What makes Tanzania top in global innovation index

Dar es Salaam. Tanzania has done well in the Global Innovation Index 2018 (GII) report, thanks to a reduction in the consumption of firewood.

The report – which was launched yesterday – showed that Tanzania was placed fifth in Sub Sahara Africa in a group of innovation achievers, largely due to the government’s innovative idea to encourage usage of the improved cooking stoves.

The country is only behind South Africa, Mauritius, Kenya and Botswana.

With the achievement, Tanzania is now leading all low income countries in terms of innovations, according to the newly released Global Innovation Index 2018 (GII) report.

Commenting on the findings yesterday, the Minister of State in the Vice President’s Office (Union and Environment), Mr January Makamba, said the achievement was a result of work that was done jointly between the government and the private sector.

He said government is implementing its affirmative action in conserving environment and has been encouraging the private sector and individuals to come out with innovative ideas in order for the goals to be achieved.

“Among others, the government in collaboration with private sector ran the innovation competition on the alternatives to charcoal and the winner took home Sh300 million as a starting capital for the business,” he said.

Also the report explains that, the uses of the improved cooking stoves against the traditional three-stone open fire consumes 67 per cent less firewood and reduces gas emissions by 60 per cent.

According to the report, those collecting firewood from forests spent 50 per cent less time because less firewood was consumed in improved stoves.

The government also wants people to start using the Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPGs) with the minister insisting that it was cheaper compared to the usage of charcoal.

“Work led by the World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) in Tanzania found that on-farm firewood supply ranged from 0.5 to 8 metric tonnes per hectare for a variety of tree species,” reads further the report.

The report, however, shows that the country remains the top-ranked low-income country (92nd) globally, gaining four positions from last year.

Below Tanzania, other low income countries that were highlighted in the report with their global ranking in brackets were Rwanda (99), Senegal (100), Uganda (103), Madagascar (106), Nepal (108), Mali (112), Zimbabwe (113), Malawi (114) and Mozambique (115).

“A strong consistency is also evident among low-income countries, with eight out of 10 economies remaining in the top 10 in this group,” reads part of the report.

“It will be important for Africa to preserve its current innovation momentum,” the report has recommended.

The GII 2018 was jointly prepared by the Cornell University, Business school for the world-INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization (Wipo).