Table of Contents
Introduction
The world is moving to the fourth industrial revolution. Scientific advances and technological changes are important drivers of sustainable development. Science, Technology and Innovation Technology has taken over a large part of our lives, be it how we get from one place to another, how we order food, how we transfer money and many more. Behind technology and science there is innovation. These changes imply that science, technology and innovation are now intertwined and key to improving economic performance and social well-being of the society. To keep in par with other world economies, Kenya has to embrace science, technology and innovation.
In this write-up, we start of examining the meaning of Science, Technology and Innovation (herein “the STI”); following closely will be the basis and rationale for the STI in Kenya; the current STI footprints in Kenya; the future of STI in Kenya; the challenges facing STI in Kenya; and thereafter conclusion.
What is Science?
Science can be defined as “knowledge that is comprised of verifiable and measurable facts that have been acquired by the application of a scientific method” . It is thus knowledge and understanding that is based on systematic study and testable explanations, predictions, behavior about the world, its animate and inanimate things. As a noun, Science can be defined as a subject such as chemistry, physical, biology et al.
127 our experts are availableright now
Within Kenya law , Science cover among others the following areas: (a) Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences; (b) Physical, Industrial and Energy Sciences; (c) Biological and Health Sciences; (d) Infrastructure, Information and Communication Sciences; (e) Humanities and Social Sciences; (f) Earth and Space Sciences; and (g) Such other sciences as the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation may determine from time to time.
What is Technology?
The law in Kenya defined Technology as “the application of knowledge to meet the goals, goods and services for sustainable development ”. In this case, thus, Technology is the application of scientific knowledge to achieve practical purposes, goals, goods and services overly for sustainable development.
What is Innovation?
Innovation is the process of using new or existing ideas, practice, method, device, product or services in order to create impact, value and meet new requirements, efficiency or expectations within the society. The law in Kenya aptly defined Innovation to include:
- Technovation model, utility model or industrial design and any other non-patentable creations or improvements deserving specified intellectual property rights ;
- A product, process, service or idea which is novel;
- An improved use of a new product, service or method in industry, business or society;
- Indigenous or traditional knowledge by community of beneficial properties of land, natural resources, including plant and animal resources and the environment;
- Any other non-patentable creations or improvements deserving promotion and protection or sui generis intellectual property rights .
The Basis of STI in Kenya
STI Critical Role
STI has been identified as crucial drivers of sustainable economic growth, solution to social and environmental problems in many countries and society at large. STI is recognized globally as essential for economic transformation, growth and competitiveness. In order to appreciate the basis for STI in Kenya, we delve into the critical role that the STI plays in the world order :
- STI fosters access to knowledge;
- Enhances productivity, industrialization, economic growth and creation of jobs;
- Promotes health and access to essential drugs;
- Achieves food security through sustainable, equitable agricultural systems and by raising production and incomes;
- Promotes renewable energy technologies thus responding to dual challenge of reducing poverty while mitigating climate change;
The Global trends
There are key events characterizing STI globally which inform the basis for Kenya to adopt STI. These include:
- Countries with most successful socio-economic growth have well pronounced STI sector aligned to the national goals;
- Innovation is the driving force behind STI. Research is mostly product oriented;
- There is a shift from research institutes to research in universities to create national capacities in key national priority areas;
- Strong indigenous industries and strong links between industries and researchers;
- STI enabling environment like good facilities, skilled human resources, good access to information and knowledge resources, etc.;
- Sustainable STI financing mechanism; and
- A well-organized STI sector.
Kenya basis for STI
The Vision 2030 and the Constitution
The Constitution of Kenya 2010 recognize the role of science, technology and innovation thus require the State to recognize and promote it. Kenya has it national economic blueprint, the Vision 2030, which establish three key pillars of growth: economic, social and political. This blue print seeks to achieve sustainable growth of 10% per annum by year 2030. One of the foundation established in this blueprint is the STI . STI would help Kenya in integrating knowledge into all production systems of the Kenyan economy hence achievement of Vision 2030.
