The Newsletter ofAfrican Technology Policy Studies Network

Issue No. 16
Jul. - Dec. 2004

The African Technology Policy Studies
Network (ATPS) has inaugurated a newprogramme that will enhance thegeneration, use and communication ofknowledge in driving environmentally
sustainable use of water resources inAfrica.
The ATPS Programme on Water andEnvironment responds to issues that havebeen raised during conferences andworkshops in the past two decade. Thesemeetings include the Agenda 21 (1992
Earth Summit, Rio de Janeiro), the Third
World Water Forum in Kyoto (2003) andthe World Summit on Sustainable
Development (2002). The Millenium
Development Goals (MDGs) and theAfrican Ministerial Council on Water andthe actions articulated under the New
Partnership for Africa's Development areother forums where concerns forenvironmental sustainability and the use
and management of water resources havebeen raised.
The specific objectives of the programmeare:In this
issue

ATPS takes on Research on
Water and Environment Policies
Prof Kinfe Abraham, President, EIIPD, Dr Osita Ogbu, Executive Director, ATPS and Prof Norah Olembo, ATPS Chair discussing
water and environment during ATPS Conference in Addis Ababa> To improve water management and conservation for poverty reduction> To enhance the capability of the water and sanitation governance and delivery
institutions in meeting their service delivery objectives in selected key countries> To induce attitudinal and behavioural changes with respect toand environmental management at various levels

sustainable water> To harmonize national and regional water Acts and Environmental Acts/Policies toavert potential cross-border conflict> To enhance knowledge exchange by forming an African Water and Stakeholders'
Forum (AWSF)> To generate new knowledge and build capacity for efficient management> To improve African-wide policies on Water and Environmental Management
through support to the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD)
There are many that are playing key roles in improving water access and management
but the ATPS programme will differ markedly in many ways. “Our goals may be the samebut our entry points differ,” explains Dr Osita Ogbu, “Where there are areas of overlap,
ATPS, as one among a few Pan African International non-governmental organizations

Water & Environment Issues
Chapter Activities
ATPS Collaborations
Activities and Events

Cont’d on back page

ATPS Organizes Conference on
Science, Technology, Water and Environment“Water is finite. Just 2.5% of the world's
water is fresh, rather than seawater. And
most of the fresh water that does exist is
locked in ice caps and glaciers. Of theremaining amount, some two-thirds is“lost” through evaporation. From what
is left, some 20% is in areas too remotefor human access,” bemoaned Prof
Kinfe Abraham, the President of
the Ethiopian International
Institute for Peace andDevelopment (EIIPD).

“If you combine all of thesewith climate change, biodiversity and water-catchment
degradation taking place across
Africa, it is easy to foresee how
Africa may not be in a position
to meet the millennium
development goals and poverty
reduction targets set by theWorld Summit on Sustainable
Development and elaborated
by various African
governments,” emphasized
Ogbu.

Prof Kinfe was speaking during
the official opening of the ATPS ATPS National Coordinators during the 2004 Annual Conference and Workshop
Annual Conference and Workshop running from 29 November to
He challenged Africans working with various international
3 December 2004 at the International Livestock Research
partners to take the lead in deploying new knowledge to avert
Institute (ILRI) Campus in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
catastrophic outlook pertaining to problems associated with
Objectives
The conference and workshop, organized jointly by EIIPD, ILRI
and the African Technology Policy Studies Network (ATPS)
brought together participants from at least 23 countries in Africa
and Europe to deliberate on the following objectives:>

creating a forum for science and technology policy scholars
to interact and share ideas and knowledge with policy makers
and water administrators> providing conceptual and practicalunderpinnings to understanding
water and environmental
management with respect tobehavioural change, resourceuse and conflict, and how new
knowledge can improve thesituation> getting a sense of the overall
knowledge gap in the sub-sector andhow research andtraining can be used to address these gaps
> sharing and learning how lessons from other regions of theworld can be adapted in Africa
Opening ceremonyContributing to the 'Knowledge-Water-Environment Nexus' debate,
Dr Osita Ogbu, explained that one of the banes of Africa's
developmental crisis is knowledge dependence. He informed themeeting that various estimates and studies including the World
Environment Outlook suggest that at least 10 countries in Africa
will have severe water scarcity by 2025. He also highlighted theplight of Africans living in urban and rural areas, saying that many
suffer from preventable water-borne diseases, and many still sufferfrom severe food insecurity because of dependence on rain-fed
agriculture.
2 ATPSNEWS

