Africa’s Focus Turns
to Climate Change
Building Africa’s Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) Capacity
Today for Sustainable African Development Tomorrow
In this issue:
3 Scientific Revival Day for

Africa - ATPS Uganda andGhana

4 ATPS Annual Conference
and Workshop a Major
Success

6 ATPS Promotes Full

Stakeholder Participationin the Research Funding
Process

8 Country Chapter Focus ATPS Lesotho

10 Kenya Talks Climate Change
14 University Business

ATPS and its Partners Sensitize
Policy Makers on Climate ChangeKenya’s Ministry of Environment
and Mineral Resources (MEMR)
in conjunction with the IDRCDFID supported Climate Change Adaptation for Africa (CCAA) through the
IGAD Climate Prediction and Applications Centre (ICPAC), the United Nations
Environmental Programme (UNEP) andthe African Technology Policy Studies
Network (ATPS), hosted a sensitization workshop for Members of Parliament in Kenya from 8-9 October 2009 inMombasa, Kenya. The strategic objective of the workshop was to sensitize,

Research and Innovation in
Africa (UNIBRAIN)

14 Nanotechnologies forDevelopment in India,
Kenya and the Netherlands:

appraise and engage selected parliamentary committees on climate change issues
for Kenya.

15 Enhancing policy-maker

capacity to use evidenceOver 150 delegates including the Minister for Environment and Mineral Resources (MEMR), the Minister for Forestry
and Wildlife, the Speaker of the National
Assembly, Cabinet Members and Permanent Secretaries of various House Committees, Members of Parliament and Provincial Commissioners of the Government of
Kenya as well as the Executive Director of
UNEP attended the event.
Page 10

A Newsletter of the African Technology Policy Studies Network

16 ATPS Publication Series
17 ATPS Secretariat Staff
Highlights

Issue No. 26, July - December 2009

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A Newsletter of the African Technology Policy Studies Network

A Word From the Executive DirectorT

he African Technology
Policy Studies Network(ATPS), in line with its
vision and mission, acts as a
broker between actors in the“quadruple helix” to deliberate on
and prioritize Africa’s response to
global challenges.

to the introduction of new products, processes and services andto Organisational and societal renewal. Valorization refers to theeffective use / application of the results of science and technology for development. This half-year saw the ATPS organize
a successful international conference on “Africa’s Response to
Global Challenges through Science, Technology and Innovation.”
The conference brought together a host of international, science
experts, public officials, policy makers and other key stakeholders to address the nexus between these three global challenges
and devise new strategies for the continent. As the world set theirsights on “sealing the deal” to reduce green house gas emissions
at Copenhagen, the ATPS under the newly launched Climate
Sense Programme, set about preparing policy makers across
Africa and transferring knowledge to help them respond appropriately to the climate change crisis through STI.

The quadruple helix here refers
to various actors in the Science,
Technology and Innovations (STI) policy processes, including
top STI experts in academic institutions and other knowledge
communities, policy makers, and private sector actors. Thisis done through STI policy studies, theory and practice in thecontext of Africa’s socioeconomic and environmental development challenges. Through the STI capacity building activities
carried out in 2009, the ATPS network members and stakeholders had the opportunity to share their experiences and knowledge
while raising Africa’s perspectives on STI capacity development
needs (knowledge basis and infrastructure; knowledge circulationand networks; and knowledge conditions and policies) to ensure
effective valorization of science and technology into innovations
for African development. The concept of innovation here pertains
Published Biannually by:
The Communications Department,
African Technology Policy Studies
Network
Editors
Dr. Kevin Urama
Marsden Momanyi
Carol Thuku
Dr. Sheila Ochugboju
Lucy Langat
Design and Layout
Marsden Momanyi
Printers
Colourprint Limited
P.O. Box 44466-00100 GPONairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-20 - 531310/531767
Fax: +254-20 - 552992/554156
E-mail: info@clolourprint.co.ke
All Correspondence to:
ATPS News
3rd Floor, The Chancery, Valley Rd.
P.O. Box 10081-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-20 - 271 4092/271 4498
Fax: +254-20-271 4028
Website: www.atpsnet.org
E-mail: info@atpsnet.org
Skype: atpsnet

The stories covered in this issue demonstrate the commitment of
the ATPS to bridging the gaps between innovation, research anddevelopment and commercialization in Africa and providing themissing link within the quadruple helix. We believe that the solution lies in bringing these separate actors together and building
their STI capacities because what Africa needs are strong actors
and like DNA they need to be intertwined together in for any innovation system to work.
Dr. Kevin C. Urama
Executive Director, ATPShe
From tl
Editoria
desk:T

he first 2009 issue of the newlook ATPS News attracted
considerable attention fromthe science, technology and innovation community among research, policy
makers and practitioners alike. The
editorial desk has been inundated withinquiries from interested authors andreaders and we are extremely gratefulfor your warm words of encouragement.
We are proud to introduce a new section“National Chapter Focus” and Close-up
with...” to better incorporate the voice of
our stakeholders. In this issue we profile
the ATPS - Lesotho National Chapter togain a unique insight into the contribution of the southern African country’s
contribution to science, technology andinnovation capacity building for development over the years. In “Close-up with...”we talk to Prof. Sir Brian Heap to get his

2perspectives on the upcoming CoP 15
International Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen. In future issues
intend to unravel and understand eachstrand of the Quadruple Helix (Science
Experts, Policy Makers, Civil Society andPrivate Sector Actors) by interviewing
a representative from each of the fourconstituencies.
It is exiting to note that the ATPS thematic and facilitative programmes haveincreased significantly over the last two
years. In this issue we highlight some ofthese new programmes which include
the Climate Sense and the Nanotechnology Programmes. Finally we welcome
feedback from our readers and yourcontributions in writing to the contacts
provided alongside.
Marsden Momanyi
Communication and Outreach Officer

Scientific Revival Day for Africa

ATPS Chapters Commemorate
Scientific Revival Day for Africa

ATPS Uganda“Scientific Revival Day
proffers an opportunity
for all who have a
stake in Africa’s
development to agitate
for a renewed focus in
Science Technology andInnovation.”
Dr. Maxwell Otim, UNCSTO

n September 17, membersof ATPS-Uganda held their
Annual General Meeting alongside activities to commemorate Scientific
Revival Day for Africa (SRDA). The event
was presided over by the outgoing ATPS
National Coordinator for Uganda Prof.
Joseph Obua who held this position forthe stipulated maximum term of six years.
The main agenda of the meeting was toappraise members of progress madeover the year and to elect a new steeringcommittee and National Chapter Coordinator.
Mr. Marsden Momanyi, ATPS Communications and Outreach Officer represented thesecretariat at the event. In a speech read on
his behalf by Mr. Momanyi, Dr. Kevin Urama
the ATPS Executive Director commended
Prof. Obua’s courage of conviction and theconfidence he has placed in the emerging generation of Ugandans ready andanxious to take up leadership positions
in steering the country’s development
agenda to greater heights through STI.
The Keynote speakers included Mr. Sam
Senkungu, Commissioner, Ministry of
Tourism, Trade and Industry Uganda andDr. Maxwell Otim, Uganda National Council
For Science and Technology. 50 participants drawn from academia, civil society,private sector and Government attended
the event which coincided with the launchof a new STI policy in Uganda and only

a few days
before thecommencementof
National Science Week in Uganda. The
chapter organized an exhibition on thesidelines of the meeting as part of activities to mark Scientific Revival Day for
Africa. Exhibitors were drawn from various
Government and Private Sector institutions as well some youth driven companies specializing in Science, Technology
and Innovation research and products.
The proceedings were covered extensively by Uganda Broadcasting Corporation (UBC) Radio and Television.

Above: The newly elected National
Coordinator , Mr. John Okuonzi. Mr.
Okuonzi is a lecturer at the Kyambogo
University, in the Faculty of Engineering andis a long-standing member of the AYFST.

ATPS Ghana“Innovation that brings
solutions and motivatesthe entrepreneur is the
key to a sustainableonslaught on the threatof climate change andits negative effects.”

A

TPS–Ghana Chapter organized aone-day workshop on the theme,“Entrepreneurial and Innovation
Opportunities for Dealing with Climate
Change Effects – Adaptation and Mitigation.” The workshop took place on 26
August at the auditorium of the Scienceand Technology Policy Research Institute(STEPRI) of the Council for Scientific andIndustrial Research (CSIR). 43 participants
drawn from research, academia, entrepreneurs, students and the media attended. The workshop was chaired by Dr.
Peggy Oti Boateng, Director of Technolo-

gy Consultancy Centre and former Board
Chair of ATPS Ghana. Among the chief
guests were Dr. Yaa Dufie Osei, Chair of
the ATPS Ghana board of trustees and the
Deputy Director General of CSIR, Dr. (Mrs.)
R. M. Entsua-Mensah.
The workshop created awareness aboutclimate change and its potential implications on development, poverty, food security, disaster occurrence and management.
“We believe that in all negative situations,
including climate change, there are opportunities to be exploited for individual as wellas public advantage,” said Dr. Fred AmuMensah, ATPS-Ghana’s National Chapter
Coordinator. “Ghana has in recent years
experienced adverse effects of climatechange. In 2007 and 2008, floods occurredin the northern regions of the country, thefirst in as long as the elderly could remember due to severe changes in weather
patterns. We must raise public awarenesson climate change, mitigation and adaptation so they are equipped to contrib3

Dr. Fred Amu-Mensah, ATPS-Ghana’s National
Chapter Coordinator.

ute to response efforts,” he added. The
workshop featured presentations on windenergy potential for Ghana, use of vetiver
grass in managing disasters, improving
soil quality, carbon sequestering to offset
climate change and providing job opportunities. The meeting also discussed initiatives by the Ghana Forest Commission toreforest hillsides denuded by farmers who
have long been practicing environmentallydegrading farming methods.

