• What Is The New UN Technology Bank For?

    Interview with Ms Bitrina Diyamett, founding/executive director of the Science, Technology and Innovation Policy Research Organization (STIPRO), Tanzania. The United Nations recently established a “technology bank” (TB) for least-developed countries (LDC). One of its aims is to strengthen the science, technology and innovation capacity of LDCs, including better management of intellectual property rights. This is part of the effort to ‘leave no one behind’ by the UN Agenda 2030. Southern Voice interviewed Ms Bitrina Diyamett, who was appointed by the UN Secretary General as a member of the Governing Council of the UN Technology Bank (TB). Please click the following link to read: Click Here


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  • Inauguration Of The United Nations’ Technology Bank

    The Executive Director of STIPRO, Dr. Bitrina Diyamett, also a member of the Council of the United Nations' Technology Bank (TB) for Least Developed Countries (LDCs), spoke at the inaugural ceremony of the TB that took place on the 4th of June, 2018, at the TB's Secretariat premises based in Gebze, Turkey. The major objective of the UN Technology Bank for LDCs is to build the science, technology and innovation capacities of LDCs in an effort to leave no one behind by 2030. The establishment of the TB marks the achievement of the target 17.8 of Goal 17 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). The Executive Director of STIPRO, Dr. Bitrina Diyamett


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  • STIPRO Yaandaa Semina Kwa Ajili Ya Kamati Ya Bunge Ya Wizara Ya Elimu Sayansi Na Teknolojia

