, technology and innovation cooperation specifically targeted towards achieving the goals of national development and security, and make it a key element of our international relations; Integrate scientific knowledge with insights from other disciplines, and ensure fullest involvement of scientists and technologists in national governance so that the spirit and methods of scientific enquiry permeate deeply into all areas of public policy making; and Create an enabling environment for research, science, technology and innovation through the creation and sustenance of innovative funding mechanisms such as venture capital to fund development of new and innovative products, processes, and systems. Ministry of Science & Technology

Proposed Kenya’s National Innovation System Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology Way Forward A Workshop of the SWGs & Expert Resource Persons was held on November 2006 An early draft national STI policy document has been developed With broad and sector specific and focused policy objectives and strategies with a propose National Innovation System The establishment of some of the new institutions being fast-tracked through the ongoing exercise of the review and harmonization of the legal framework for education, training and research Some of the details of STI activities and programmes being refined and finalised by the SWGs Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology Way Forward (cont..) About to embark on a peer review with both national and international STI/NIS policy experts A final SWGs Workshop scheduled during March 2006 A National STI Stakeholders Conference planned for end March 2006 Final Policy document expected during April 2006 Cabinet and Parliamentary approval between April and June 2006 Cabinet Memorandum and a Sessional Paper on STI Launching and circulation to the stakeholders for implementation by end June. Ministry of Science & Technology

The President, the Vision 2030 and S&T “The economic performance of any country is closely tied to the application of science and technology... However there is … serious limitations in application of technology…This is a serious weakness in our development strategy, which requires urgent attention… It is important that the Vision Strategy which is being developed, is geared towards enhancing Kenya’s scientific and technological capacity, inculcating scientific culture, and integrating science and technology in our production and services sectors” (Extract from the speech of H.E. Hon. Mwai Kibaki, the President of the Republic of Kenya on the occasion of the official launch of the Vision 2030, Nairobi, 30th October 2006) Ministry of Science & Technology

Ministry of Science & Technology The end… ... Asanti sana! Ministry of Science & Technology