Where Uganda laggs on innovation

                                               Where Uganda laggs on innovation

Uganda remains one of the world’s least developed countries since 1990 although it has achieved vibrant economic growth and macroeconomic stability.A recent study by worldbank economists partly attributes this paradox to our innovetiveness attributes. This study found  that although Uganda’s innovation, science, and technology system had made significant achievements since 2000, it remains with very low levels of development. The Total expenditure in R&D  for example stood at 0.41 percent of GDP in 2009, a modest increase from 0.37 percent in 2002, yet most of it was performed by the public sector(mostly in public universities and R&D labs) and financed by international donors with very few private-sector companies. This indeed should  partly satisfy the slugish growth explanation in the ugandan claimed "private sector led economy"



Whats  could be failing the private sector? Private sector’s insufficient capacity to absorb new technologies and innovate, shortage of skilled workers among others issues, have been recognized as key bottlenecks hampering this desired  productivity and economic growth.The system is said to be deficient in institutional capacity, university-industry collaboration, and connection to global innovation networks.

The ugandan government however , using a worldbank loan has made efforts to remedy this challange central to the long-term success of Uganda’s development strategy. Through the Millennium Science Initiative (MSI) of 2007,the  government set out to attain objectives of;Creating and strengthening graduate education in S&T disciplines to provide a cadre of future professors, researchers, and engineers, increasing connections and linkages between research and training and the needs of the private sector, reducing “brain drain” by improving the ability of the national science and technology system to support high-quality research and training, removing the systemic obstacles (institutional, financial, and sociological) that reduce the attractiveness for students of S&T training andcareers among others; but the impact of these efforts towards these objectives still remain insignificant 10 years later.

Ugandas  economic structure needs.
For the first 2 decades of the NRM regime(1986-2010),Uganda was on an  economic recovery after the decades of political economic tamoil.Its  now  that uganda is holding a gripp on its  transformation agenda into a middle income society. Its now that  we see the government  focusing on private sector investment to address structural and institutional weaknesses.This is the reality that uganda needs to embrace  and  should be focusing on to drive its development agenda based on innovation.
 
We need to aknowledge that Uganda’s economy is largely agro based with major exports being coffee, tea, cotton, tobacco, fish, assorted fruits and essential oils.The government thus needs to invest in modern bioscience especially in disease diagnostics, vaccine development and crop productivity improvement to enhance sustainable and agriculture transformation.This innovation in agro- processing and value addition is what is essential for creating a new source of growth and agribusiness to further enhace structural transformation into agro industrialisation.

The ease and cost of starting business  has been another stambling block for ugandans doing business.We have already tested the fruits of technology innovations and advacements in some key government agencies such as URSB`s online registration which has significantly reduced the time of business registration  from about 30 days to 30 minutes , URA`s online revenue potal, & KCCA`s ecitie potal which has greatly improved the citie administration and revenue targets.These  innovations have undoubtedly improved the business enviroment and  could as well be perfected and spread to other areas of public administration

Uganda has the largest youngest population in the world with more than three quarters (78%) of the citizens are below age of 35. This youthful population is  further estimated to double in the next 25 years. This therefore stresses the need for  population systems to be  designed to support healthy children so that the youth will grow well education and healthy. This hence calls for high levels of investment in innovation and creativity

Kasozi Brian

Economic Hub Uganda
P.O Box 1337, Kampala- Uganda | Tel +256779373114/+256703744999 |
Email:economichubuganda@gmail.com|;