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A Newsletter of the African Technology Policy Studies Network

ATPS holds its Annual Conference and Workshop

onse

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E24 - 27 November in Abuja, NigeriaT

he African Technology Policy Studies (ATPS) Network
held its 2009 Annual Conference and Workshop from 24- 27 November in Abuja, Nigeria. The event was organizedas part of an International Conference aimed at identifying andprioritizing strategies for African countries to respond to the triple
global challenges of poverty, climate change and the global financial crisis through Science, Technology and Innovation (STI).

challenges, as well as the response strategies needed to address
them has highlighted the need for a more systematic approachto development planning more than ever. It has become moreevident that poverty, climate change, and global financial crisis
are mutually exacerbating the poor conditions of living and socioeconomic status of citizens both in the developed, emerging anddeveloping countries,“ said Dr. Urama.

The Conference was organized by the ATPS in partnership with
the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT); the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP); The
Raw Materials and Research Development Council (RMRDC) of
the Ministry of Science and Technology, Nigeria; the World Bank
Science and Technology Education Post-Basic (STEP–B) Project,
Nigeria; the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigeria; theAfrican Institute for Applied Economics (AIAE) and African Development Solutions International (ADSI).

In a Keynote speech by Hon. Dr. Alhassan Zaku, Minister for
Science and Technology, Nigeria, which was read on his behalf
by a Ministry Official, the Minister underscored the importance ofbuilding national systems of innovation to foster innovation capacities of nations in Africa. He said his Ministry had launched an
initiative to create platform for collaboration within the quadruple
helix (different arms of government, academia, private sector andthe civil society) in partnership with the ministry of education in
Nigeria and ATPS.

In his opening remarks, Dr. Kevin Urama the Executive Directorof ATPS highlighted the significance of science, technology andinnovation in charting a sustainable development course for thedeveloping and emerging countries and in tackling the triple challenges of global climate change, global poverty and global financial crisis. “The systemic feedback relationships between the three

The initiative which was launched during the conference has now
formed a steering committee which will fast track the process
of moving numerous results of research and development within
Nigeria‘s system of innovation from the knowledge sectors where
they are currently. During his speech, the Executive Secretary,
National Universities Commission (NUC) Prof. Julius Okojie
4

ATPS Annual Conference

commended the ATPS for its efforts toaddress the problems highlighted under
the theme of the conference namely
climate change, global poverty and theglobal financial crisis through Science,
Technology and Innovation.
He said that strategies aimed at addressingthese challenges are summarized in theseven-point agenda of the Federal Government, aimed at transforming the Nigerian
economy including; critical infrastructure,
food security, human capital and wealthcreation among others.
He further added that these three challenges are interlinked and require a holistic
approach to tackle them. “The three operative factors are integrated with climatechange leading to global warming andflooding of low-lying coastal areas due torising sea levels and in turn posing a real
threat to the viability of ecological systems
and human societies at a local, national andregional levels. The conference sought toaddress these challenges in an integrated
systems approach exploring the linkages
and feedbacks between climate change
effects on water and energy resources on
global poverty through biodiversity loss
and land degradation and vice versa.
The conference attracted 148 global
participants including key African experts,
researchers, policy makers and potential
donors to brainstorm on the theme and to
identify and prioritize STI relevant research,capacity building and policy needs of thecontinent in the coming decade.
The conference took the format of a
two-day plenary session where experts
delivered key note addresses focusing on
the thematic areas. There were also facilitated breakout sessions to map out Africa’s
responses to (i) the global financial crisis;(ii) global poverty; and (iii) climate change
after the plenary session have exhausted

the potential linkages and feedbacks inthe system and from the perspectives of
the role of STI only. In addition, the conference also examined cross cutting issues
that underpin Africa’s response to thesechallenges, including: (iv) intellectual property rights (IPRs) and knowledge appropriation strategies; (v) socialization of scienceand technological research and innovation
policy in Africa.
Other key presenters included Prof. Banji
Oyelaran-Oyeyinka UN-HABITAT, Prof.
Peter Onwualu, RMRDC, Wiebe E. Bijker,
Universiteit Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Dr. Adrian Ely, University of Sussex, Dr.
Alfonso Alfonsi, SET-DEV Project Coordinator, Dr. Shambu Prasad, Xavier Institute ofManagement, India, Dr. Musonda Mumba
United Nations Environment Programme(UNEP), Prof. Osita Ogbu, ADSI, Prof. Eric
Chiedum Eboh, AIAE among others.

Close up with Prof. Sir Brian Heap
Interview by Marsden Momanyi;Prof. Sir Brian Heap is an ATPS
Board Member. He is also Executive Director of the PhilosophicalTransactions of the Royal Societies Series
B; a Special Professor at the University of
Nottingham; President of the International Society for Science and Religion anda Research Associate with the Capability
and Sustainability Centre at St. Edmund’s
College, Cambridge. The following is aninterview with him at the sidelines of the
ATPS Annual Conference in Abuja.

Q: What are some of the key issues coming
out of this Conference?
A: We have had some very good presentations that addressed the three global challenges but particularly climate change
because of the upcoming COP 15 conference in Copenhagen.
One of the big challenges we are facing isthat everybody is hoping that we are going
to control the emissions of greenhousegases which are causing global warming.
The targets for cutting greenhouse gas
emissions have been set and if we
don’t meet the set targets, then weare going to get warmer throughout
the globe and that is why we haveto adapt.
But how are African countries
going to adapt without destroying
their economies? How are Climatechange and globalisation weaving
together the fates of households,
communities, and people acrossall regions of the globe? These arejust some of the questions we are5grappling with in this conference.
Q: What do you think about the Climate
Skepticism brewing up?
A: I can understand the skepticism andcynicism and one of the things that wehave lacked so much in the last decade isinternational leadership. All eyes are now
on US President Obama and China’s Hu
Jintao as the leaders of the world’s biggest
emitters to take the lead by increasing theirlevels of commitment.
Q: Do You think ATPS has the wherewithal
to respond to these triple challenges?
A: I think ATPS is uniquely placed tolead Africa’s response to these challenges
through Science because we have a very
interesting combination between entrepreneurship, a very imaginative Executive Director, extremely good teams andspecial interest groups who together will
be able to attract funding and support for
initiatives to tackle these problems. ATPS
Network’s relationship with governments,
other NGOs and the UN puts it in a very
strategic position.

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ATPS Promotes Full Stakeholder Participationin the Research Funding Process
Stakeholder participation
is at the core of theprocess and throughout
the whole value chain.
This is built on the firm
belief that knowledge
held by different
knowledge communities
is valid and could form
the bases for innovations
for development.
By Dr. Kevin Urama,A

TPS supports demand led capacity building activities in the areaof Science, Technology, andInnovation knowledge generation, knowledge circulation and networking, policy
making and policy practices in Africa for
African development and global inclusion. In doing so, the ATPS engages
the quadruple helix (Science Experts,
Policy makers, Private Sector Actors,
and the Civil Society) in the identification, prioritization, and implementation of
STI policy research and policy processes at national, regional, and global levels.

Collaboration Breeds
Innovation
Stakeholder participation is therefore at
the core of the process throughout thewhole value chain. This is built on the firm
belief that knowledge held by different
knowledge communities (both tacit andcodified) is valid and could be the bases
for innovations for development. If asked tostate the underlying beliefs in two phrases,
I would borrow two from the recent stakeholder workshops held by the ATPS in theprocess of developing an African manifesto for Science, technology and Innovation
for Africans by Africans. “Innovation does
not happen in the mainstream”. “Collaboration breeds Innovation”. The ATPS
Secretariat has followed a transparent andrigorous participatory process of engagement with the quadruple helix for evalu-

Members of the Panel of Experts, the ATPS Network, the Board and other stakeholders listen
to presentations by candidates at a proposal tournament in Abuja on 26 November, 2009

ating the proposals received under thecalls for proposals for the year 2009. The
drawn out process involved several stages:

Identifying Priority Areas
A drawn out participatory process involving the ATPS national chapters andnational and regional stakeholders led
to the identification and prioritizationof core areas of development challenges and STI policy needs in the member
countries and in the region requiringurgent attention in the medium term.
These informed the strategic goals andpriority implementation programmesof the ATPS Phase VI Strategic Plan,
2008 – 2012. Some required regional responses and actions whileother required national case studies;
The aforementioned process informed thecall for proposals (Refer to Figure 1 fordetails) advertised on the websites andalso disseminated through the network
membership in the national chapters.

