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Science, Technology, Innovation and Business
Incubation in Africa; Challenges, Opportunities
and Future Prospects
ISBA 6th Annual Conference
17-19 March, Pune, India
Tilahun Zeweldu (PhD)
Regional Advisor
Agricultural Biotechnology Support Program (ABSP) in East and Central
Africa
MD-North West Investments Ltd.
[email protected]
I.
Introduction
Africa
Africa Compared
Map
Some hard Facts on Ethiopia
and Uganda
Current Facts on Ethiopia

Current Population
◦ 2050 estimated to grow to



Population growth
Life Expectancy at Birth
Surface area
◦ Covered by water
◦ Land locked

Forest area
 Per
capita income
> 85 million
170 million
3.2%
55.8% (53 M; 58 F)
1,119,683 sq km
7,444 sq km
???????
1-2%; ??????
170 USD
Cont’d











46% of Ethiopians are under 15 years of age
51%
15-64 years
2.7%
above 65 years
6.07 children
Total fertility rate
78 deaths per 1000 live birth
Average caloric intake about 1700 kcal vs. 2300 kcal recommended
globally
Up to 57 % of Ethiopian children are stunted
62% Ethiopians are victim of iodine deficiency disorder (IDD)
>40% of Ethiopians are suffer under Iron Deficiency Anemia (IDA)
Vit A deficien
Agriculture is the largest employer in Ethiopia with 83% workforce
in the sector
Cont’d
Key problems
Food, nutrition, clean water and other basic needs
Quality education
Health care service
Energy Access
Raw material (industry and service)
Increasing environmental degradation and associated
costs
Infrastructure
Current Facts on Uganda
• Population
– 2050 estimated to grow to
• Population growth
• Life Expectancy at Birth
• Surface area
32 million
105 million
3.2%
50 years
241,000 km2
– 20% of it is water body
– Land locked
•
•
•
•
Forest area
GDP (2006)
GDP Growth (2006)
Per capita income
36,000 km2
9.3 Billion US$
5.3%
300 US$
Cont’d
50% of the population under 15 years
Average caloric intake is about 1900 kcal which is below
recommended amount 2300 kcal
About 35% of Ugandan Children are stunted
65% Ugandan Children below 5 year and 30% Ugandan women are
iron deficient
28% of Ugandan Children and 52% women are Vit. A deficient
Only 12% of rural households in Uganda are significant net food
sellers, 66% are net buyers
Agriculture is the largest employer in Uganda with 83% workforce in
the sector
Women account 3 out of 4 agricultural labor force and 9 out of 10
food producing labor in Uganda.
Cont’d
Agriculture accounts for 40% GDP; generates
85% export earning
Over 85% Ugandans and 96% of the poor live in
rural areas
400,000 Ugandans enter the labor market every
year; but only about 100,000 are able to find
employment in formal sector; where are those
300,000 going ???????????
With current population growth, Uganda needs
to create 850, 000 jobs a year by 2022 and
1,520,000 jobs a year by 2037
II. Challenges
Mega Challenges
• Food, Nutrition and Health
• Technology Development, Access and Application
• Practical training and innovation (education
system)
• Knowledge taping and management (knowledge
transfer)
• Enterprise creation and development
• Infrastructure Building and Maintenance
• Road, communication, Institutions
• Energy Generation and Use
• Hydro, bio, fossil
• Resource Harnessing and Management
• Natural, financial, human, infrastructural etc
Fundamental Problems in Africa
Lack of food
and nutrition
Lack of
knowledge/
low level of
education
Poverty
Low
innovativeness
therefore high
unemployment
High health risk
III. Future Prospects and
Opportunities
What is needed to be done urgently?
Systematic Problem Mapping and prioritization
 Prospecting, validation, access, use and
management of technology and knowledge
 Setting strong innovation systems
 Increased investment in applied science and
technology
 Dynamic S&T Policy Action
 Strategic Cross Border Partnership
Building for Entrepreneurship
Development

Partnership Models
Public-Public (for basic cross cutting
public service)
 Public-Private (improved and swift public
service)
 Private-Private (for mutual benefit)
 Public-Public-Private (in strategic sectors)

Partnership
model for SMEs
Development
SME
NPOs
PSO
GO
Business Incubators in Africa


Supported by Information for Development
Program (InfoDev) www.infoDev.org
InfoDev provides financial and technical
support to 24 Business Incubators in ten
African countries.
Organized under African Incubator Network
(AIN) which was established in 2004, has
ten member countries (Angola, Ghana,
Kenya, Mauritius, Namibia, Rwanda, Senegal,
South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda)
Target Population of AIN
Rural Poor
 Urban Poor
 Women
 Youth

13%
24%
31%
32%
Target Sector of AIN
Agriculture
 ICT
 International
 Manufacturing
 Mixed use
 Textile

10%
46%
3%
20%
18%
3%
Opportunities
Rich Natural Resources (biodiversity,
water, land and more unexplored
potential)
 Increasing market potential for goods and
services
 Opportunity to short cut technological
gaps and learn from advanced countries

Concluding Remarks
Create strong public private partnership for
Entrepreneurship development (universities, R&D
Institutions, private enterprises, NGOs )
 Setup clusters of applied technology and business
incubators and network
 Establish funding mechanisms for STI and SMEs
Development
 Foster regional and international partnerships for
technology prospecting, selection, access transfer,
innovation and business development

NWI Ltd. Core Focus
•
•
•
•
Health, Food and Nutrition Training (Institute)
Integrating Agriculture and Health Service in Rural
Settings
Natural Resources Conservation and Mgt.
(Permanent Forest Development as Climate
change mitigation)
Applied Technology and Business Incubation
“Commitment to Serve Humanity and Shape a
for All
Better Future
should be the
Fundamental Duty of every Human being; and
then we can have lasting peace and prosperity in
the World”