The National Planning Commission (NPC) has asked researchers and scientists in the country to be conducting studies that offer solutions to the country rather than just describing them.
Speaking during the inaugural research dissemination conference organised by Mzuzu University (Mzuni) at Mzuni campus yesterday, NPC Head of Research Andrew Jamali said innovations that Malawians produce should also be marketable.
Jamali said Malawi is facing challenges emanating from climate change, fiscal and monetary policy slippages which need proper studies that can help avert the gaps.
He further said it is high time innovators started patenting their products to be able to generate wealth in line with aspirations of Malawi 2063.
- Advertisement -
“We need these innovators to start thinking along the lines of creating their own companies and be able to employ as many young technicians as possible.
- Advertisement -
“This will create self-reliance because most of our technologies are coming from outside the country and, so, we need to become originators that respond to the challenges that we are facing. We need to move into the development space and make Malawi what we want it to be,” he said.
Mzuni Vice Chancellor Wales Singini said although scholars at the university have been carrying out research for a long time, Mzuni has not provided many outlets for disseminating their findings.
Singini said the institution has changed its approach, emphasising that they are now linking their research studies to answer society needs.
“The focus is identifying a society challenge but the research should be able to focus on identifying solutions,” he said.
- Advertisement -
Meanwhile, Director of Science, Technology and Innovation in the Ministry of Education Chomola Mikeka, has said the country is currently at 2.5 percent in terms of graduates that span out in the fields of science, technology and innovation.
“Previously, Malawi has been celebrating knowledge in science but slowly, over the Covid time, we have seen a proliferation of innovations lower and higher level. In terms, of commercial viability, the services and the products are speaking for themselves, we are going there,” he said.
At least 118 abstracts from local and international scholars were submitted and formed the discourse on sub-thematic areas such as science, technology and innovation, environmental sciences, humanities and social sciences, health sciences and tourism, hospitality and management.