water and environmental management.
Prof Norah Olembo, Chair, ATPS Board, pointed out that while
strategies have been drawn, policies formulated and constraints
identified at various forums on water, more effort needs to be
put on management and coordination. “International and intersectroral approaches that recognize inter-linkages between
nations, and between such sectors as land and water, agriculture
and water, technology and water, health and water, gender andwater need to be consolidated,” she advised.
Keynote address
Dr Tewolde Berhan Egziabher, the Director
General, Environmental Protection Authority of
Ethiopia addressed Genetic Engineering,
Biodiversity and Africa, in his keynote address,
discussed why genetic engineering is so
appealing to humans, both in industrialized anddeveloping worlds. He also examined the many
reactions that genetic engineering can elicit; the likely impacts ofgenetic engineering now and in the near future; the safety ofgenetic engineering products, and unjust global governanceincluding the rule of patenting made compulsory by theAgreement on trade-Related aspects of the Intellectual Property
Rights (TRIPs) of the World Trade Organization (WTO).
He concluded that as long as genetic engineering is restricted tothe private sector of the industrialized countries, it will not be
relevant in improving food production, especially in the poor
developing countries. Tewolde is pessimistic that the poor cancoordinate their actions and become emancipated to produce
what their potential would allow them. “Then it would beappropriate to see what incremental production could be madethrough genetic engineering,” he adds.
Cont’d on back page

collaborations

The African Technology Policy Studies
Network (ATPS) in collaboration with the
African Forum on Science andTechnology for Development (AFSTD)
and the Technical Centre for Agricultural
and Rural Cooperation (CTA) hosted ameeting, Enhancing the Science andTechnology Dialogue - Innovation for
Development, from 14 to 16
September at the Hilton Hotel in
Nairobi, Kenya.
The collaborative meeting brought
together representatives of national,
regional and international institutions
and civil society who are committed
to promoting, applying and attaining
excellence in science, technology andinnovation for meeting social andeconomic goals and more
specifically, agricultural and ruraldevelopment.

The meeting aimed at updatingknowledge on related science,technology and innovation (ST&I)
initiatives, also discussed and sharedexperiences on strategies that can beconsidered for achieving developmental
goals and national, regional andinternational competitiveness, among
other objectives.

ATPS/CTA/AFSTD
co-host the African
Regional ST&I
Policy Review in
Nairobi
The meeting also sought to develop
strategies and plans to improve the ST&I
policy dialogue in Africa between Africa
and other African, Caribbean and Pacifc(ACP) regions, due to the increasing
urgency and greater focus forincorporating ST&I strategies in nationaland regional policy formulation andimplementation for achieving sustainableeconomic development.
Prominent personalities, among them Mr
Carl B. Greenidge, Director, CTA; DrJohn Mugabe, Executive Secretary, New
Partnership for Africa's Development(NEPAD) and Dr Banji Oyeyinka, SeniorResearcher, UNU/INTECH, theNetherlands, attended and presented
papers.
Among the speakers was Maurice Bolo,
Research Assistant, ATPS, presenting thefindings of his research, Agricultural
Science, Technology and Innovation
Systems (ASTI): Elements of a National
Case Study Kenya, a CTA-sponsorednational study on the floriculture industry,
conducted in collaboration with ATPS.
Giving the background of the project, Bolo
explained that CTA funded the project inrecognition of agricultural potential intransforming the economies of developing
countries from agrarian systems toindustrialized economies. These countries
have huge agricultural potential, but theyremain poorly-developed, the national
markets small and highly fragmented andthe science and technology systems poorly
linked and unable to compete effectively in
the global markets.
Bolo explained the role of horticulture, andespecially floriculture, in the national
economy. He noted that Kenya's flower
industry has been growing at an average of
200 hectares annually. It is the third largest
foreign exchange earner accounting forKshs. 28 billion and employing about
50,000 people.
He further explained that during the study,
he reviewed various government policies
affecting agriculture from 1963 during

Participants during the Workshop held at Hilton Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya
ATPSNEWS 3

independence to date and found that therole of ASTI is well recognized.
Bolo cited, among other key issues, therole of research, which is captured inmost policies. “However, there is needto develop linkages between different
agencies, such as breeder's rights,
besides the protection of intellectual
property rights,” he asserts.
Bolo concurs that Kenya has almost all
the institutions and organizations
necessary in systems of innovation;
however, he advises that the innate
capacity of the actors to forge linkages
and interactions should be accorded
supremacy.
Dr Osita Ogbu, ATPS, Executive
Director, addressing the theme of themeeting posed the question, “Why do
we have weak demand for S&T policyiinterview

INVENTORS &INVENTIONS“Good science is NOT
enough; there is need for
an innovation system,”research?” He cited forced consensus, lackof vision by the leadership; absence ofmarket for contestation of ideas; andabsence of policy entrepreneurs as
responsible for the current African policy
landscape.
He recommended promoting policy
entrepreneurs; restoring self-confidence andbuilding capacity by training policy makers,
researchers, journalists, among othermeasures as the remedy for the current
state of S&T in Africa. “Good science is
NOT enough; there is need for an
innovation system,” he added.

