How NACOSTI will support national development goals?

LAUNCH OF NACOSTI STRATEGIC PLAN 2018-2022 & NATIONAL RESEARCH PRIORITIES FOR 2018-2022; AND ISO 9001:2015 CERTIFICATION

"The Government has set research priorities that address the most immediate needs of the nation and respond to the national development aspirations” Prof . George Magoha, Cabinet Secretary for Education

In its 2018-2022 Strategic Plan, the National Commission for Science, Technology and Innovation (NACOSTI) has outlined how it will support the achievement of national development goals. Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha, in the foreword to the National Research Priorities 2018-2022, says this is critical in view of the fact that “resources to support research are finite”, and that “the government has set research priorities that address the most immediate needs of the nation and respond to the national development aspirations.”  

The CS avers that the implementation of these priorities is expected to result in in- creased research and development investment in areas critical to national development. This will  result in employment creation and improved living standards.   

NACOSTI Board Chairman Prof Tom Ogada says the Big 4 Agenda, which aims to improve national productivity in four key sectors and to create more jobs, forms part of  the foundation for the Commission’s Strategic Plan 2018- 2022. With this national focus, the Commission has formulated four Key Result Areas that will  underpin the strategic thrust.    

The Big 4 Agenda targets to 

• Support value addition and raise the manufacturing sector share of  GDP to 15 percent by 2022;
• Focus on initiatives that guarantee food security and nutrition to all  Kenyans by 2022;  
• Provide universal health coverage, thereby guaranteeing  quality and  affordable healthcare to all  Kenyans; and  
• Provide housing to all  Kenyans by targeting construction of  at least 500,000 affordable houses by 2022.  

The National Research Priorities 2018-2022 document has outlined how research can sup- port the four pillars to deliver on their tasks. It has also isolated academic research and development as the fifth area of  focus. It notes that universities play a key role in the development of  human resource for all  production sectors of  the economy through training and conducting research and development for the generation, curation and dissemination of  new knowledge. They must, therefore, be supported to undertake these initiatives. The Commission, in consultation with stakeholders, has set research and development priorities, and coordinate the implementation of these programmes. It will  also promote application of appropriate technologies in targeted areas.

Audience during the launch

According to Dr. Moses Rugutt, the NACOSTI Director General, the Key Result Areas, which are the pillars of the strategic plan, will  be achieved through the following strategic objectives:
Regulation of Research

• To assure relevance and quality of research 
• To enhance coordination and cooperation of research and development. 

Advisory Services for Research, Science and Technology  

• To advise on research, science and technology programmes. 
• To mainstream research, science and technology into planning processes. 

Knowledge Management  

• To facilitate acquisition and sharing of knowledge on research, science and technology.
• To facilitate the use of knowledge on research, science and technology. 

Institutional Capacity  

• To strengthen institutional capacity. 
• To improve the mobilisation and prudent use of resources.    

The NACOSTI Board is responsible for policy formulation and providing strategic leadership. The Director General is the principal accounting officer and will ensure the overall coordination, implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the Strategic Plan, including acting on decisions made by the Board. The heads of directorates and departments will be responsible for the day-to-day implementation, monitoring, and evaluation of the plan so as to ensure the planned activities are implemented. 

 By EVANS ONGWAE