‘Gap between rich, poor nations caused by technology use’
The Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, has attributed the gap between rich and poor nations to the use of technology by the former and said that if poor countries could invest more in technology, they would soon be at par with the rich and developed countries.
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He said it was for this reason that the government had established the Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Fund which would be financed with one per cent of the country’s GDP.
Visit
Prof. Boateng made this known when he paid a working visit to the Crops Research Institute (CRI) of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSRI), at Fumesua in the Ashanti Region last Friday.
He conceded that the one per cent of GDP earmarked for the purpose, was not enough for investment in research and development but said it was an improvement on previous allocations which were less than 0.5 per cent of GDP.
He commended the institute for its tenacity to remain relevant in the agricultural development of the country, in spite of the financial challenges facing it and pledged to consistently make a case for the institute, particularly with regard to the implementation of the Planting for Food and Jobs policy, initiated by government, so that it could play a role in it.
Director
In her welcome address, the Director of CRI, Dr Stella Ama Ennin, reiterated the problem of staff attrition that was facing the institute.
She said on the average, the institute lost close to 30 staff members yearly and that, she said, was affecting its work.
According to her, although the salaries of staff were paid promptly, the institute faced financial challenges, particularly with regard to funding research work.
She said many of the researches undertaken by the institute in recent times were funded with donor support and that did not augur well for the country.
Breeders Bill
Dr Ennin made an appeal to Parliament through the minister for the passage of the Plant Breeders Bill, to give the institute the opportunity to generate more funds internally.
According to her, some of the improved variety of seeds released by the CRI were being used in many countries in Africa free of charge and said if the bill was passed, the country could earn royalties from the improved seeds.