Delegates of the meeting noted thedismal performance of African
economies and the major role that
ST&I can play in the continent's
development. They also recognizedthat for a ST&I system to thrive, theinnovation culture must be promoted
and supported at national level.
The absence of capacity building ofgrassroots representatives to improvetheir ability to participate in theprocess and the need to improve
communication among and between
actors for successful policy making was
also discussed.
“Africa should not be looking toanyone to solve its problems but focus
on building capacity to address theissues,” was the final consensus of thedelegates.

Prof. John R. Okalebo, a researcher at Moi University, Eldoret,
has invented what the Kenyan media describe as a “solution to
the problems facing many a Kenyan farmer each year as theygrapple with either shortage or the high prices of imported
fertilizers.
The fertilizer, named PREP-PAC, is assembled locally at Moi
University. The name PREP-PAC originates from Phosphate Rock
Evaluation Project (PREP), while PAC simply means Package.
Okalebo says that Kenyan soils cannot be considered to have auniform set of characteristics, such as similar mineral contents
and it is, therefore, wrong to apply the same fertilizer and rates toall agroecozones because their effectiveness is site-specific andmost of the nitrogen containing fertilizers, such as the widelyused diammonium phosphate (DAP), contributes to soil acidity,
which is associated with poor soil heath and declining crop
yields. PREP-PAC, on the other hand, has little nitrogen content
and is, therefore, suitable for highly nutrient depleted acidic soils,
environmentally friendly and affordable.
The ATPS Newsletter interviewed Prof. Okalebo on this innovationand the discussions are presented below:
Question: How does PREP-PAC work and what motivated you to take up the challenge?

Prof John R. Okalebo
Moi University, Eldoret

4 ATPSNEWS

Answer: First, thank you ATPS/Lily for giving me this wonderful opportunity to highlight the background, theformulation and functioning of the PREP-PAC and also to clarify some media issues on
this product. Indeed, food insecurity in sub-Saharan Africa is a well-known recurringand bleak constraint to human survival and this is attributed to many factors including
frequent and prolonged droughts, unstable economies, civil strifes and above all, thelow and declining inherent fertility of soils in the region. Just to expand a little bit on
soil fertility, sub-Saharan Africa has highly weathered and acid soils that have lost
nutrients over millions of years through complex processes that are simply explained interms of erosion and downward movement (leaching). The commonly deficientnutrients are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the sub-region. The otherimportant property of these soils is that soil acidity (mentioned above) is widespread
as a result of wide variations in the characteristics of the parent rocks that form thesoils and the leaching of cations (potassium, calcium, magnesium mainly) down thesoil profile.
Soil acidity favours the release of some elements in soils, such as aluminum, iron andmanganese, in large quantities, some of which are associated with crop injuries andfixation of added phosphate fertilizer. But coming back to the question, the depletionof nitrogen and phosphorus in soils is further accelerated through the continuous
cultivation without nutrient returns to the rapidly diminishing land parcels, particularlyin the highly populated highlands in eastern Africa. With this background, efforts torestore soil fertility in Kenya are numerous and began in the 1920s. These include
the uses of imported inorganic fertilizers, on-farm manures and composts, agroforestry
practices and limited crop rotations.

phosphorus replenishment in the highly nutrient depleted acid soils, but pinpointing thesmallhold farmers, who constitute about 90% of the farming community in Kenya.
These farmers have frequent food shortages and do practice maize-legume intercroppingwith minimal to no nutrient inputs. These considerations indeed formed the entry pointof research. Above all, the economic considerations were included as these impact on
adoption. Thus research demonstrated clearly that all components of the PREP-PAC
were needed, giving a synergistic effect on increases of crop yields. On simple side-byside demonstrations, with or without PREP-PAC, maize yields were raised from theaverage farm yields of 0.5t/ha to 3-5 t/ha.
Actual statements from some farmers on field days were:
Bwibo of Bumala, Busia: “From the time Moi University came to test PREP-PAC on myfarm, I have obtained increased maize yields. On expanded farm area, I have beenable to build iron-roof houses and educate my children from increased cash from mymaize sales”
Anyanzwa of Vihiga, Kakamega: “My bean yield is 6 'gorogoros' (12kg) from PREP-PAC
fields of 25m2 size whereas I get only one 'gorogoro' (2 kg) from no PREP-PAC fields ofthe same size.”