    Katika kuleta tija zaidi kwenye utengenezaji wa sera zihusuzo sayansi teknologia na ubunifu, STIPRO iliandaa semina fupi kwa kamati ya bunge inayojihusisha na wizara ya elimu, sayansi na teknolojia. Semina hii ilifanyika mjini Dodoma mnamo tarehe 27 mwezi wanne katika moja ya kumbi za bunge. Semina hii iliongelea zaidi uhusiano uliopo kati ya sayansi, teknologia na ubunifu kwa ajili ya utengenezaji mzuri wa sera. Mambo Muhimu ya kuelewa kuhusu ubunifu ili kutengeneza sera nzuri itakayochochea ubunifu na ukuwaji wa uchumi wenye kuondoa umaskini Duniani kote imekubalika kuwa ubunifu – hasa katika karne hii ya soko huria – si tu ni jambo muhimu, bali la lazima kwa ajili ya ushindani, kukuza uchumi na kuondoa umaskini. Ubunifu hukuza sekta binafsi na kuongeza ajira – hasa ikiwa ni sekta yenye uwezo wa kutengeneza ajira nyingi kama ile ya viwandaa. Ubunifu huziwezesha makampuni kuzalisha bidhaa bora na kwa gharama nafuu, hivyo huweza kuhimili ushindani. Sekta binafsi inayokuwa vizuri huongeza pato la taifa kwa njia ya kodi zinazolipwa na makampuni hayo; pato la mtu mmoja mmoja pia huongezeka kupitia ajira toka makampuni hayo. Katika ulimwengu wa utandawazi na soko huria, ambapo makampuni ya nje yanaweza kuuza bidhaa zao katika soko la ndani ya nchi yoyote duniani, viwanda vya ndani havitaweza kukuwa bila kuwa bunifu; yaani wao pia wazalishe bidhaa bora na kwa gharama nafuu kuliko zile zinazotoka nje. Na si hiyo tu, bali waweze kuuza nje pia kwa maana jinsi soko linavyokuwa kubwa, ndivyo kampuni hupata faida na kupanuka. Katika nchi tajiri na zenye teknolojia ya juu tayari, nguvu ya soko peke yake – kwa sehemu kubwa – ina uwezo wa kuchochea ubunifu. Lakini nchi maskini na ambazo bado teknolojia ni za chini, zinahitaji nguvu za ziada kutoka kwa serikali kwa njia ya sera. Kazi ya sera (ambayo itafafanuliwa baadaye kidogo), ni kuondoa vikwazo vinavyozuia ubunifu. Ili kuweza kutengeneza sera nzuri ya ubunifu, kuna mambo kadhaa ambayo tunahitaji kuyajua kinaga ubaga  kuhusu ubunifu, na mahusiano yake na sayansi na teknolojia: Kutokueleweka vizuri kwa mahusiano kati ya hivi vitu vitatu; yaani sayansi, teknolojia na ubunifu, kunaonekana kuwa kikwazo kikubwa katika utengenezaji wa sera bora ya ubunifu yenye matokeo mazuri. Hayo mambo ni kama ifuatavyo: Maana halisi ya ubunifu Maana halisi ya ubunifu iko katika upya; ni kitu kipya chenyewe na mchakato wa kukitengeneza. Matumizi yake mapana yanahusu karibu kila kitu kipya, ila hapa tutaongelea ubunifu katika muktadha wa uchumi wa nchi, na hasa katika matummizi ya teknolojia, maana hiyo ndiyo muhimu zaidi katika ukuwaji wa uchumi na kuondoa umaskini. Ubunifu katika muktadha huu – kwa lugha rahisi – ni utengenezaji na uuzaji/usambazaji wa bidhaa mpya, au za zamani zilizoongezwa ubora. Ubunifu (innovation) mara nyingi umechanganywa na neno ugunduzi (invention). Lakini hivi vitu viwili ni tofauti kabisa, japo vinahusiana: wakati ugunduzi ni utengezejai wa kitu kipya, hasa kutokana na matokeo ya utafiti, ubunifu ni kuweza kuweka hicho kitu kipya sokoni na usambazaji wake ili kiweze kutumika. Ieleweke kuwa kwa maana hiyo, ubunifu si kazi ya taasisi za utafiti, bali ya uzalishaji (viwandani na mashambani).  Kwa hiyo kitu chenye manufaa zaidi  katika maisha ya watu si ugunduzi, bali ubunifu. Kutengeneza tu kitu kipya bila kukitumia katika uchumi hakisaidii katika maisha ya watu, na inaweza kuleta athari mbaya, maana ugunduzi hutumia pesa. Mahusiano kati ya sayansi, teknolojia na ubunifu (STI) Mara nyingi katika sera zetu, sayansi, teknolojia na ubunifu (STI) imetumika kama kitu kimoja: utasikia elimu ya STI, bajeti ya STI, nakadhalika, bila kufafanua au hata kutenganisha hivi vitu vitatu. Kiukweli hivi vitu vitatatu, japo vinahusinana sana, ni vitu  tofauti, na vinafanyika katika tassisi tofauti – sayansi na teknolojia viko katika taasisi za utafiti (R&D organizations) na elimu ya juu; wakati ubunifu uko kwa wazalishaji - mashambani, viwandani, na kwingineko. Mara nyingi kwa sababu hivyo vitu havijatenganishwa, na maana halisi na mahusiano kati yao haijaeleweka vizuri, basi huo msaada wote (pesa na elimu) hupelekwa katika tasisi za utafiti na elimu ya juu, na kuwaacha wazalishaji, ambao ndiyo wanagusa maisha yetu moja kwa moja. Hivyo vitu vitatu vinahusiana hivi: kwanza kabisa – kama tulivyokwishasema hapo juu – muhimu katika uchumi na kuondoa umaskini ni ubunifu; sayansi na teknolojia zinazo fanywa katika taasisi za utafiti viko kwa ajili ya kuboresha ubunifu katika uzalishaji. Utafiti wa sayansi una kazi mbili:  1) kugundua na kutengeneza  teknolojia mpya, na 