The
Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology with support
from the Islamic Development Bank and UNESCO Institute of Statistics (UIS)
launched the 2nd edition of the National Science, Technology and Innovation
(STI) survey report 2019 on Wednesday 5th February, 2020 at the ministry’s
conference hall in Bijilo.
The
survey was conducted by the STI department, MoHERST to access the STI
infrastructure in The Gambia for development and poverty reduction.
Representing
the minister of Higher Education, Mod A.K. Secka, permanent secretary MoHERST
said science, technology and innovation are widely accepted as critical tools for
poverty alleviation, sustainable development and transformation of nations.
According
to him, all developed countries of the world have advanced because of their
ability to effectively apply and harness science. “It is said and perhaps a
known fact that the developing countries have lagged behind the developed
countries due to their relatively low development and application of STI,” he
said.
He
disclosed that the director of STI in partnership with United Nations
Technology Bank for Least Developed Countries (UNTBLC) and UNESCO will carry
out a comprehensive technology needs assessment with the objective of
determining key technology needs and challenges to increase productivity,
enhance quality of goods and services and a competitive job creation.
Muktarr
M.Y. Darboe, director STI, MoHERST said the STI took about six years to develop
and was highly consultative, adding that it brought together various
stakeholders. He highlighted the STI policy, results and indicators such as
research and experimental development, innovation, Scientometric, among hosts
of others that are divided into inputs and outputs.
He
made reference to the developed world that has used science to develop, saying
what they want to do is to look at the situation of science, technology and
innovation in the country and advise government, the general public as to where
The Gambia stands relative to the world and what needs to be done to move The
Gambia out of poverty.
He
described the national STI of The Gambia as good. However, he said there is a
lot of room for improvement. “Our scientific standing globally is very good,
the researchers we have in this country are so far one of the best researchers
in the world,” he pointed out.
According
to him, an analysis was done on the impact of scientist around the world and
The Gambia is one of the African countries whose researchers and research
impact is globally outstanding. He urged the government to invest more in the
development of its people in order to promote science and technology in the
country.
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