Arising from field days and demand, about 6000 PREP-PACs were distributed in 19992001 in Western Kenya and Eastern
But of major concern is that the
Uganda, with the demand
In summary, therefore, the development of
adoption of this soil fertility
increasing. The other importantmanagement technologies has
issue towards adoption is that
PREP-PAC addressed the affordability,
been none to minimal over a longcomparisons have been madeavailability, environmental and adoption issues
period of time, in spite of positive
between the performance of PREPor improved crop yields resulting
PAC and other technologies acrossfrom the use of these materials. Farmers, particularly the smallhold farmers, argue
seven districts in Western Kenya. This is a continuing study, whereby PREP-PAC
that fertilizers are unaffordable and their prices are increasing every cropping season.
continues to give good crop yields with a positive residual effect on crop productivity.
In summary, therefore, the development of PREP-PAC addressed the affordability,
availability, environmental and adoption issues. Thus PREP-PAC is an integrated
Question: Where was the research conducted?
nutrient management package consisting of 2 kg of the readily available Minjingu(Tanzania) reactive or biogenic phosphate rock, 0.2 kg urea, 120 g of seed foodAnswer: In Western Kenya (Trans Nzoia, Mt. Elgon, Bungoma, Teso, Vihiga, Kakamega,
legume of farmer's choice (beans, soybeans, groundnut, cowpeas etc), Rhizobial
Busia, Homa Bay, Siaya districts). In Eastern Uganda (Palissa, Iganga, Tororo districts).
inoculant (Biofix) for the seed packaged with components of lime pellets and gum
The research focused smallhold farmers. Soil testing was done alongside with the onArabic sticker (from Isiolo, Kenya) to enhance the fixation of atmospheric nitrogen.
farm trials. PREP-PAC was also tested on tea in Central Kenya.
The PREP-PAC has an instruction sheet for use written in English, Kiswahili and otherlocal languages. One packet is targeted to replenish the fertility of widespread
depleted smallhold farmland patches of size 25 m2 each. Larger size PREP-PAC
packages are assembled according to the demand. The overall philosophy of the
PREP-PAC is “add phosphate from the bag but most nitrogen from the air”. Smallsize packages (2 kg) are targeted towards the hypothesis that consumers tend to buy
products packaged in small quantities, such as sugar, detergents, salt, etc. available
in shops.
Question: What was the thrust of the research?
Answer: As outlined above, the research focused on the testing of the newly
formulated and affordable PREP-PAC product for its effectiveness on nitrogen andQuestion: Who funded your research?
Answer: The Rockefeller Foundation Forum on Agricultural Resource Husbandry(FORUM) from 1997 to 2000.
Question: What is your impression of the farmers' receptivity to this new fertilizer?
Answer: Farmers have observed positive yield increases arising from the use of PREPPAC. They complain about the difficulty in accessing it as the university is still not in aposition to assemble and distribute the fertilizer on a commercial scale. They complain
about small packages of 2 kg size. They also suggest improvement of the powdery
nature of Minjingu phosphate rock through pelleting and probably blending with someInterview cont’d on page 10

ATPSNEWS 5

PICTORIAL

Prof Norah Olembo, ATPS Chair and Mr Carl B. Greenidge, Director, CTA welcome participants to the
ATPS/CTA/NEPAD workshop, Hilton Hotel, Nairobi

Participants at the 2004 Annual Conference and Workshop, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Mr Kouadion Stanislas, Cabinet Head, makes his opening remarks during the Technology Policy andIssues for Development Seminar held in Abidjan by the ATPS Cote d’Ivoire Chapter

Dr Julius Mangisoni, Malawi, contributing to discussions during the 2004 Annual Workshop andConference

Maurice Bolo, Research Assistant, ATPS, assists students to select documents during thee Science Congress held November at the University of Nairobi

Judith Francis, Senior Programme Coordinator, CTA and Peter Odoch, Uganda at the African Regional
ST&I Policy Review held at Hilton Hotel, Nairobi

Koffi K. Paul, Special Advisor, Prime Minister, Yeo Guefala, General Director, 12T and Arsene Kouadio,
National Coordinator, Cote d’ivoire attentive at the Technological Polcies and Issues for Development
Seminar in Abidjan organized by ATPS Cote d’Ivoire

Professors Olembo, Isoun, Massaquoi, Wangwe, Mytelka, Saasa and Dr Ogbu relax after a board session

CHAPTER ACTIVITIES

chapter news
ATPS Cameroon

ATPS Ethiopia

ATPS-Cameroon Chapter successfully completed its membership
recruitment exercise. Among prominent personalities that havejoined the Cameroon Chapter is Mr Peter Ngufor the CEO of
Ngufor's Agro-Industrial Complex. The chapter has also beenregistered as a legal entity and can solicit for funding fromdonors for its activities.

The Ethiopian Technology Policy Studies Association (ETPSA) was, on 30
August 2004, invited to a policy dialogue organized by the Inter-Africa
Group and the Initiative for Policy Dialogue (IPD). The three-day event
was part of IPDs country dialogue. Technology policy was at the centre of
the panel discussion conducted by Prof. Joseph Stigliz, founder of IPD.

