Tanzania urged to concentrate on knowledge based research

MAUREEN ODUNGA

Executive Director of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Research Organisation (STIPRO), Dr Bitrina Diyamett

TANZANIA needs to engage in knowledge based research that is used to produce new and improved products and services as well as influence informed decisions and policy making.

The Executive Director of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Research Organisation (STIPRO), Dr Bitrina Diyamett observed this at the STIPRO Annual Research Dissemination Workshop which was held in Dar es Salaam on Friday.

Dr Diyamett pointed out that knowledge is important for development and this is where the importance of research lies; to produce useful data for the advancement of the country and people.

“For a country like Tanzania, one cannot leave innovative activities, including knowledge transfer from the research and development to the producers, to the play of the market forces alone; the government’s hand in terms of policies is required, and policies require local evidence,” noted Dr Diyamett.

She further explained that the concept of development could mean various things but key is on eradication of poverty.

“And poverty eradication means putting money in the hands of everybody in the country, at least this is what I personally believe… the only way to be able to put money in the hands of people is by creating employment opportunities; it is about access to decent work,” she said.

By so doing, the Executive Director said to create decent work means one that do not only put some meager resources in the hands of people, but also build capabilities and creativity of individuals along with sustainable income.

She said there is no economic sector that can do that, other than the manufacturing sector, and this is the reason why everybody is applauding the government by picking this sector as its top development priority.

In building the country’s manufacturing sector in the environment of globalisation and free market, Dr Diyamett identified the key issue to be competition: for companies to grow and provide employment and compete in both local and export markets.

The Acting Managing Director at the National Institute for Productivity (NIP), Mr Novatus Massao challenged researchers to create linkages between what they are doing and what is happening on the ground. He cited an example of fruit farmers who were growing fruits which end up rotting in the farms for lack of reliable markets.

“In nurturing the industrialisation drive, researchers need to generate solutions to solve our own problems…everyone has a role to play in promoting the agenda,” he said.

Mr Massao pointed out that for many years electricity has been a growing concern in the country, saying in similar scenarios the role of researchers needs to be realised. “Practical application of the researches is what going to take the country through the industrialisation agenda,” he noted.