Pre-advice and Assessment
All proposals received by the ATPS were
submitted to the National Chapter Coordinators for pre-advice and assessmenton the basis of three criteria including(Science Quality, Added Value / Innovation
Quality; and Societal / Policy Relevance).
6

Each National Coordinator reviewed the
proposal and provided pre-advice to the
proponents on how to improve the proposal to increase relevance to national policy
needs and also add value at the local levels.
The proposals were also simultaneously
sent to a selected team of three from an
Independent International Expert Panelof Reviewers (IIEPR) for each strategic
theme. The IIPER reviewed and ranked
the proposals independently using thesame set of criteria as the national coordinators, but focusing on the regional
development challenges and policy priorities. Each IIPER member also provided pre-advice to the candidates to assist
them in revising the proposal to improve
the innovation content, science quality
and societal/policy relevance. All the
pre-advice forms were also forwarded to the respective candidates anonymously (without the names of the reviewers) to inform revision of their proposals.
The scores were collated by the ATPS
Secretariat Management Committee(SMC) and the average marks for the four
evaluation scores (the National Chapter
Coordinator and the three members of the
Independent Expert Panel) were computed by the ATPS Electronic Grant Management System (EGMS). This system
ensures an independent and impartial

Stakeholder Participation in the Research Funding Process

sorting and short listing of the proposals to be invited to a Tournament where
each Lead Investigator presented the
proposal to the ATPS membership and thesame Panel of IIEPR, with ATPS Science
Council and Board members present.

Proposal Tournament
At the Tournament, each candidate had
10 minutes to present the proposal before
the Panel of International Experts, other
ATPS members, stakeholders, and the
ATPS Board. The IIEPR repeated thesame system of evaluation on the basis of
the same set of criteria. At the same event,the ATPS Participatory Proposal Evaluation System (PPES) was also implemented whereby the wider membership of the
ATPS and stakeholders were involved inscoring the presentation of the proposals
during the Tournament. The scores fromthe general membership serve as a control
score showing the general perception of
the proposed activity by ATPS stakeholders. The average scores obtained from thisgeneral assessment process are held on
the EGMS for the records and as a control
on the scores obtained from the rigorous
assessments by the national Chapter Coordinators and the IIEPR. If for instance, the

CALLS FORPROPOSALS
Emerging and Indigenous
Technologies for Climate
Change Adaptation in Africa

mean score obtained from the general
membership rates a proposal as excellent,but the Panel of International Experts rated
the same proposal as very poor, there
might be reason to investigate the proposals further by sending it out to another setof Independent Experts for further review.
All these scores and pre-advice forms
will be held in the ATPS archives
to inform capacity building needsof the research teams in future.
The mean scores from the whole process,the pre-advice scores by the national chapters and the IIEPR, the tournament scoresby the IIEPR, and the general scores by the
ATPS membership and stakeholders arecollated by the EGMS and made available
to the ATPS Board to inform their decisionon the specific activities to be implemented.
It is very interesting to note here that thescores collated from the recent tournament in Abuja Nigeria on 26 November
2009, show strong correlation between
the mean scores by the IIEPR and that of
the general members and stakeholders.
The hall mark of this Participatory Proposal Evaluation System (PPES) is the core
principles of Transparency, Objectivity andResponsibility which the ATPS Secretariat

has adopted as the guiding principles ofengagement in all activities. The Network
membership is proactively engaged at
all stages of decision making to ensure
ownership of the process and the products of the ATPS activities. This is also
necessary to ensure effective implementation and policy relevance of our activities.
All ATPS thematic research programmes
focus on facilitating innovation capacity
development at individual and institutional
levels. Each research programme is therefore expected to include the “make” or“design” perspective, i.e. translation of theresearch outputs into “institutional” and/or“social engineering” designs, and/or costeffective “technical designs/technologies”
that are necessary to the specific development and/or policy gaps addressed.
To enhance the process, each researchteam is expected to proactively engagetrans-disciplinary science experts; relevant policy makers and practitioners at allstages of the project cycle: from conception
to implementation and dissemination of
results. The scientific quality; added value
and innovation content; and societal andpolicy relevance of activities are regardedof equal importance in all ATPS activities.

PROGRAMME OBJECTIVES
Identify and document effective indigenous and emerging technologies and innovations for climatechange adaptation in Africa
Build the capacities of African Young Professionals and Women to adapt to climate change inimpacts in their communities, localities and countries
Enhance behavioural changes towards climate change adaptation measures at individual and institutional levels
Mainstream the concept of innovation in African agriculture through targeted training and fielddemonstrations in selected countries
Identify and document indigenous and emerging innovations and good practices for improving foodsecurity in the face of climate change in Africa and elsewhere

Agricultural Innovations for
Climate Change Adaptation andFood Security in Africa

Develop a system based integrated innovation systems framework for improving agricultural productivity in Africa taking into consideration climate change and global financial crisis
Build the capacities of African Young Professionals, Women and Policy makers on agricultural innovation systems through an integrated capacity building training programmes including hands-on
case studies, farm placements and country tours to show case and learn from good practices elsewhere
Enhance individual and institutional behavioural changes towards sustainable farming and otheragri-businesses innovations in Africa.
Support the implementation of the NEPAD CAADEP program through popularisation and policy
advocacy
Conduct a critical appraisal of existing types of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions
and cases of Access and Benefit Sharing in the case study country

Traditional Knowledge Systems& Increasing Access to benefit
Sharing of Intellectual property
in Africa

Conduct in-depth case studies on identified types of traditional knowledge in the case study country,
e.g. traditional medicine; farmer developed and owned seeds for agriculture, trees etc. and theirpractices, and Access and Benefit Sharing
Make practical recommendations for protection of traditional knowledge, traditional cultural expressions and Access and Benefit Sharing of genetic resources.

77

Figure 1

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A Newsletter of the African Technology Policy Studies Network

National Chapter Focus“The major challenge
facing us is how toengage science andtechnology productively
to generate the goods,
services and revenue weneed, with the use of our
local resources, talents
and skills.”
Lesotho National Science and Technology Policy, 2006-2011

T

he
ATPS-Lesotho
National
chapter is one of the 23 National Chapters that make up the
ATPS Network. The Chapter is headed by
Dr. Spirit Tlali from the National University of Lesotho. The country team works
with relevant Ministries, Knowledge Institutions and Private Sector Actors in
Lesotho to identify and prioritize Science,
Technology and Innovation capacity building needs at the country level.
The Lesotho chapter has taken up the challenge of building a culture of science andtechnology innovation in Lesotho throughthe recently launched Youth Innovation
Challenge Programme (Y I CAN) and the

LESOTHO
SOUTH AFRICA
LeribeTeyateyaneng

MASERUMokhotlong

Thaba-Tseka
Mafeteng

Women Innovation Challenge Programme (WE
CAN). The two initiatives which
are within the ATPS Phase VI Strategic Plan, 2008-2012 ware being
implemented by the African Youth Forumon Science and Technology (AYFST)
and the African Women’s Forum on
Science Technology (AWFST) respectively.
AYFST Lesotho was launched on 28
June 2007 by “Einstein’s Mind Lesotho
women and Girls Science programme,with funding from the ATPS. This is an
Organisation that consists of undergraduates and graduates in the fields of Scienceand Technology at the National University of Lesotho who have joined hands touplift the spirit of Science and Mathematics nationally. In July, 2009, the country
was elected to the Steering Committee ofthe AYFST where it is represented by Mr.
Phakamile Xingwana.
In 2009 its members
toured different girls-only
secondary schools in theten districts to popularize
science and Mathematics
so that more girls can takeup these subjects at thetertiary level and promoteparticipation of womenand girls in science disciplines and careers suchas engineering, medicine
and technology. On 20th
August 2009 members of
the African Women’s Forum

Dr. Spirit Tlali is a Deputy Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology and also a seniorlecturer, Department of Physics and Electronics at the National University of Lesotho. He
holds a PhD in physics from the University of Cincinnati, USA.

8

Mohales
Hoek

Qacha’s Nek

SOUTH AFRICA

Quthing
0
0

30

60 km
30

on Science and Technology (AWFST) from
Lesotho met to brainstorm on strategies
to implement the Women’s Innovation
challenge programme (WE CAN). They
proposed a wide range of measures toboost women’s participation in scienceand technology including identifying
renowned women scientists as potential
mentors in Lesotho and cascading gendermainstreaming efforts from continental
to national level through unpacking andidentifying areas which are pertinent toLesotho.
“We can only begin to tackle the obstacles to women in science and technology at regional level after we have effectively domesticated strategies at national
level,” said Ms. Mamolise Falatsa fromthe Lesotho Ministry of Communication
Science and Technology. “We need tolook at Primary and Tertiary levels andsee how gender mainstreaming challenges can be overcome. For example studies
have shown that many of our text books
are designed with the male reader in mind
and therefore they are easier for men tounderstand. We need find ways of re-packaging this content to make it accessible towomen as well,” she added.
Ms. Falatsa is one of the two representatives from Lesotho in the 14 member
regional AWFST Interim Steering Committee. The other is Mrs. Deepa Pullanikkatil.
The Lesotho chapter has a rich history of

60 Mi

National Chapter Focus - ATPS Lesotho

engagement in policy
making processes in
the country. In 2003,
the chapter organizeda Science and Technology Policy Round
Table with Legislators
which brought together over 100 of the 180
members of the Lesotho parliament including 8 ministers, the deputy prime minister,leader of the opposition, president of thesenate and the speaker, leading to the initi-

ation the Lesotho National
Science and Technology
Policy in 2007. Since its
inception, the chapter has
been actively involved inmany countrywide activities research studies andpolicy advocacy initiatives. These include
a study on “Water Pollution by Industries inLesotho,” under the auspices of the ATPS
Water and Environment Programme. The
study by Mrs. Pullanikkatil, published underthe ATPS Working Paper Series in 2007
revealed that water quality levels in several
waterways were well below internationallyacceptable standards with adverse effects
on the usage patterns and livelihoods ofpoor communities living along them. The
study recommended that development
Acts such as AGOA should integrate environmental compliance as a mandatory
requirements for industries in host countries such as Lesotho. Likewise incentives
should be given to “green industries.”