The Cameroon Chapter from 13-15 July 2004 organized asuccessful methodology workshop in Buea. The chapter also
conducted a Medical Technology Assessment and the exercise
involved visiting, documenting and filming all medical devices
and equipment used in all hospitals and health centres.

ATPS Cote d'Ivoire
held a seminar with the theme Technology Policies and Issues forDevelopment at the Hotel Communal of Cocody in Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire. The
seminar was chaired by the Minister for Higher Education, Mr. Fofana
Zemogo.
The meeting recommended the following actions:>

The government should establish technological policy to create aframework for disseminating research findings and their application to
local situations.

>

Industrialists should form partnerships with national researchers andresearch centers and offer research grants to deserving youth inregistered centers and technical schools.

>

The youth should invest more time in organizing scientific competitions
and create scientific clubs instead of 'fan clubs' to encourage a culture ofresearch and innovation.

>

Dr Aredo also attended a workshop organized by the International Food
Policy Research Insitute (IFPRI) and the Ethiopian Economic Development
Research Institute to discuss a revised research agenda for the coming
years. At the workshop, he was given the chance of presenting a subtheme on science and technology.
ATPS Annual Conference and Workshop
ETPSA hosted the 2004 ATPS Annual Conference and Workshop whose
theme was Science and Technology, Water and Environment from 29
November to 3 December 2004. The chapter won the ATPS prize of 2004
Best Overall Chapter for the effort towards making the event a success.

Researchers should participate actively in setting up strategic plans anddocuments on science and technology while ensuring quality researchthat focus on local technologies.

>

Prof Stiglitz emphasized that Ethiopia should play a key role in promoting
innovations and that public sector investment is a necessity in the
promotion of science and technology. He added that because of the risk
and uncertainty associated with major innovations, the private sector isreluctant to bear the costs of investing in certain R&D. The national
coordinator, Dr Aredo Dejene, used this platform as a forum to discuss
ETPSA's role in promoting S&T policy in Ethiopia.

The media should cover scientific and technological events, such as

ATPS Ghana
ATPS-Ghana, held its Annual General Meeting on 28 May 2004 whose
theme was “Science Acculturation for National Development Defining
Effective Strategies”. The AGM was officially opened by the Honorable
Minister for Environment and Science, Prof. Kassim Kassanga. In his
keynote address, the Honorable Minister echoed the importance of scienceacculturation. He said that the low level of science culture in Ghana is aserious obstacle to national development and that it was vital thatstrategies are devised to acculturate the society in science and technology.
He expressed his unflinching support for ATPS and hoped that he could
continue to participate in the chapter's activities. Members took farreaching decision towards infusing dynamism into the chapter.

mathematics competition, technological debate and youth programmes
to publicize works of young inventors in the newspapers.

ATPS Lesotho>

The civil society should participate in the research programmes by
supporting local innovations and locally-produced products.

8 ATPSNEWSATPS-Lesotho Chapter was from February to June 2004 involved in acountrywide project of the Ministry of Education, Lesotho and the WorldBank on “Textbook Availability and Utilization in Lesotho Primary

CHAPTER ACTIVITIES

chapter news
Schools”. The National Coordinator, Prof Zacharia Matsela
solicited support from the Lesotho Ministry of Science andTechnology for future activities. The chapter is positive about
securing grants from the donor community in Lesotho.

ATPS Partnerships
The ATPS Executive Director continued to build partnerships withinternational and regional institutions in Africa. Among themeetings/workshops he attended are:African Society for Ecological Economics (ASEE) Steering Committee meeting,Aberdeen, UK

ATPS Uganda

In June 2004, ATPS-Uganda was formally registered with the
Uganda National NGO Board. The chapter participated in thefirst national workshop on Zero Emission Initiative (ZERI)
organized by the Uganda National Council for Science andTechnology. The chapter also participated in the AGM of theDevelopment Network of Indigenous Voluntary Associations(DENIVA) and the National Coordinator was elected to serve asa member of the Board of Directors. This gives the chapter an
opportunity to interact, network and relate with other NGOs whose activities
involve utilization of science and technology and policy advocacy. It also
serves as a challenge to the chapter as it has to demonstrate that ATPS
occupies a critical niche in science and technology policy advocacy and provethat its activities contribute to national development programmes geared to
improving human welfare.

African Strategic and Research Group (AFSTRAG) roundtable on The
Formation of a Policy Framework for Africa's Economic and Technological
Development, London, UK
Final Project Management Committee (PMC) COMESA Meeting, Lusaka,
ZambiaWorkshop on Providing Demand organized by the University of Maastricht,
Leiden, The Netherlands
These meetings are useful in sharing ATPS vision and ideas as well as the
products of its research activities.
The Executive Director was also invited to serve in the UNESCO-International
Advisory Board for the Reform of the Science and Technology System of
Nigeria. He attended the Board's First meeting held in Paris, France.

