Sh8 bn allocated for research in Tanzania

Dar es Salaam. The government has allocated Sh8 billion from the FY-2018/19 national budget with which to support research activities in Tanzania.

This was revealed in Dar es Salaam yesterday by the minister for Education, Science and Technology, Prof Joyce Ndalichako, during the 6th Annual Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) conference and exhibitions staged in Dar es Salaam.

“Scientists and researchers have the pivotal role of supporting the country to attain its indoctrination dream,” she said.

Noting that the government, working through Costech, has always ensured that researchers and others benefit from their innovations.

In that regard, the government disbursed Sh3.2 billion through Costech to support eight research projects on infrastructure development and rehabilitation in Tanzania-Mainland.

Costech also released Sh960 million to support eight projects that aimed at finding solutions to specific problems in Zanzibar, mostly  in the areas of sustainable tourism, agribusiness, aquaculture and non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

“The government recognizes your contribution in STI. It will, therefore, continue supporting the use of STI in order to promote industrialization and competitiveness by allocating sufficient funds as a means to reach s middle-income economy by 2025,” she added.

The Costech director general, Dr Amos Nungu, said commercialization of research and products innovations are some of the areas where Costech puts more emphasis.

“We started in 2012 by the ‘Advanced Revolving Loan’ system for the purpose of supporting research and development institutions to commercialize research results and transfer of technology,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor of the Sokoine University of Agriculture (SUA), Prof Raphael Chibunda, said academic and research institutions in Tanzania would adhere to government directives on ensuring that research results reach the users at the grassroots level.