By Chioma Obinna

EXPERTS attending the 2016 Grand Challenges Africa, GCA, in Nairobi, Kenya, have recognised that Africa  lacks the transformative research and development (R&D) required to achieve the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs. The week-long meeting was also an avenue for innovators to lay ground works for a sustained, scientific advocacy effort to increase international and local African investment in R&D maintained that Africa must prioritise investment in R&D.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT: Africa lacks transformative research and development to achieve 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs.

The 2016 Grand Challenges Africa which featured 475 participants from 43 countries focused on mobilising African resources to generate and scale innovation in the region.

Development agenda

It also deliberated on how to put women and girls at the centre of development and possible innovations to reduce maternal mortality, burden of communicable and non communicable diseases, mental health as well as possible ways of reducing deaths of children and newborns.   Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 3-day conference, the Executive Director, African Academy of sciences, Berhanu Abegaz who noted that the meeting was a renewed confidence in the African future said already the Grand Challenges partners have invested $120 million in 380 projects in 29 African countries since 2010.

He said Nigeria received about $8.6 million of the investment for the 28 projects. Grand Challenges Africa launched in September 2015 by the African Academy of Sciences, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development and international partners, would research and development as well as drive the innovation necessary to achieve the continent’s long-term SDGs.

Currently, Africa accounts for 15 percent of the global population and 25 percent of the global disease burden, but only produces about 2 percent of the world’s research output. More than half of African countries invest less than 0.5 percent of their GDP on research – far less than the global target of 1 percent

Africa is home to some of the world’s most dynamic innovators and institutions, but increased funding in R&D is crucial to providing them with the resources they need to succeed. Also speaking, the Director, Alliance for Accelerating Excellence in Science in Africa, AESA, Thomas Kariuki, who called for commitment on the parts of African heads of State argued that health system strengthening is a priority for Africa.

“We understand that innovation is generally a risky, long-term investment, and therefore require a long-term funding strategy to provide innovators with the resources they need to succeed. “This is a crucial cornerstone we need to establish if we are to create knowledge-based economies. We are heartened by the overwhelming positive response that we have had ahead of this event and hope for very productive discussions,” he added.

On poor investment in research and development, Head of science, Technology & Innovation, Hub, New Partnership for Africa’s development,  lamented poor investment in research and development stressing the need for governments to prioritise research. “We need targeted science to address the challenges in Africa. We have a lot of good programmes in health by various governments but we need research and innovations as well.

Speaking, Director, Africa Team, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation,  Ayo Ajayi, said: “The Grand Challenges approach to innovation has the potential to transform the way we work: bringing together the world’s brightest minds to solve our biggest development challenges. With the leadership of AESA, along with the African Academy of Sciences, NEPAD and other partners, Grand Challenges Africa GC Africa can play a key role in nurturing an innovation ecosystem in Africa.”

The Programme Manager, Grand Challenges Africa, Evelyn Gitau, regretted that the gap in Africa between the knowledge being created and commercialisation is still too wide. “To help change this, Grand Challenges Africa seeks to bridge the gap between industry and innovators and to bring together innovators and potential funders including angel funders, brokers, private equity investors and governments departments,” she stated.