AWARDS
ethiopia

ATPS Chapter Awards(((

Best Overall Chapter
ATPS Ethiopia

Outstanding Effort
Cote d'Ivoire((

ethiopia(((coted’ivoirecotenigeria
d’ivoire
nigeria

Most Innovative Advocacy Activity
NigeriaBest Exhibition
Cote d'Ivoire

Transition
The ATPS Network is saddened by the demise of one of its
members, Ms. Lillian Muchena who passed away on 28th
December 2004. Ms. Muchena was one of the researchers who
participated in the programme - ICT Policy in Africa Governance,
Equity and Institutional Issues. She represented Zimbabwe.
She will be missed by the Zimbabwe Chapter and the ATPS
fraternity

May God Rest
Her Soul in
Peace
ATPSNEWS 9

Interview cont’d from page 5

inorganic fertilizers. These are, however, someresearchable issues calling for an overall improvement of
the PREP-PAC. Nonetheless, the fertilizer is effective andfarmers do ask for it.
Question: The area of intellectual property rights iscomplex and yet extremely important. Is PREP-PAC
patented; how do you retain ownership?
Answer: Yes, I fully agree with you that the intellectual
property rights issue is important. My university isequally concerned about this issue. However, let me
approach this question as follows: many researchers frompublic institutions have been brought up as seeing the
products they develop or invent as part of their work andproperties of their institutions. Hence they have not seen
the potential recognition or economic values of theirproducts. In other words, their work is taken for granted.
The second complication arises from teamwork
inventions. For example, in Kenya, both KEMRI andOxford University and possibly others are working
towards the development of the HIV/Aids vaccine. Often
there are arguments about the intellectual property
rights, should they succeed. In the case of PREP-PAC, I
recognize the contributions of Prof. Nancy Karanja, a
Microbiologist at the University of Nairobi, who supplied
all the Rhizobial inoculants (Biofix) and the technicalinput of Dr. Paul L. Woomer of SACRED Africa NGO,
Nairobi Office, particularly studying the economical based
issues related to the use of PREP-PAC. Nevertheless,these two collaborators recognize my original interest andthe leading role on the development of PREP-PAC. They
would recognize and accept a patent for the product fromme or a team leader.
The third issue is that at Moi University, we are not yet ina position to distribute the PREP-PAC on a commercial
scale because we simply do not have facilities to do so.
Initial capital is required; infrastructure is needed to packthe product, including personnel, transportation facilities,
materials and other logistics. We have not found a donor
to assist us with outreach activities. When donor funding
for the project ended we could not move far. These
factors have subsequently contributed to our slow
approach to obtaining the ownership of the PREP-PAC. I
further believe that soil analysis should complement any
technology targeted towards soil fertility restoration.
Again we do not have a strong soil testing facility at Moi
University. We hope the issue of PREP-PAC ownershipwill come one day.
Question: What are the implications of this sort of work

10 ATPSNEWSATPS Calendar

Date

Meeting

Venue

March 7-10, 2005

Science, Technology and Innovation Sensitization & Training
Workshop/Science Writers & Training Workshop

Freetown,
Sierra Leone

March 31, 2005

National Dissemination Workshop and Exhibition, ASTI
Systems: The Case of Kenya’s Floriculture Industry

Nairobi, Kenya

April 28-29, 2005

Consultative Meeting for the Youth and Science Congress

Nairobi, Kenya

May 04-06, 2005

Training Course and Workshop and Knowledge Exchange
Seminar on Sustainable Use of Water in the Niger Basin

Nsukka, Nigeria

May 16-18, 2005

Training Course and Workshop and Knowledge Exchange
Seminar on Sustainable Use of Water in the Nile Basin

Nairobi, Kenya

June 18, 2005

ATPS Board Meeting

Nairobi, Kenya

June 20-23, 2005

African Regional Youth Congress on “Youth and
Employment/Wealth Creation Opportunities in AST and Youth
Leadership for HIV/AIDS Prevention”

Nairobi, Kenya

June 30, 2005

2005 Scientific Revival Day

Nairobi, Kenya

Executive Director’s Visits/Activities

Date

MeetingVenue

14-16 September
2004

CTA/NEPAD/ATPS Africa Regional Meeting on Science andTechnology

Nairobi, Kenya

21-23 September
2004

Network of African Science Academies (NASAC) Scientific
Conference on HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Africa (organized by theAfrican Academy of Sciences)

Abuja, Nigeria

10-13 October 2004

Attend UNECA's fourth ADF meeting

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

27-28 October 2004

UNESCO-International Advisory Board for the Reform of the
Science and System of Nigeria Meeting

Paris, France

8-9 November 2004

1st Consultative Meeting of AFORNET with its Potential
Donors (organized by the African Academy of Sciences)