Macro-economic growth
Kenya’s economy has been on tremendous expansion. Improved economic growth has been attributed to favourable weather conditions thus improved agricultural output, effects of government economic stimulus, improved liquidity in the economy, prudent macro-economic management and recovery of global economy. However, the Kenyan economy continue to suffer from dampened global growth prospects, local weather adversity, rising global energy prices, Somalia incursion and explosive general elections. STI’s implementation thus becomes a key driver to stable, low interest macroeconomic environment.
Social-economic transformation
Kenya’s population has been on a steady rise. As at 2009, Kenya’s population was tagged at 38.6 million and it is projected to rise to 60 million by 2030 . Rapid population growth is expected to affect Kenya’s development prospects. Kenya has also been experiencing rapid urbanization which will lead to creation of large urban centres. This population expansion will provide opportunity to develop a human resource base that will harness STI and create a knowledge-based economy subsequently leading to socio-economic transformation of the country.
STI interventions will be critical in ensuring proper and efficient management of demographic profile of the country, health status, natural environment and governance challenges. For instance, safeguarding the natural environment against natural disasters, climate change and man-made disasters like Solai Dam disaster in 2018. All these will require effective and efficient STI driven environment conservation methods.
Improving Political space
STI can be used to operationalize legal and institutional framework necessary in strengthening innovative electoral and governance processes. The Constitution establish cardinal values and principles of national governance for both levels of Kenyan Government: democracy, public participation, transparency, accountability, public administration, etc. STI would facilitate and support these constitutional values.
Current footprints of STI in Kenya
Financial Sector
MPESA
The Mobile phone has become the most transformative tool for development. M-PESA is one of the major innovations in Kenya. It is a money transfer platform, which has improved the Kenyan economy by far. From a relatively simple solution, launched in 2007, which allowed individuals to transfer cash to one another, M-PESA has grown into a sophisticated system with a number of functions catering to a wide range of needs and services, and accounting for 98 per cent of all mobile money transactions in Kenya. It has created efficient within public and private sectors of the economy leading to considerable expansion.
M-AKIBA
M-AKIBA, launched in March 2017, M-Akiba is a micro-investment in government securities using the mobile phone payments platform. Notably, it is the world’s first mobile-only retail bond. With M-Akiba, Kenyans can save money and earn interest every six months, with a small initial minimum investment amount per account of Kshs 3,000 (approximately $30) and consecutive trades in multiples of Kshs 500 (approximately $5). This is a great step towards the improvement of economy in Kenya.
iTax and e-jiji Pay
In 2016, Kenya Revenue Authority officially launched the iTax System. This system brought efficiency and effectiveness in tax administration and collection thus improving government tax revenue which in turn is used in growing other areas of the economy and reducing reliance on the expensive external debts.
E-jiji Pay is a system deployed by the Nairobi County for collection of taxes, duties, levies and fees. This system has increased the county revenue collection in turn enabling Nairobi County to provide for the much-needed public goods.
Agricultural Sector
Science, technology and innovation has brought new and high yielding farming methods. The agricultural sector remains the mainstay of Kenya’s economy and provides growth for other sectors. In Kenya, agriculture directly contributes to about 26 % of gross domestic product (GDP) and indirectly adds a further 27 % through linkages with agro-based and associated industries. This would therefore mean that a growth in the agricultural sector will lead to growth in the Kenyan economy .
For instance, the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (KARI) now known as the Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization (KALRO) has, since its establishment in 1986, conducted research aimed at improving agricultural productivity and hence contributing to improved food production. KARI through research has come up with crops which can sustain low water intake hence high yields even in time where there are no sufficient rains. Improved crop varieties, fertilizers, agro-chemicals, cross –breeding, artificial insemination, soil science inoculants, and crop management methods have been used to food production in Kenya. Agricultural mechanization and engineering has also improved the agricultural sector.
Another significant role played by science and technology in Kenya’s agricultural scene is the Genetically Modified organisms. Even though GMOs has been met by some resistance in Kenya due to fear of negative health effects on human beings and the general environmental effects.
