Building Science Technology And Innovation Capacity In Rwanda

Even a subsistence agricultural economy such as Rwanda needs to develop science, technology and innovation (STI) capacity if it hopes to solve such everyday, practical problems as providing energy and clean drinking water to rural villages, and competing in the global economy by producing and selling higher value goods and services. This book provides new insights into the capacity building process and shows that STI capacity building is not a luxury activity suitable primarily for wealthy countries but an absolute necessity for poor countries that hope to become richer.

This book summarizes, and highlights main messages from, a February 2007 Global Forum convened by the World Bank to discuss strategies, programs, and policies for building science, technology and innovation (STI) capacity to promote sustainable growth and poverty reduction in developing countries.

The volume analyses how to make Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Policies relevant for inclusive growth strategies in Africa.The base for a transformative STI policy is to link the STI policies to Africa's economic transformation policies. In a first part the general issues of introducing effective STI policies are presented. In a second part country case studies highlight the new approach. Cases such as Sudan and Nigeria are analysed, as these two countries have a long history of STI development; because of different history, size and structure they need to move in different directions towards a coherent STI policy for inclusive growth.

Part of a series of WIPO-produced country reports, reviewing IP in national innovation systems. Each report offers country-specific recommendations for more effectively using the IP system to strengthen national innovation systems.

Rwanda’s Economic Development and Poverty Reduction Strategy provides a medium-term framework for achieving the country’s long-term development goals and aspirations as embodied in Rwanda Vision 2020, the seven-year Government of Rwanda programme, and the Millennium Development Goals. The strategy promotes three flagship programs, namely sustainable growth for jobs and exports, poverty reduction by promoting pro-poor components of the national growth agenda, and providing an anchor for pro-poor growth by building on low incidence of corruption and a regional comparative advantage in soft infrastructure.

Describes approaches for effectively applying science, technology, and innovation to achieving the Millennium Development Goals. Outlines core areas for policy action, including a focus on platform or generic technologies, defining infrastructure services as foundations for technology, placing universities at the centre of local development and improving science education, spurring entrepreneurial activities, improving the policy environment and focusing on areas of under-funded research for development.

This volume offers a detailed conceptual framework for understanding and learning about technology innovation policies and programs, and their implementation in the context of different countries.