Nairobi, Kenya

Nov. 29 - Dec. 04
2004

2004 ATPS Annual Conference and Workshop

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

to agriculture in general?
Answer: There is a tremendous impact on crop yield increases resulting from the use of PREP-PAC (e.g. from 0.5 t/ha
maize to 3 t/ha maize). This implies a positive change towards food security in a country. This impact will howeverarise when farmers adopt the PREP-PAC technology. There is also a hidden factor on the prolonged effectiveness of
PREP-PAC in soils. This again reflects the economic impact resulting from the use of this fertilizer.
Question: Bringing a product in the market clearly involves a great deal of interaction with other players, especiallyin the private sector. Who are you currently working with?
Answer: This is a great question. But as you may know, private sector generally is interested in handling products ofbulky nature. For example, the MIPCO Minjingu phosphate rock Mining Company near Arusha, Tanzania, sells bulky
quantities of materials. They would, of course, sell their product at a reduced cost at their factory. The middlemenin Nairobi have their own prices.
Nevertheless, to come back to the question, we one day approached MEA Fertilizer Company in Nakuru, Kenya, who
repackage and blend fertilizers. But we were to provide inputs and starter costs for them to work together with us.
We did not have the starting facilities and our outreach project proposal got no funding. Hence the private sector

intern
Jacinta Mwikali Nzinga an Environmental Health
Science student from Moi University was in ATPS in 2004.
She worked under the Finance and Administration
department. Her duties mainly involved administration
work that includes sourcing for quotations, handling
petty cash, filing and taking charge of customer care.
She acquired experience on administration that she says
is not available in schools. She hopes to combine healthmanagement skills with the practical administrativeskills learnt at ATPS.
Jacinta says that staff relations was excellent becauseinterns are given a chance to air their views.

issue was shelved. But with goodwill, we plan to have a strong private sector input inthe distribution of PREP-PAC. We also propose to involve some NGOs e.g. SCODP in
Siaya.
Question: Innovations, particularly in the sphere of science and technology, are seen
as extremely key to economic growth. How can developing countries harness science
to combat poverty?
Answer: This is an interesting observation and question. First, like any other humanbeings, Africans have talents towards innovations to alleviate or correct specificproblems. Perhaps African scientists are viewed to lack competitiveness in whateverproducts they come up with. Example, farming has been over a long period been
considered as a poor man's job in most African countries. Researchers did not see theseriousness of developing products and even patenting them. But now many people
are appreciating that farming is a business and hence whatever knowledge they
contribute will be associated with financial benefits.
Secondly, the current 'donor based era' has both positive and negative effects on
research. Good researchers may not necessarily obtain donor funding and therefore,
they cannot contribute much. Goodwill is needed in African countries to provide
research funds to projects they consider to be a great potential towards development.
African countries also have a tendency to remove good researchers to do generaladministration, thus denying them their talents. Africa has resources which they canutilize for development and poverty alleviation. Example, Africa has large and widelydistributed phosphate rocks which they prefer to export and import back from thedeveloped world. Why not use directly the effective phosphate rocks at a reduced cost
towards sustained agricultural productivity? There should be goodwill from African
Union in particular to fund promising development projects.
Question: How can ATPS support or contribute to the development andcommercialization of significant innovations from its research?
ATPS not being a funding institution, is not likely to provide direct funding toinventors to help market their product. But ATPS is likely to know a range of donors or

appointment
The ATPS secretariat has
appointed Kennedy Auka as
the Finance and Administration
Manager. Mr. Auka a Certified
Public Accountant of Kenya, CPA(K), holds a Bachelor of Science inBusiness Administration from theUnited States International University (USIU), Nairobi andis currently studying for Masters Degree in Business
Administration at the University of Nairobi
Previously he worked with the International Center for
Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) as Finance Officer, Chief
Accountant with Treadsetters Tyres Limited and as anaccountant with Mitchell Cotts Kenya Limited, Kenya Duty
Free Complex, Kenya Pipeline Company and Orbit Chemical
Industries Limited.
He brings a wealth of experience in financial management,
broad based accounting knowledge, systems
implementation and electronic banking, staff supervisionand training and management accounting. Kennedy has
worked in multi-cultural and international environments
equipping him for challenges ahead.