2) kuboresha teknolojia ya zamani ambayo tayari iko katika matumizi viwandani na mashambani. Lakini ili iwe na athari katika maisha yetu, lazima hizo teknolojia mpya na matokeo ya utafiti yatumike katika uzalishaji, ndiyo maana tunaongea sana kuhusu ukaribu na mawasiliano mazuri kati ya taasisi za utafiti na wazalishaji. Pia ieleweka kuwa, si lazima ubunifu utokane na taasisi za utafiti na elimu ya juu – hasa pale unapohusu teknolojia ambayo si ya juu sana – bali  huchochewa pia tu na udadisi na uzoefu wa watu katika uzalishaji. Kihistoria, ubunifu ulikuzwa – kwa kuanzia – si na taasisi za utafiti, bali udadisi na uzoefu wa wazalishaji; kama utafiti ulitumika, basi ilikuwa ni kuboresha teknolojia zilizokuwa zinatumiaka. Jinsi teknolojia zilivyoeendelea kukuwa, ndivyo hivyo zilihitaji sayansi zaidi katika ubunifu, ndiyo maana tunaona kuwa nchi tajiri na zenye kutumia teknolojia ya juu ndizo zenye kuwekeza sana kwenye utafiti (R&D). Mahusiano hayo hajatokana na kuwekeza kwanza kwenye utafiti, na ubunifu wa hali ya juu kufuata, bali kuchochea kwanza ubunifu katika uzalishaji na baada ya ubunifu kukuwa, ukahitaji sayansi ya juu zaidi; na hapo nguvu ya soko hutawala katika kuwekeza kwenye R&D – ukiangalia asilimia zaidi ya 60 ya pesa za utafiti katika nchi tajiri na zenye teknolojia za juu zinatoka kwenye sekta binafsi. Mbunifu hawezi kubuni mwenyewe – ubunifu uko katika mfumo Kama tulivyoona hapo juu, kitovu cha ubunifu ni mzalishaji na si mtafiti - yeye ndiye anayebuni; hata hivyo hawezi kufanya hivyo peke yake; anahitaji wadau wengine kama vile watafiti, wanunuzi wa bidhaa, wanaompatia mali ghafi, washindani wake, taasisi za fedha na mitaji, na mwisho watengeneza sera. Hao humsaidia kupata habari na ujuzi muhimu kwa ajili ya ubunifu. Pamoja na mbunifu kuhitaji hao wote katika kufanikisha ubunifu wake, mlaji (soko) ni mdau muhimu sana – muhimu kuliko wote (matokeo ya tafiti zilizofanyika tokea zamani); bila mahitaji ya soko, ubunifu ni ngumu kutokea. Ndiyo maana nchi tajiri zinatumia manunuzi ya uma (puplic procurement) katikaa kuchochea ubunifu amabao una manufaa kwa uma, lakini nguvu yake ya soko ni dhaifu. Mfano uzalishaji rafiki kwa tabia nchi (mfano renewable energy), madawa ambayo hutumiwa na sehemu ya jamii amabyayo ni maskini, kama vile wazee. Manunuzi ya uma kwa muktadha huu, hayazingatii bei, bali ubora wa bidhaa. Kuchochea ubunifu katika uzalishaji kwa njia ya sera Kwa kifupi na lugha rahisi sera ni mpango wa serikali wa kuondoa vikwazo katika maendeleo ya jamii. Hivyo vikwazo vinawezaa kuwa vya kiuchumi, kijamii nk. Sera ya ubunifu hulenga kuondoa vikwazo katika ubunifu. Mpango huo mara nyingi unakuwa kwenye maandishi na unakuwa na mkakakati wa utekelezaji. Ila mpango ambao hautekelezwi hauwezi kuitwa sera – kwa sababu maana halisi ya sera iko katika utekelezaji wake. Sera mara nyingi hutekelezwa kwa kutumia zana za sera (policy instruments). Ili kujua zana sahihi ya kutumia kutekeleza sera fulani, ni lazima kufahamu visababishi vya vikwazo ambavyo sera hulenga kuondoa. Kwa mfano kuondoa kikwazo cha mawasiliano hafifu kati ya wadau wa ubunifu – kwa mfano watafiti na wazalishaji - ni lazima kujua ni nini kimesababisha huo udhaifu, ndiyo maana tunasisitiza utafiti kwa ajili ya sera. Kwa ujumla aina zifuatazo za zana  hutumika katika kuondoa vikwazo mbalimbali: Sheria Sheria ni zana mojawapo muhimu ya kutekeleza sera. Mfano kuhusu ubunifu, sheria inayoruhusu watafiti binafsi katika taasisi za uma au taasisi zao, kumiliki ugunduzi, huchochea ubunifu kwa wao kutafuta njia za kuweka ugunduzi wao sokoni nakufaidika nazo, kwa mfano kwa njia ya makampuni ya “spin-off” na “incubators”. Pesa Pesa, kwa njia mbali mbali, hutumika na serikali kama kichocheo cha kukuza ubunifu katika sekta binafsi. Mfano serikali inaweza kufadhili tafiti zinazoshirikisha taasisi za tafiti za uma na  wawekezaji binafsi. Hii ni katika kujaribu kuwaunganisha hawa wadau wawili. Pesa pia hutumika kwa njia ya kufadhili ubunifu moja kwa moja; au kutumia nafuu ya kodi kwa wale wazalishaji watakaowekeza katika ubunifu. Habari Serikali pia inaweza kutumia habari kama njia kuu ya kuwezesha ubunifu. Kwa mfano inaweza kusambaza habari kuhusu utafiti ambao una manufaa kwa wabunifu; au kusambaza viwango vya ubora, kitaifa na kimataifa: viwango mara nyingi huchochea ubunifu. Kwa sababu ubunifu ni swala la mfumo, hizi njia zinatakiwa zitumike zaidi ya moja katika mchanganyiko. Hasa ni vizuri kuchanganya zile njia zinazochochea utafiti na zile zinazo wasaidia wabunifu moja kwa moja: kumbuka kuwa ubunifu ndiyo unatakiwa uchochee utafiti.