Lesotho Marks Scientific Revival Day
Chapter uses event
to give feedback on
proposed structure of
the newly launched
Commission on Scienceand TechnologyOn 20th August 2009 the ATPS
Lesotho Chapter held a Workshop in Maseru, to mark Scientific Revival Day for Africa. Participants
brainstormed possible ways of strengthening the newly formed Lesotho Commission
on Science and Technology (LCST) as partof a stakeholder consultation process initiated by the Lesotho National Commission
for UNESCO.
The LCST is one of two new institutions
within Lesotho’s science and technology system. It is an overarching, highlevel Science, Technology and Innovation(STI) policy advisory body reporting to
the Minister. Its responsibilities include;
to manage the STI policy and innovation
processes, provide STI advice to government and oversee STI policy
implementation. The Commission is composed of competentscience and technology related
personalities and representatives
drawn from the private sector,
state corporations, government
ministries and other STI-relevant
Organisations.

Science and Technology better work with
policy makers, Universities and research
institutions, Private Sector actors, Civil
Society and NGOs?” The meeting brainstormed on possible structures for thecommission and how they would fit within
the broad framework of the Ministry ofCommunications, Science and Technology and the Department of Science andTechnology. One of the key tasks of theCommission will be the documentation,
protection and development of indigenous
knowledge and technologies, as well as
establishment of related databases.
The meeting also recommended the formulation of an Inter Ministerial Committee towork hand in hand with other line ministries and ensure that the proposed structure will have the necessary political buy-in.
The participants agreed that the proposed
structure should not be political. “Sciencemust be distinguished from politics anda structure which is set up to advise any
government should be in place irrespectiveof politics” said one participant. Lesotho
has a National Science and Technology

One of the key questions tackled
during the workshop include;“How can the commission on

Policy for the period 2006-2011. The policy
is a consensus view, derived from a long,open consultation process that engaged
all key stakeholders. The ATPS played an
integral role in this consultation process
as part of a group of local experts from
Organisations which included; UNESCO,UNIDO, UNECA and UNCSTD.
The Chapter was among five chapters
supported by the ATPS to organize
events to mark Scientific Revival Day
for Africa in their countries. Selection ofchapters to receive support followed acall for Expressions of Interest (EoI) andsubsequent proposals received fromthe chapters. All the recipient chapterswere encouraged to publicize the African
Manifesto for Science and Technology
from the SET-DEV project and encourage
dialogue across Africa about how scienceand technology can improve the lives ofordinary Africans.
Other chapters which hosted events tomark Scientific Revival Day for Africa
in their countries are Ghana, Nigeria,
Senegal and Uganda. Science Revival Day
for Africa takes place on the 30th of Juneeach year. The ATPS attaches great significance to scientific revival day and has used
it over the years to drum up support forscience technology and innovation policy inAfrica through various platforms. It is a day
when the Network refocuses its thinking
around STI as the engine for Africa’s socialand economic reconstruction.
Participants at the workshop organizedby ATPS Lesotho on 20th August to mark
Scientific Revival Day for Africa.

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Kenya Talks Climate Change
8-9 October, 2009 Mombasa, Kenya

MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT AND MINERAL RESOURCES

Continued from page 1

The workshop which was the first of its
kind in the country targeted MPs in recognition of the political dimension of climatechange, especially the central role of MPs
in making laws, formulating policies, and in
mobilizing their constituencies in supporting government programmes in socialand economic development. The purposeof the workshop was to leverage political support and engagement to tackle
climate change concertedly in Kenya.

Objectives:•

Appraise Members of Parliament on
climate change issues for Kenya;•

Engage Members of Parliament in
Kenya’s National Climate Change
Response Strategy (NCCRS) andother strategic initiatives for addressing
climate change in Kenya;•

Appraise and engage Members of
Parliament on Kenya’s position paper
for the 15th Conference of Parties(CoP 15) on Climate Change vis a vis
the position of other parties and theirimplications for Kenya; and•Facilitate and strengthen partnerships
with Members of Parliament to informthe process of the preparation of theclimate change policy for Kenya.

Figure 2

The workshop brought together Chair
persons and full Parliamentary Committee
members of three Committees, namely

Lands and Natural Resources, Environment,
Agriculture as well as Chairs of the other
24 Committees of the National Assembly.

Climate Change Policy
Speaking during the opening of the workshop, Hon. John Michuki, Minister for Environment and Mineral Resources (MEMR)
said, “One of the major challenges that Kenya
faces is that policies, laws and regulations
that address climate change are fragmented across several sectors and legislative
and administrative jurisdictions. They are
therefore not clearly articulated and coordinated to tackle climate change issues.”
He however said that the Ministry of Environment and Mineral Resources is working
towards developing a comprehensive
climate change policy, as well as budgetary contributions to a National Climate
Change resource investment framework.
He said that the key areas for intervention
in the climate change initiative include:• Identifying and assessing
potential climate change impacts,
especially the consequences on
the poor and their livelihoods• Supporting grassrootscommunities and the youth torespond to climate change• Developing appropriate institutional
and technical responses.
• Promoting existing best practice
to contribute to combatingclimate change whilst sustaining
development and enhancing theuse of equitable and sustainable
10

future mitigation opportunities.
• Mobilizing resources both locallyand internationally to tackle
the challenges of climate
In his speech, Mr. Achim Steiner - United
Nations Under Secretary-General and Executive Director of UNEP noted that MPs morethan any other group in the country havebeen entrusted with the responsibility ofthinking not only in terms of today’s generation but also the future. He observed that
if not in Parliament, there is nowhere else
to effectively articulate this responsibility.
He reiterated UNEPs support for the Kenya
Government’s environmental programmes,
and indicated that political goodwill wasnecessary for UNEP to be effectively
involved in the country’s programmes.

Mau Forest
The workshop was held amidst ongoingdebate in Kenya over the settlement ofpeople in the Mau Forest and other key
water catchments in the country. The
Minister for Forestry and Wildlife Hon.
Dr. Noah Wekesa who was present at themeeting underscored the need to expel
illegal loggers from the Mau forest. He
however acknowledged that the problem

Above, From Left; 1. Hon. Kenneth
Marende, Speaker of the Kenya National
Assembly, 2.Hon. John Michuki, EGH.
Minister for Environment and Mineral
Resources (MEMR), 3. Mr Achim Steiner,
United Nations Under Secretary Generaland Executive Director of UNEP

Kenya Talks Climate Change

is exacerbated by a complex mix of political, legal, economic, cultural, social andenvironmental entanglements. Speaking
during the closing ceremony, the speakerof the National Assembly, Hon. Kenneth
Marende said “As Kenyans, we cannot
afford to hesitate on issues of climatechange and environment. We must be
decisive in what we want to do to preserve
our water towers in Mau, Tana, and theremaining three and then ‘act’ not ‘talk’because we have talked for too long.”
The Speaker lauded the role of IDRC,
UNEP, the Ministry of Environment andMineral Resources and the ATPS in providing the necessary resources leading to
the success of the workshop. He also
thanked the Government of Denmark forits support for the ongoing development“Kenyans cannot afford
to hesitate on issues ofclimate change. We must
be decisive in preserving
and conserving our water
towers ...and then ‘act’
not ‘talk’ because wehave talked for too long”
Hon. Kenneth Marende,
Speaker of Kenya’s National Assembly
during the sensitization workshop
co-organised by the ATPS

A section of delegates during the parliamentarians sensitization workshop in Mombasa, Kenya

of a National Climate Change Response
Strategy. Hon. Marende said that he hoped
the workshop will contribute significantly towards the formulation of the National
Climate Change Response Strategy andin turn, to the formulation of the National
Climate Change Policy and Legislation.
Participants also took part in a guided
field excursion to a mangove forest in
Mwache Creek 30 Km west of Mombasa
to see the effects of climate change.
The workshop ultimately culminated in thedevelopment and preliminary adoption of
a communiqué by the Members of Parliament. The communiqué clearly states theway forward towards the realization of a
response strategy on climate change for
Kenya. The participants in the workshop

concluded that every Kenyan should be
involved in the climate change business right from the different tiers of government,
non-governmental Organisations, the civilsociety, private Organisations, to farmers,
pastoralists, fishermen and foresters.
The proceedings report from this workshop with contributions toward the CoP
15 process and a climate change policy
for Kenya by the Members of Parliament is currently in press. The report
also documents the established partnerships among the Parliamentary
Committees for local, national, regional and global actions to address climatechange in Kenya. Details on the workshop can be found at http://www.atpsnet.
org/about/news/2009/ccs-kenya.html.