institutions, including private sector, who may finance some activities.
It would be useful if they could circulate the lists of donors etc. to key institutions.
Personal contact is also useful. For example, the ICRAF and TSBF staff do circulate thelists to the people they know for funding. Sometimes funding is obtained that way. I
would personally request the assistance of ATPS first to circulate this interview (andothers) and highlight my plight for a donor and private sector to assist withcommercialization of the PREP-PAC and also a donor to put up a soil testing laboratory
for Moi University. Farmers want their soils tested but there is no readily available
facility for the tasks over Western, Nyanza and the North Rift provinces in Kenya.
Soil fertility management innovations go side by side with soil and plant tissue testing.
We have a proposal for this activity; the university is not at the moment in a position to
put up the facility for us. Can our great African Union save us? ATPS is welcome to visit
major institutions in Africa. We will be happy to receive their Newsletters. I am sorry if
I have not answered this question satisfactorily, but ATPS has great potential to assist
African innovators to own and commercialize their products.
Meanwhile, we appreciate the assistance given to us in form of laboratory equipment(used or new) by the Universities of Reading (U. K.), Wageningen (The Netherlands)
and Purdue (U. S. A.) without this help we would not have taken any significant soil
measurements now. Thank you very much for allocating your valuable time for thisinterview.
ATPSNEWS 11

Cont’d from page 1(NGOs) working on water andenvironment, will take the initiative to build
synergies with the programmes andinstitutions,” he adds.
The programme is well thought out andwas informed by a consultation forum that
ATPS organized on 15 June 2004, withmajor stakeholders to discuss Knowledge
and Sustainable Water Resource Use in
Africa. The participants, drawn from theacademia, private sector, the government
and NGOs acknowledged that it was thefirst time any institution has brought
together various players on water andenvironment to exchange ideas andknowledge. They challenged ATPS to keep
the forum active.

“ATPS is seen as an objective, honest
broker with a wide African Network andshould champion the creation of an
informal association of the stakeholders inwater and environment for exchange ofideas for policy advocacy,” opined one ofthe participants.
The programme will emphasize
knowledge-sharing at various levels, but
primarily, through:> Joint research, training activities anddeliberative workshops between
African researchers, relevant
government institutions andresponsible water management

authorities and international
researchers/institutions involved insustainable water catchments
management> Stakeholders and public participation
events to share existing and new
knowledge among researchers,
government agencies and the public to
encourage ownership of technology
policies that result from theresearch and participatory exercises
ATPS, through this programme, intends tointroduce a holistic and integrated
approach to studying the waterenvironment nexus that would yield resultsthat are implementable over the long-run,with direct relevance to the poor.

Cont’d from page 2

He was delighted that the organizers of theworkshop asked him to speak on a subject, or
rather subjects, about which he has been
thinking seriously, “Africa, its biodiversity,
both of which I love dearly, and how genetic
engineering can affect them,” he said.
Plenary session
The opening ceremony was followed by the plenary session. The
following papers were presented:
Water Access, Conflict and Knowledge: Lessons from the Horn ofAfrica and the Great Lakes, by Chris Hodgins, Senior Research
Fellow, African Centre for Technology Studies
Water Management, Stability and Collaboration within the Nile
Basin by Prof Kinfe Abraham, President of Ethiopian International
Institute for Peace and Development (EIIPD)
Understanding Public Attitude, Values and Behaviour towards
Adoption of Sustainable Water Catchments Management
Technologies: The role of economics, ethic and social psychology,
by Dr Kevin Urama, Research Fellow, The Macaulay Institute, UK
Waste Water and Irrigated Agriculture: Lessons, knowledgetransfer and possible applications in Africa, by Frans Huibers,
Associate Professor, Health and Environment Irrigation and Water
Engineering Group, Wageningen University, the Netherlands

Field visit to Debre Zeit Station
The participants visited the lake town ofDebre Zeit, about 50 kms to the East of
Addis Ababa, the International LivestockResearch Institute´s Experimental Station
where they were briefed about the main
objectives of ILRI and the various research programmes
undertaken at the station. Forage genetic resources in relation
to feed development and natural resource management were ofparticular interest to the visitors. Training and information
dissemination in formal workshops and informal visits are a vital
part of ILRI. The sharing of information is central to ILRI's work.
Collaborations
Dr ogbu lauded collaboration between ATPS and EIIPD sayingthat both are knowledge generating and knowledge
disseminating institutions concerned with relevance andappropriateness of knowledge and how policies can be better
informed by ideas that are grounded in African cultures, values
and aspirations. He thanked the management of EIIPD for beinga “true partner”.
He praised Prof Kinfe for being, “a true African patriot”, whorose to the challenge of providing both intellectual and material
support for this conference at very short notice. “Without his
permission, I am designating EIIPD an ATPS long-term
partner,” he declared. Dr Ogbu also thanked the Managementof the ILRI for their hospitality and cooperation in organizing
the workshop.

Editor: Lily Aduke | Editorial Assistant: Lucy Mwangi | Design & Layout: Sammy Mwirigi | Printed by: Majestic Printing Works Ltd.

How you can reach us
The ATPS Secretariat is located on 3rd Floor, The Chancery, Valley Road.
Telephone numbers 254-20-2714092/2714168/271498, Fax: 254-20-2714028,
Email: info@atpsnet.org, Website:http:// www.atpsnet.org