GMOs lead to the creation of best product possible by the isolation of only the desired genes are transferred to the new product leading to the creation of organisms be it crops or animals with the best desirable characteristics. Therefore, genetic engineering improves the quality of the products by repairing a genetic defect, it can enhance an effect already natural to the organism such as the growth rate and it also improves the resistance to diseases.
Genetic engineering has the capability therefore of increasing food production without necessarily increasing the crop land by developing diversified, demand driven crop varieties and applying appropriate technology to produce the best quality of products. Increasing the food production will be able to meet the country’s food demands and the excess can be exported by the country to generate revenue. An example of the application of genetic engineering in Kenya is on the hybrid maize seeds which grows at a faster rate and is more pest resistant than the natural type of maize seeds.
Educational Sector
ICT enables more students to affordably access learning content. This area has huge potential for growth in enabling online education and facilitating massive and open online content. An example of online sites like academia has really contributed to the agricultural sector.
Health Sector
The M-TIBA savings product is a mobile phone-based health wallet that enables one to save, send, and spend funds specifically for medical treatment. Money stored in M-TIBA can only be used to pay for treatment and medication at specific clinics and hospitals. M-TIBA uses the internationally recognized “Safe Care” standards to monitor the quality of care available at these facilities.
Security Sector
STI through use of technology and innovation has been deployed by Kenyan government to combat crime. For instance, in 2013 at the height of Al-Shabaab terrorism attacks, Kenya deployed surveillance CCTV cameras in Nairobi and other major cities which has help the security forces monitor and survey crimes in real time. This has considerably reduced incidents of crimes. The recorded CCTV information can also be used as evidence in Court during adjudication of criminal cases. Forensics are other areas of STI why enable the security forces to identify the offenders of crimes.
Future of STI in Kenya
Artificial Intelligence
With the recent convergence of a transformative set of technologies, economies are entering a period in which artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to lead in the new era and overcome the physical limitations and open-up new sources of value and growth. Artificial intelligence has the potential to double annual economic growth rates by 2035 . Artificial intelligence can replicate labour activities at much greater scale and speed, and to even perform some tasks beyond the capabilities of humans. Imagine if artificial intelligence was used in the agricultural sector? Food production will be high and hence food security for Kenya.
New technologies will improve digitization and reduce the cost of providing financial services. For example, e-money regulations in Senegal, coupled with digitization policies, opened up the market to more e-money issuers and increased financial access.
Blockchain technology
The blockchain is essentially an incorruptible digital ledger of transactions than can be programmed to record not only financial transactions, but almost anything that is of value for record. While originally devised for cryptocurrencies, there are many potential uses of this technology. In the healthcare sector, Gem, a startup is working with the Centre for Disease Control to put disease outbreak data onto a blockchain which it says will increase the effectiveness of disaster relief and response.
If this is applied in Kenya, it can improve the healthcare sector significantly. We have seen the application of blockchain technology in the agricultural sector by Twiga Foods which has revolutionized the agricultural sector in Kenya
STI Challenges in Kenya
Below are some are some of the challenges bedeviling STI in Kenya:
- Inadequate communications and power infrastructure
- Shortage of STI facilities and STI skills
- Inadequate institutional arrangements
- Limited financial resources
- Inadequate public private partnership
- Limited data management capacity
- Inadequate horizontal and vertical communication
Conclusion
From the above elaboration, STI is has fundamental basis in Kenya. We, Group 1, believe that to achieve the Vision 2030 blue print, STI will play a central role that should not be ignored but prioritised.
Bibliography
- ‘A Policy Framework for Science, Technology and Innovation’ (2012)
- Government of the Republic of Kenya, ‘Kenya Vision 2030’
- ‘How ICT Drives Kenya’s Economic Growth’ accessed 20 July 2018
- Nanterme P and Daugherty P, Why Artificial Intelligence Is the Future of Growth (Accenture 2016)
- ‘National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation 2014 – 2018 Strategic Plan’ (2012)
- ‘What Is SCIENCE?’ accessed 20 July 2018
- ‘Why Artificial Intelligence Is the Future of Economic Growth’ accessed 20 July 2018
- Industrial Property Act 2001
- Science, Technology and Innovation Act 2013
- The Constitution of Kenya 2010