Institutional partners
involved in organizing
the workshop:

In other News:
ATPS Wins Rockefeller Grant

GlobalThe ATPS has been awarded a $242,000
grant by the Rockefeller Foundation foruse by its Climate Sense Programme insupport of a project to promote climatechange adaptation research, innovation,and technology adoption. The project
aims to make climate change science
more comprehensible to policy makers,
scientists, and the private sector.

Further to its central role in establishing
the Africa Adaptation Network and as partof its CSP programme, the ATPS Executive
Director on 15 December attended a highlevel meeting of Co-Chairs of the Global
Adaptation Network hosted during the
CoP15 Conference. The meeting deliberated on the challenge of adaptation andinstitutional structures necessary for effective adaptation.

Adaptation

11
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Network

ATPS Annual General Meeting
The 2009 AGM was held on 26 November in Abuja bringing together ATPS
members to discuss strategies to improve
the Network and achieve the objectives set
out in the Phase VI Strategic Plan. Participants welcomed the re-introduction of thecompetitive small grants initiative which isan opportunity for researchers to conductvarious types of STI-related research andmake policy recommendations.

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ATPS Pictorial“The river hasgone dry! The
great river spirits
now reside inplastic watertanks...”

Youths perform a drama piece about climate change by written
at the ATPS Annual Conference in Abuja on 25 November.
From left: Dr Kevin Urama (ATPS Executive Director), Hon. John Michuki(Minister for Environment and Mineral Resources), Dr.Achim Steiner (UNEP
Executive Director) and Hon. Kiema Kilonzo (Member of Parliament for
Mutito Constituency) during the Parliamentarian’s Sensitization Workshop
on Climate Change co-organized by the ATPS on 8-9 October

Keynote speakers during the ATPS Annual Conference. From right:
Prof. Julius Okojie (Executive Secretary NUC), Prof. A.P. Onwualu (DG
RMRDC, Nigeria), Prof. Turner T. Isoun (former Minister for Scienceand Technology, Nigeria and ATPS Board Member), Dr. Mahama
Ouedraogo (AU Nigeria) and Prof. Norah Olembo (former ATPS Chair).

Delegates at the conference on “Building a National System of Innovationin Nigeria,” co-organised by ATPS, the Federal Ministry of Science andTechnology (FMST) and Raw Materials Research and Development Council(RMRDC) held on 6 - 7 July in Abuja. 3rd from left; Official from the Federal
Ministry of Education, 4th from left; Engr. (Prof.) A.P. Onwualu (Director
General RMRDC, Nigeria), 6th from left (centre); Dr. Alhassan Bako Zaku,
Hon. Minister Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, 3rd from right;
Prof. Osita Ogbu (MD African Development Solutions International, former
ATPS ED and former Economic Advisor to the President), 4th from right;
Dr. Kevin C. Urama, (Executive Director ATPS), 5th from right; Prof. Banji
Oyelaran-Oyeyinka, ATPS Board Member and Director, Monitoring andResearch Division (UN-HABITAT)
A cross-section of participants at the ATPS Annual Conference held on
24 - 28 November in Abuja

ATPS Secretariat
Staff at the staff
team building event
in Naivasha held on
December 18, 2009.
The outdoor meeting
helped renew theteam spirit and instill
the ATPS Core values
among staff.

ATPS Executive
Director meetswith the Minister
for Science andTechnology, Nigeria- Dr. Alhassan Bako
Zaku during a policy
makers workshop coorganized by ATPS

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li
High

ghts

ATPS Pictorial/ Highlights:

Clockwise from right: Dr. Kevin Urama (ATPS Executive Director),
Dr. Alaba Omuyiwa (ATPS Senior Research Officer), Ms. Wairimu
Mwangi (ATPS Research Officer), Ms Bitrina D. Diyamett (ATPS
Tanzania National Chapter Coordinator), Prof. Francis B. Mwaura(Steering Committee, ATPS Kenya Chapter), Prof. Musa Dube
(ATPS Swaziland National Chapter Coordinator), Prof. Henry MlozaBanda (ATPS Malawi), Mr. John Okuonzi (ATPS Uganda Chapter
Coordinator), Prof. Joseph Obua (outgoing ATPS Uganda Chapter
Coordinator), Dr. Spirit Tlali (ATPS Lesotho Chapter Coordinator)and Mr. Joseph Wekundah (Executive Director BTA).

Above: Dr. Kevin Urama, The ATPS Executive Director (Right) shakes
hands with Patrick Wajero, The Director in charge of Programmes at
British Council (Kenya) at the signing of the MOU.

On 28 September, the ATPS and British council (Kenya) signed an
MOU which will provide a framework for long-term collaboration incapacity building and outreach for improved environmental and natural
resource management, sustainable utilization of natural resources andother environmental awareness initiatives for the socioeconomic development of Kenya.

ATPS convened a meeting of all the National Chapter Coordinators from the selected IP programme implementing countries on
28 September 2009, at the ATPS Secretariat offices in Nairobi.
The overall objective of the meeting was to brief them on the deliverables under the programme. The National Coordinators signed
institutional support grant contracts at this meeting and received
a 3G enabled computer and printer for use in the project.

Members of the
Global Adaptation
Network (GAN Africa) during an“Africa Adaptation
Network Planning
Write-shop” at
the ATPS Board
room. Clockwisefrom Right:
Dr. Kevin Urama (Executive Director, ATPS), Mr. Jian Liu (Chief ofClimate Change Adaptation Unit, UNEP), Dr. Sheila Ochugboju (SeniorCommunications Officer, ATPS), Ms Emily Massawa (Programme
Officer, UNEP) and Dr. Musonda Mumba (Project Officer, UNEP). The
meeting reviewed progress and agreed on concrete deliverables for the
network and a timeline.

Left: ATPS, UNEP and Partners hold talks with President of the National Natural
Science Foundation of China (NSFC)

On 9 August, the President of the National Science Foundation of China, Yiyu
Chen, held crucial talks with the management of the ATPS, UNEP and key partners
under the umbrella of the African Academy of Sciences at the UNEP Headquarters in Nairobi, Kenya. A high-level delegation from the National Natural Science
Foundation of China (NSFC) accompanied the president. They included the DGl(Bureau of International Cooperation), Prof Jianghuo Han, Deputy Division Director(Bureau of International Cooperation), Dr. Zhang Yongtao, Deputy Director General(Department of Life Sciences) Prof Feng Feng, and Prof Yupeng Yao (Departmentof Earth Sciences). The meeting was hosted by Jian Liu, Chief, Climate Change
Adaptation Unit of UNEP. Dr. Kevin Urama, Dr. Sheila Ochugboju and Mr Marsden
Momanyi represented the ATPS at the meeting. The meeting discussed possible
avenues of collaboration between key African and the Chinese scientists.

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University Business Research and Innovation in Africa (UNIBRAIN)
Linking University
Education, Researchand Business in
Sustainable Agriculture.
By Editorial Team,T

he ATPS in consortium with theForum for Agricultural Researchin Africa (FARA), African Network
for Agro-forestry Education (ANAFE) andPan African Agri-Business Consortium(PANAAC) has developed a programme on“Linking University Education, Researchand Business in Sustainable Agriculture.

development in sustainable agriculture
and agribusiness. UniBRAIN will address
this by stepping away from the mainstream to bring African Universities into
agricultural innovation through increased
and strengthened collaboration between
universities, research institutions andthe private sector, improved teaching

and learning and knowledge sharing.
The proposal which was submitted to
DANIDA in September 2009 has received
positive feedback. A contract has beensigned by FARA on the behalf of theteam, and implementation of the inception
phase will commence in January 2010.
Top Left; ATPS Hosts adelegation from Denmark- Prof. Henrik Hansen andMartin Magelund Rasmussen(Institute of Food and Resource
Economics, University of
Copenhagen), to discuss the
new programme on “Linking
university education, researchand business in sustainableagriculture.” Dr. Kevin Urama(Executive Director ATPS)
chaired the meeting. Left: Dr.
Ralph von Kauffman (FARA).

The US$20,000,000 project is led by
FARA with ANAFE, ATPS, and PANAAC aspartners. The programme is one amongst
many initiatives that are seeking ways topromote agricultural innovation in Africa. It
aims to promote innovation and produce
graduates with entrepreneurial and business skills and research-based knowledge that is relevant to the developmentof African agriculture and agribusiness.

Below, Left: Project partners
during an inception phaseplanning meeting at the ATPS
Offices on October 13.

