KAMPALA-UGANDA/NEWSDAY. The future of Uganda and the world at large lies in innovations and technology development, Uganda’s minister for Science, technology and Innovations Monica Musenero has said.
During her remarks on Tuesday at the College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Bio-security (COVAB), Makerere University where she opened an international symposium on Science, Technology and Innovations for Global sustainability Musenero said its only through innovation and technology that the world will prosper.
The symposium drew science delegates from the universities of Bristol-UK, Makerere, Malawi, Ghana, Busitema and other institutions such as the National Agricultural Organisation-NARO, Africa Institute for Strategic Animal Resource Services and Development and graduate fellows.
”We need to pick up what had lagged. For so long Africa delegated responsibility to think incidentally the rest of the world kept thinking. Africa should not depend on other people as previously. My appreciation is on originality of thought. The thinking process is going to provide the next round of leadership,” Musenero said.
The theme of the symposium is ‘’Recovery of human health and well being through sustainable Livestock production in Sub Sahara Africa; the food no feed approach’’.
She said at her ministry, she has instituted a national think tank that so far has two Uganda’s top scientists, Prof David Kabasa and Prof Kanyerezi who will champion innovations.
”We must organise thought to create everything. Creation begins with thought before goes physical. Covid19 was public disaster but also gave Africa an opportunity to sit in thinking chair. As we think for global sustainability, integrity, fairness, balance must characterise the sustainability we look foward to,” Museero said adding ”We must examine every thought and the the onus is on us to think, reorganized science in Uganda is upon us all.”
During his keynote presentation, the former head of COVAD, Prof. David Kabasa noted that for humanity to prosper, science, technology and innovations are the providers of solutions.
”Africa must intensify 3-8 times production of Animal-source food if she is to meet the projected demand 10-30 years from now.,” Kabasa said providing statistics that the Daily Meat Demand is 40M Kg, 20M Chickens, 8M goats and 40M Tilapia / catfish.
Kabasa said that because of lack of adequate innovation Uganda loses Shs. 300bn annually in acaricides and other animal drugs.
”Therefore, the way out of the mess is Policy we need to Plan, prepare, Process and act Professionally,” Kabasa said.
He said value chain enhancements will assist to fetch income and gave an ecample of a chair made out Ankole cow horns being sold at nearly Shs.6m in the UK.
Earlier on, Prof. Fred Obese of Ghana said Agriculture’s contribution to GDP of his country is 20.5% and contribution to total employment = 38.3% and that related services contribute 47.9% while total employment 43.5% and the entire Industry contribution to GDP is 31.6% and total contribution to employment is 18.2%.
Prof. Daniel Enriquez-Hidalgo of Bristol said the currently Innovative solutions for resilient, climate-smart and sustainable food systems; Circularity in mixed crops and livestock farming systems with emphasis on climate change mitigation and adaptation” – ERA-NET – SUSFOOD2/FOSC and Recovery of Human Health and Well being through Sustainable Livestock Production in sub-Saharan Africa: the Food not Feed Approach” – Worldwide University Network.
” We look forward to Livestock play a key role in poor and marginalized communities from low-middle income countries,” Prof. Daniel Enriquez-Hidalgo said.
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