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  • Student Exchange Program

    VicInAqua project aims at developing innovative multipurpose self-cleaning water filtration solutions adapted for sanitation of different wastewater streams, which will be reused in Recirculation Aquaculture Systems(RAS) and Agriculture Irrigation at Lake Victoria. The academic Student Exchange Programme is designed to send 10 outstanding students and PhD candidates to European research institutions. The programme gives the opportunity to participate in trainings and to directly follow the work of VicInAqua researchers. For more information about the exchange program please visit VicInAqu.  


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  • STIPRO Annual Research Dissemination Workshop-2017

    Friday, October 27, 2017 On Friday the 27th October 2017 STIPRO held its Annual Research Dissemination Workshop themed Innovation capabilities and interactive learning: The role of institutions. Building innovation capabilities becomes fundamental because firms with such capabilities are able to compete and survive in market places. Such capabilities are enabled by interactive learning as firms do not innovate in isolation. Developing countries, Tanzania included, are characterized by limited capacity to develop new, or to adopt and improve upon existing technologies; and consequently the vast majority is slow in sustaining increased production. Thus, institutions play an important role in the process of building firms’ innovation capabilities. A group photo of workshop participants The event took place at the classical hall at Blue Pearls Hotel (Dar Es Salaam) and graced presence of National Institute for Productivity (NIP), Mr. Novatus Massao as a guest of Honor. STIPRO organizes a research workshop annually with the aim of disseminating research results, raising awareness of and engaging in dialogue with various stakeholders on issues around Science, Technology and Innovation. There were six presentations delivered and discussed during the workshop. The first presentation was a conceptual paper delivered by Dr. Vera Mugittu on Building innovation capabilities for agricultural development: The role of institutions’. Other presentations were from Dr. Gussai Sheikheld in on Reforming Public Technology Intermediaries in Tanzania: A Policy Learning Study’; Mr. Heric Thomas on Avocado Processing: Assessing the Role of Stakeholders in the Innovation System”, Mr. Innocent Wawa on Understanding Knowledge Systems for Innovation: A Study on Business Ideas Developed by Business Incubators in Tanzania’; Ms. Lanta Daniel on ‘Finance and Innovation: The Case of Micro and Small Sunflower Oil Processors’ and the last presentation was on the ongoing project funded by the European commission on Integrated aquaculture based on sustainable water recirculating system for the Victoria Lake Basin which was delivered by Mr. Musambya Mutambala.The workshop ended at 17hrs with the executive director of STIPRO Dr. Bitrina Diyamett giving the closing remarks and thanked the participant for a vigorous discussions and participation. Dr. Vera Mugittu Presenting:Building innovation capabilities for agricultural development: The role of institutions’. Dr. Gussai Sheikheld Presenting: Reforming Public Technology Intermediaries in Tanzania: A Policy Learning Study’ Mr. Innocent Wawa presenting: Understanding Knowledge Systems for Innovation: A Study on Business Ideas Developed by Business Incubators in Tanzania’ Ms. Lanta Daniel Presenting: ‘Finance and Innovation: The Case of Micro and Small Sunflower Oil Processors Mr. Musambya Mutambala Preseting: Integrated aquaculture based on sustainable water recirculating system for the Victoria Lake Basin Workshop participants following the session closely Mr. T. Mlaki (right in grey suit) hosting and moderating the workshop


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