The programme addresses one of thecore initiative identified in the African
Commission Report in 2008. The initiative is specific about “Linking university
education, research and private sector

Below: Dr. Kevin UramaATPS Executive Director with
EU and Asian Partners at a
Nanotechnology Stakeholders
Meeting in Hyderabad India

Nanotechnologies for Development in India,
Kenya and the Netherlands:T

he ATPS and its partners have been awarded
a grant for a new Integrated Programme (IP) on“Nanotechnologies for Development in India,
Kenya and the Netherlands: Towards a Framework for
Democratic Governance of Risks in Developing Countries,
January 2010 – 2014, in liaison with partners in Europe andIndia. The programme which is led by Prof. Wiebe Bijkerof the University of Maastricht, the Netherlands addresses
the inevitable risks and benefits associated with emerging
technologies, such as nanotechnology through a triangulation of PhD and Post-Doctoral positions drawn from Africa(2), India (1) and the Netherlands (2) based at the University of Maastricht but address core areas of the nanotechnology governance in Africa, India and the Netherlands. The

programme will be coordinated by Prof. Wiebe Bijker, theUniversity of Maastricht, The Netherlands; with the Universityof Hyderabad, India; the ATPS and the University of Nairobi,
Kenya as partners. The selection of PhD studentships andPost-Doctoral positions were carried out by the Universityof Maastricht following its own procedures and processes.

14

Upcoming Programmes: Enhancing Policy-Maker Capacity to Use Evidence

Enhancing policy-maker capacity to use evidence“How can training help
policy-makers makebetter use of evidence?
How can evidence slot
into the messy andpoliticized world ofpolicy-making?”

A

TPS was awarded an inception
phase grantby the Alliancefor Health Policy and Systems
Research World Health Organisation(AHPSR) through the Welcome Trust (UK)to develop a proposal for a programme
aimed at developing innovative strategies
to enhance capacity to apply research
evidence in policy making. If successful,the programme will be carried out in collaboration with the UK Parliamentary Officefor Science and Technology (UKPOST)
and International Network for the Availability of Scientific Publications (INSAP).
The ATPS participated in an inception
workshop with participants from the
Welcome trust and the nine successful
teams which are vying to qualify for the
programme funding. The workshop heldon 14-16 September in Nairobi served

as a useful learning forum
where similar initiatives inother parts of the world
were discussed and participants shared ideas aboutsomechallenges
andopportunities for enhancing policy-maker capacity.
How can training help policy-makers make betteruse of evidence? How canevidence slot into the messy
and politicized world of policy-making?
How best to go about evaluating theeffects of capacity development initiatives
on policy-makers’ use of evidence? These
were just some of the questions that participants grappled with during the workshop.
The proposal by the ATPS focuses on
health systems research and policy andtargets parliamentarians and parliamentary
staff in three regions; West Africa, Southern Africa and East Africa. In 2008, ATPSin collaboration with UK-POST and SCIDEVNet organized a workshop on communicating science to parliamentarians forparliamentary staff. The workshop which
was held in Kampala Uganda recognizedthat Members of parliament are increasingly required to address the science, technol-

Participants during the September 14
workshop in Nairobi, Kenya

ogy and innovation aspects of important
policy issues thus the need to communicate research results in forms that areaccessible or relevant to the different
constituencies that the Parliamentarians
seek to serve including the Government
The Network’s already established relationship with the policy makers andits strong regional presence makes it
an ideal implementation partner in thecoordination of activities across thethree countries. A proposal development meeting as articulated in the work
plan that ATPS prepared took place on
23 September in Kampala, Uganda.

European Partners Contribute to Development of Case Studies
Science, Ethics and Technological Responsibility in Developing andEmerging Countries - SETDEVI
Mr. Lucio

PisacaneDr. Ragna Zeissn October 2009, Dr. Ragna Zeiss and Mr.
Lucio Pisacane together with the ATPS
Research Officer Ms. Wairimu Mwangi,
carried out field visits to develop case studies
which analyze best practices, challenges
and constraints faced by Kenyan Scienceand Technology Research Institutions.

these participatory studies will go towards
developing a handbook containing operational standards and protocols to improve thecapacity of Kenyan research institutions, civilsociety Organisations, business associations
and public administration in the socializationof Science, Technology and Research.

The aim of these case studies is to inform theAfrican Manifesto for Science and Technology being developed under the programme.
The team administered surveys and carriedout in-depth interviews with researchers,
heads of research bodies and public administrators from the National Council on Scienceand Technology (NCST), Insect Physiology
and Ecology (ICIPE) and Egerton University in Kenya. The information collected from

Dr. Ragna Zeiss is assistant professor in
Science and Technology Studies at the
University of Maastricht and Mr. Lucio Pisacane works with Consiglio Nazionale delle
Ricerche (CNR-IRPPS). The two Organisations form part of the European consortium
partners working on the SET-DEV Project.
CNR is a Italian public Organisation with theaim of supporting scientific and technological research. Its headquarters are in Rome.

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ATPS Publication Series
Shaping the Future of
Science, Technology andInnovation in Africa

ATPS Annual Report 2008
Science, Technology and Innovations
for African Development.
Edited by Dr. Kevin Urama and Mr.
Marsden Momanyi. 2008 marked the
beginning of implementation of the ATPS
Phase VI Strategic Plan 2008 - 2012.
Read about how the ATPS continued tomake positive changes in communities
through building Science, Technology
and Innovation (STI) capacity.

Report on the Fourth African Youth
Forum on Science and Technology(AYFST) Steering Committee Meetingand Launch of the Youth Innovation
Challenge Programme (Y I CAN), July
13-16, 2009 - Mombasa, Kenya.
Edited by Dr. Kevin C. Urama and Mr.
Marsden Momanyi. Read about the newflagship (Y I CAN) Programme of the
AYFST. The report gives a summaryof the steps taken to consolidate the
AYFST leadership through the electionof a new Steering Committee.

Higher Educationfor Sustainable
Development in Africa
ATPS Special Paper Series 2009,
By Dr. Kevin C. Urama. The paper
explores the role of higher educationin sustainable development in Africa. It
argues that higher education can only
contribute to sustainable developmentin Africa if and only if it contributes effectively to meeting the social, economic
and biophysical needs of the present
and future generations of Africans.

Shaping the Future for
Women in Science Technology
and Innovation in Africa.
Ochugboju S., (Editor) (2009), AWFST
Report of the First African Women’s
Forum on Science and Technology(AWFST) Interim Steering Committee
Meeting and Launch of the Women
Innovation Challenge Programme (WE
CAN)

Kenya Talks Climate Change
Proceedings of the Parliamentary
Sensitization Workshop on Climate
Change 8-9 October, 2009 Mombasa,
Kenya

Agricultural Innovations for
Sustainable Development Volume1, Issue 1 and 2

Edited by Dr. Kevin Urama, Dr. Nicholas Ozor, Dr. Dan Olago, Prof. George
Khroda,Prof. Anne Amadi, Prof.
Francis Mutua; The report highlights
key outcomes of the workshop which
engaged members of Parliament in
Kenya’s National Climate Change
Response Strategy (NCCRS) and otherstrategic initiatives for addressing climatechange in Kenya.

Edited by Urama K., Francis J. et al.
As part of its contributions towards
building stronger institutions throughscience, technology and innovation
policy research for sustainable development across African Continent, the
ATPS and her partners, CTA, AGRA,
FARA, NEPAD, and RUFORUM, organized the maiden Competition for
Young Professionals and Women in Agricultural Science & Technology in 2008.

Repenser Politique
Economique Africaine

This initiative led to the production of
the maiden issues of the book series,
Agricultural Innovations for Sustainable
Development 1(1&2) based on contributions of the finalists of both competitions.

Kouafio A., Mamadou G., et al, (2009),
Rethinking African Economic Policy,
Growth and Development Paradigms (inEnglish and French).

16

ATPS Secretariat Staff Highlights

ATPS Secretariat Staff Highlights:

Dr. Olumuyiwa Al

Dr. Nicholas ozoabar

Senior Research Officer: Dr. Alaba is an Economist with a Ph.D in Economics from the Universityof Ibadan and over ten years of experience in research, teaching and policy advisory services in various
aspects of Economics, including trade, poverty, energy and environment. Prior to his appointment, heworked as a Senior Lecturer at Lead City University, Ibadan, Nigeria and also as a Senior Fellow, Trade
Policy Research and Training Programme (TPRTP), University of Ibadan, Nigeria. In the last one decade hehas actively participated in policy focused research and consultancy services in the areas of trade policy
and trade negotiations, trade facilitation, infrastructure, poverty and labour market issues with various
leading institutions around the world and therefore his experience and skills will be of much value to the
ATPS in the implementation of the ATPS program on Intellectual Property.
Research Officer - Post Doc: Dr Nicholas Ozor holds a PhD in Agriculture from the University of Reading,England, United Kingdom and University of Nigeria, Nsukka-Enugu State, Nigeria. Prior to his appointment,
Dr. Ozor worked as a lecturer inthe Department of Agricultural
ATPS Internship Programme:
Extension, University of Nigeria,
Nsukka, Enugu State, Nigeria.
Mr. Arnold Onyango
He has led and participated in
Arnold joined ATPS on 21 September
many national and internationallyas a Communications Intern. He issponsored research studies
currently pursuing a Masters Degree inwhich border on natural resource
Media and Communication Managemanagement, innovation studies,
ment with Washington University
climate change, development- Distance Learning)issues, policy issues, technology
management and transfer,
Mr. Steve Otieno
advocacy, and private sector
involvements.
Steve joined ATPS on 26 October as

Staff News:Best Thesis Award: Dr. Nicholas Ozor, ATPS Research Officer (PostDoc.) has won the National Universities Commission’s (NUC) most prestigious award for academic excellence in Nigeria under the Nigerian
Universities’ Doctoral Theses Award Scheme (NUDTAS). The AwardNUDTAS Best Thesis in Agriculture 2006, means that his PhD Thesis
won first prize in the field of Agriculture among the 193 Universities in
Nigeria. This award will be conferred on him during a national ceremonyin March 2010. We join the entire ATPS family in congratulating him on
this achievement.

an Accounts Intern. Steve recently
graduated with a Bachelors Degreein Commerce Finance option from
Kabarak University - Kenya.

