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The Tshwane consensus on science and development - the emergence of
innovative developing countries
In an event to mark the 60th anniversary of the CSIR, a group of science and
technology (S&T) leaders from around the world gathered in Pretoria to find
new ways for S&T to play a part in sustainable development.
As the world struggles to address issues of poverty and growth, global
leaders have re-affirmed their faith in the contribution of S&T to the
achievement of development targets. Already S&T has demonstrated its power
to generate wealth, eradicate infectious diseases, bring communication to the
marginalised, and develop a wide range of valuable manufactured goods and
services as well as improved means of delivering them. Many global challenges
remain including the need for new and sustainable energy sources, protection
from emerging diseases and lower cost infrastructure. Moreover the S&T
environment has changed significantly in the last ten years. Knowledge
production has been internationalised, access to money and skills has become
increasingly competitive. Global technology and markets are changing with
breathtaking speed.
A new set of actors has emerged in the quest to meet these challenges.
Following sustained investment in education, research infrastructure and
manufacturing in a number of developing countries, the Innovative Developing
Countries (IDCs) have achieved high levels of economic progress and overall
improvements in human wellbeing. How can these successes be generalised, and
what role do the IDCs have in contributing to sustainable development?
The S&T leaders concluded that the IDCs can play a crucial role in
developing innovative and appropriate solutions to global challenges, and at the
same time strengthening their own S&T expertise. These leaders urged IDCs to
coordinate their efforts, in order to increase investment in S&T aimed at
the solutions to problems of developing countries. In particular, the leaders
stressed the need for:
* developing nations, especially the poorest, to devote a proportion of their
resources to S&T
* S&T leadership in developing countries to be strengthened and to define a
clear set of priorities; this leadership needs to make a persuasive statement to
the public that the scientific effort is essential and useful
* the political leadership of developing countries to press for a greater role
in decision making on global development programmes, including bilateral and
multilateral aid; and to insist that a proportion of these resources be devoted
to research and nurturing local scientific and technical capacity
* the benefits of S&T need to be extended to all; S&T efforts need to be
increasingly directed to the creation of affordable and accessible products and
services for poor people
* the strengthening of institutions, such as Academies of Science &
Engineering, that can advise high levels of government on issues of S&T
* access to careers in S&T to be widened, and at the same time systems that
reward and offer S&T careers to the most talented to be developed
* the broadening of the science education base within schools, technical
colleges, universities, science councils, academies of sciences, government
departments and industry; these institutions are fundamental to development and
wealth creation. It is clear that an environment of excellent research is
necessary to attract and retain young talent in scientific careers.
Although it is highly desirable for all countries, and especially developing
countries to have functioning S&T systems, the symposium noted that this is
not presently the situation, and in the interim several steps need to be taken,
including:
* the establishment of regional networks between national systems to overcome
the lack of a critical mass, which is presently limiting the success of S&T
in many developing countries
* the implementation of appropriate performance measures at all levels and for
different types of S&T institutions in order to get the most out of the
available resources
* the introduction of appropriate tax incentives and grants to encourage private
sector participation in research and development (R&D); additional private
sector resources for S&T could be accessed by addressing causes of market
failure, including the preconditions for the entry of Technology Risk Capital
* the close networking of universities, research councils and industry in order
to promote innovation, entrepreneurship and wealth generation; mission-oriented
clusters of institutions focused on identified priority issues must be
established to facilitate discovery, development and delivery.
In conclusion, the leaders noted that it is time for a number of important
initiatives. It is time for developing and post-colonial societies to 'name the
ghosts' of science, technology, and higher education. While benefiting many
people, S&T has also systematically excluded many groups. Governments and
industries have often used technologies in a way that harmed both people and the
natural environment. Openness about these spectres will help to assure more
equitable and constructive practices in the future.
It is also time for the IDCs to act collectively and think globally. An
effective response to a number of shared global challenges, such as global
climate change, infectious diseases and the loss of biodiversity, can only be
achieved with the involvement of all countries, and especially the developing
countries. The S&T systems of the innovative developing countries can play a
crucial role in building such capacity, and in shaping their own futures.
More information:
 www.csir.co.za
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