Ms. Debbie Wanyama
Debbie Wanyama joined ATPS between
15 June and 16 September as a New
Media Intern. She holds Bachelors
Degree in Phsycology from Daystar
University.

Ms. Febechi Okaro
Febechi joined ATPS on 13 July toassist with post workshop documentation and reports, data collection andresearch. She has completed her
A-level studies at Peponi High School.

Ms. Oluchi Okonnkwo
Oluchi joined ATPS on 13 July to assist
with workshop planning and reporting,records management, data collection
and research. She has completed her
A-level studies at Peponi High School.

ATPS Secretariat staff with their family members during the staff
Team Building in Naivasha, Kenya on December 18, 2009

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Board of Directors

Responsible STI Policy Advisory Council

Prof. Sam M. Wangwe (Chair)Prof. Aggrey AmbaliProf. Norah K. Olembo

Dr. Musa A. Dube

Chairman, Daima Associates Limited
Daima House, Makumbusho Street,
Kijitonyama
P.O. Box 75027 Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania
Tel: +255-22-277 1954
Fax: +255-22-277 1949
Cell: +255-754-325 487
Email: swangwe@daima.co.tz
or swangwe@yahoo.com

Acting Director & Advisor
NEPAD Office of
Science and Technology
Tel:(+27) 12 841-3653
Fax:(+27) 12 841-4414
Email: aggrey@nepadst.org

Executive Director,
African Biotechnology
Stakeholders Forum
P. O. Box 66069
Nairobi 00800
Kenya
Tel: + 254-20-444 4558
E-mail: absf@absfafrica.org
or noraholembo@yahoo.com(ATPS National Chapters – Southern
Africa Representative)
ATPS-Swaziland National Coordinator
Senior Lecturer & ATPS National
Coordinator
Faculty of Agriculture, University ofSwaziland
Tel : +268 527 40 21
E-mail: madube@agric.uniswa.sz

Coordinator
African Science, Technology& Innovation Indicators(ASTII) Initiative
NEPAD Office of
Science & Technology
Tel. +27 (12) 841 4347
Mobile: +27 (83) 258 6104
Fax: +27 (12) 841 4414
E-mail: pkmawoko@nepadst.org
Website: http://www.nepadst.org

Prof. HODGE, Ian David,

Ms. Bitrina D. Diyamett

Professor of Rural Economy,
Department of Land Economy,
University of Cambridge
19 Silver Street,
Cambridge CB3 9EP
Tel: +44 1223 337134;
Fax: +44 1223 337132
E-mail: idh3@cam.ac.uk(ATPS National Chapters – Eastern
Africa Representative)
ATPS-Tanzania National Coordinator
Senior Scientific Officer
Tanzania Council for Science andTechnology (COSTECH)
Dar es Salaam , Tanzania
Tel : +255 222 700745/752
E-mail: bitrind@yahoo.com

Prof. Wiebe E. Bijker

Dean, Faculty of Pure andApplied Sciences, Mona Campus,
The University of the West Indies
Kingston 7, Jamaica
E-mail: ishenkumba.kahwa@gmail.com

Prof. Turner T. Isoun (Member)
Former Honourable Minister
Federal Ministry of Science and Technology
New Federal Secretariat
Shehu Shagari Way,
PMB 331 Abuja
Nigeria
Tel: +234-9-523 3397
Fax: +234-9-523 4390
E-mail: isoun@aol.com

Prof. Oliver Saasa (Member)Managing Consultant
Premier Consult
P.O. Box 38163
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: +260-1-290056
Telefax: +260-1-290581
E-mail: oliver-saasa@coppernet.zm or
premier-consult@coppernet.zm

Mayor Noël Akossi Bendjo(Member)
Mayor and Vice Governor
Abidjan District
B.P. V 261 Abidjan
Cote d’Ivoire
Tel: +225 20 254902
Fax: +225 20 333039
Cell: + 225 05 59 59 51 / 08086969
Email: Bendjo51@yahoo.com

Prof. Sir Brian Heap (Member)
Vice-President
European Academies Science
Advisory Council
The Royal Society of London SW1Y 5AG
And Honorary Fellow
St Edmund’s College
Cambridge CB3 0BN, UK
Tel: +44 1223 248509
Email: rbh22@cam.ac.uk

Prof. Banji OyeleranOyeyinka(Member)
Director, Monitoring & Research Division
UN-HABITAT, UN, Gigiri
P.O. Box 30030-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: 254-020-7623041
Fax:254-020-7624736
Email: oyebanji.oyeyinka@unhabitat.org

Dr. Kevin Urama (Ex-Officio)
Executive Director
African Technology Policy Studies Network
3rd Floor, The Chancery, Valley Road
P.O. Box 10081-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-20-271 4098/168/498
Fax: +254-20-271 4028
Email: kurama@atpsnet.org

Dr. Philippe Kuhutama
Mawoko (PhD)

Prof. Ishenkumba Kahwa

Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences,
Maastricht University
PO Box 616 , NL-6200 MD Maastricht
The Netherlands
Tel: +31-43-388 3321
E-mail: W.Bijker@TSS.unimaas.nl
Website: http://www.fdcw.unimaas.nl/
staff/bijker

Prof. Norman Clark
The Open University,
Milton Keynes
MK7 6AA,
United Kingdom
E-mail: n.clark@open.ac.uk or
norman18542@yahoo.co.uk

Prof. Lynn K. Mytelka
Professorial Fellow
UNU-MERIT
35, rue Lhomond
75005 Paris, France
CODE de LA PORTE: 357B
Tel : +33 1 47 07 37 90
E-mail: Lmytelka@gmail.com

Prof. Michael C. Madukwe(ATPS National Chapters – Western
Africa Representative)
ATPS-Nigeria National Coordinator
Professor, Department of Agricultural
Extension
University of Nigeria
Nsukka, Enugu State
Nigeria
Tel : +234 42 771019
E-mail: madukwe@hotmail.com or
madukwemichael@yahoo.com

Dr. George O. Essegbey

Prof. E.R Orskov
IFRU
Macaulay Institute
Craigiebuckler, Aberdeen AB15 8QH
Tel : +44 1224 395286 (Direct),+44 1224 395000 (Main);
Fax :+ 44 1224 395035
E-mail: b.orskov@macaulay.ac.uk
boboskov@hotmail.com
Website: http://www.orskovfoundation.org/

Prof. Andy Hall
Researcher
United Nations University – MERIT
Maastricht ,The Netherlands
E-mail: hall@merit.unu.edu or
andyhallmails@yahoo.com

Director, STEPRI-C.S.I.R.
P.O. Box CT 519
Accra , Ghana
Tel : +233-21-779401/773856
E-mail: george_essegbey@yahoo.co.uk

Prof. Francis Mutua
National Project Coordinator
Applied Training Project
Nile Basin Initiative
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 208 0371
E-mail: fmutua@nilebasin.org or
fmmutua@gmail.com

Dr. Kevin UramaProf. Peter H. May
PresidentInternational Society of Ecological
Economics (ISEE)
Chair, Department of Development,
Agriculture and Society
Federal Rural University of
Rio de Janeiro
BrazilTel: +55 21 2551 1320
E-mail: peter@rebraf.org.br

18(ATPS Secretariat Representative)
Executive Director
African Technology Policy
Studies Network (ATPS)
P.O. Box 10081-00100
Nairobi , Kenya
Tel: +254 20 2714028
Fax: + 254 20 2714028
E-mail: kurama@atpnet.org

National Coordinators
Benin
Dr. Roch L. MONGBO
Senior Lecturer & Researcher
FIDESPRA/Univ. of Abomey Calava
and CEBEDES – XU dodo
02 BP 778
Cotonou, Benin
Tel: +229-21304139
Cell : +229 95 96 64 46
E-mail: rmongbo@intnet.bj or
Rochl_mongbo@yahoo.com

Botswana
Dr. John MOTHIBI
Lecturer, Faculty of Engineering & Technology
University of Botswana
P/Bag 0061
Gaborone, Botswana
Tel: +267 3554348
Fax:+267 3952309
E-mail: mothibij@mopipi.ub.bw

Burkina Faso
Dr. Benoit KABORE
Université de Ouagadougou
01 BP 4487
Ouagadougou 01
Burkina Faso
Tel: 226 812008/380715
E-mail: benkabor2003@yahoo.fr

CameroonDr. Sylvester NDESO ATANGA
Lecturer, Epidemology &Public HealthFaculty of Health Sciences
University of Buea
P.O. Box 63
South West Province
Republic of Cameroon
Tel: + 237-75816047
Cell: +237-99841433
E-mail: ndesoatpscamnet@rocketmail.com

Côte d’Ivoire
Dr. Arsène KOUADIO,
Associate Professor, University of
Abidjan-Cocody ; Researcher, CIRES
Director, Laboratoire de croissance Economique
Executive Director, Institut pourle Développement (IPD),
Coordinator, ATPS Côte d’Ivoire,
Coordinator, RIA Côte d’Ivoire,
Fellow Researcher, AERC,
Poverty Economic Policy (PEP),
Cocody, Boulelevard Latrille
08 B.P. 1295 Abidjan 08,
Côte d’Ivoire
Tel : +225 22 44 60 99
Fax: +225 22 48 82 84
Mobile : +225 07 98 46
80 / 05 95 97 91
E-mail: arsene.k@ipd-ci.org,
arsenekk@yahoo.fr
arsenekouadio@hotmail.com

Ethiopia
Mr. Belay FEKADU(Acting Coordinator)
Asmara Road
P.Box- 170609

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Cell: +251911607060
E-mail: belaynet@yahoo.com

The Gambia
Mr. Ernest R. AUBEE
Senior Programme Operations Advisor
UNDP , UN House
5 Kofi Annan Street, Cape Point
PO Box 553
Banjul, The Gambia
Tel: +220 495071/74/89
Fax: +220 494758
E-mail: ernest.aubee@undp.org

Ghana
Dr. Fred K. AMU-MENSAH
Senior Research Scientist
CSIR Water Research Institute
P.O. Box M.32
Accra, Ghana
Tel: +233 24 779514
Fax: +233 21 77 7170
E-mail: assabil@aim.com orobeyie@hotmail.com

Kenya

Mali

South Africa

Dr. Sidiki Gabriel DEMBELE
Agrochimie/Agroforesterie et Fertilité des sols
Bureau Ouest-Africain d’Appui
Organisational et de Technologies Appropiées
B.P. E 3730, Bamako, Mali
Tél. : (223) 226 2012
Fax : (223) 226 2504
Cell : (223) 71 3806
E-mail: sidikigabriel@hotmail.com
or ousmanenia2000@yahoo.fr

Dr. Rubin PILLAY
Senior Lecturer
Department of Management
University of Western Cape
Bellville, Capetown, South Africa
Tel: + 27 21-959-3214
Fax: +27 21-391-3026
Cell: +27 82 465 2010
E-mail: rpillay@uwc.ac.za

MozambiqueEng. Lourino Alberto CHEMANE
ICT and Planning Advisor
Executive Secretariat, ICT
Policy Commission
Bairro da Coop
Rua Particular Dr.. Antonio de Almeida
61 R/C Direito, Maputo
MoçambiqueTel: +258 21 309398
Fax: +258 21 302289
Cell : +258 82 3110700
E-mail: chemane@infopol.gov.mz

Mr. Kenneth W. ADUDA(Acting Coordinator)
Projects & Resource Mobilization Manager
Kenya Industrial Research Development Institute (KIRDI)
P.O. Box 54139-00200
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254 20 609498
Fax: +254 20 556362
Cell: + 254 721 466444
E-mail: adudakwo@yahoo.com

Nigeria

LesothoProf. Femi OLOKESUSIDr. Spirit TLALI
Dean, Faculty of Science& Technology
National University of Lesotho
P.O. Roma 180
LesothoTel: +266 22 340601
Fax: +266 22 340000
Cell: +266 63884488
E-mail: sb.tlali@nul.ls

Liberia(Vacant)

MalawiDr. Julius H. MANGISONI
Senior Lecturer, Agricultural
Economics/ Natural Resourceand Environmental Econ.
University of Malawi
Bunda College of Agriculture
Rural Development Department
P.O. Box 219, Lilongwe, Malawi
Tel: +265 01277434/419/222
Fax: +265 01 277364
E-mail: mang@sdnp.org.mw
or jmangisoni@yahoo.co.uk

Prof. Michael C. MADUKWEProfessor, Department ofAgricultural Extension
University of Nigeria
Nsukka, Enugu State
Nigeria
Tel: +234 42 771019
Fax: +234 42 771500
Cell: +234 803 700 6968
E-mail: madukwe@hotmail.com or
madukwemichael@yahoo.com

Nigerian Institute for Socialand Economic Research (NISER)
P.M.B 5 UI Post Office
Oyo Road, Ojoo, Ibadan, Nigeria
Tel: +234 2 8103345/8102904
Fax: +234 2 2413121
E-mail: femioloke@yahoo.com

SenegalDr. Papa Alioune Sarr NDIAYEESP BP 15475 DAKAR Fann
SénégalTél : Bureau (221) 864 54 18
Fax : (221) 864 21 43
Domicile (221) 820 23 88
Cellulaire (221) 634 58 88
E-mail: pndiaye@ucad.sn or
papealiounen@yahoo.fr

Sierra Leone
Mr. Chris SQUIRE
Head, Dept of Mechanical Engineering
Fourah Bay College
University of Sierra Leone
Mount Auroel
PMB Freetown Sierra Leone
Tel: +232 22 227831
Fax: +232 22 227453
Cell: +232 76 610600
E-mail: chris@sierratel.sl or
Chris_b_squire@hotmail.com

19

Swaziland
Dr. Musa DUBE
Senior Lecturer
Faculty of Agriculture
University of Swaziland
Luyengo Campus
P. O. Luyengo, Swaziland
Tel: +268 527 40 21
Fax: +268 527 40 21
Cell: +268 618 15 79
E-mail: madube@agric.uniswa.sz

Tanzania
Ms. Bitrina D. DIYAMETT
Senior Scientific Officer
Tanzania Council for Scienceand Technology (COSTECH)
P.O. Box 32183
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Tel: +007 222 700745/752
Fax: +007 222 775313
Cell: +007 784 420850
E-mail: bitrind@yahoo.com

UgandaMr. John OKUONZI(Acting Coordinator)
Kyambogo University
P.O Box 1
Kyambogo – Kampala
Tel: +256 782 353034
E-mail: okuonzijohnie@yahoo.com

ZambiaMs. Charlotte M. WONANI
LecturerDevelopment Studies Dept.
University of Zambia
P.O. Box 32379
Lusaka, Zambia
Tel: +260 1 252514/292884
Fax: +260 1 253952
E-mail: cmwonani@yahoo.com

Zimbabwe
Mr. Benson ZWIZWAI
Deputy Director
Institute of Development Studies
P. O. Box 880
Harare, Zimbabwe
Tel: +263 4 333341/3
Fax: +263 4 333345
E-mail: bmzwizwai@
science.uz.ac.zw

National Coordinator’s Regional
Steering Committee (NCRSC)ATPS Secretariat

Dr. Kevin Urama, Chair

Dr. Kevin Urama

Executive Director

Executive Director
African Technology Policy Studies Network
P.O. Box 10081-00100 , Nairobi , Kenya
E-mail: kurama@atpsnet.org

Richard Murimi

Finance & Administration Manager

Dr. Sheila Ochugboju

Senior Communications Officer

Dr. Olumuyiwa		

Senior Research Officer

Maurice Bolo		

Senior Research Officer (On Study Leave)

Carol Thuku					Senior Secretary/Programme
Administrative Assistant

Dr. Nicholas Ozor

Research Officer (Post-Doc)David Kiereini		

Accounts Officer

Wairimu Mwangi

Research Officer

Marsden Momanyi

Communications and Outreach Officer

Susan Hinga		

Receptionist

Richard Muchesia

DriverMary Satsiru		

Office Assistant

Nelson Akenga		

IT AssistantDebbie Wanyama

Intern (Communications and Outreach)

Arnold Ominde		Intern (Communications and Outreach)

Steve Otieno		

Intern (Finance and Administration)

Dr. Arsène Kouadio,
National Coordinator, Côte d’Ivoire, representing the Francophone Chapters.
Contact: ATPS Côte d’Ivoire,
E-mail: arsenekk@yahoo.fr
arsenekouadio@hotmail.com

Prof. Femi Olokesusi,
National Coordinator, Nigeria,
representing the West African Chapters
Contact: ATPS Nigeria,
E-mail: femioloke@yahoo.com

Prof. Michael Madukwe
National Coordinator, Nigeria(Eastern Region),
representing the Western Africa.
Contact: ATPS Nigeria,
E-mail: madukwemichael@yahoo.com

Ms. Bitrina Diyamett
National Coordinator, Tanzania ,representing the East African Chapters
Contact: ATPS Tanzania ,E-mail: bdiyamett@costech.or.tz
bitrind@yahoo.com

Dr. Musa Dube,National Coordinator, Swaziland,
representing the Southern African Chapters
Contact: ATPS Swaziland ,E-mail: madube@agric.uniswa.sz

Dr. Sylvester Atanga
National Coordinator, Cameroon,
Anglophone – Francophone Liaison
Contact: ATPS Cameroon ,E-mail: ndemasa2001@yahoo.com

Dr. George Essegbey , ex-officio
memberFormer National Coordinator, Ghana,representing previous National Coordinators
Contact: ATPS Ghana,E-mail: george_essegbey@yahoo.co.uk

ATPS Secretariat
3rd Floor, The Chancery, Valley Rd.
P.O. Box 10081-00100
Nairobi, Kenya
Tel: +254-20 - 271 4092/271 4498
Fax: +254-20-271 4028
Website: www.atpsnet.org
E-mail: info@atpsnet.org
Skype: atpsnet