Ethiopia: Technology, Innovation Road-Map Tabled for Discussion
Posted on : Wednesday, 10th August 2016
The Ministry of Science and Technology has prepared a ten-year National Technology and Innovation Road-map on 17 sectors that would be significant to guide decision-making in various technology investment strategies for national development.
The Ministry tabled the document for discussion with stakeholders drawn from various private and public enterprises, institutes and industries here over the weekend.
Science and Technology Minister Abiy Ahmed said : "Though history clearly shows that Ethiopia was the origin of scientific knowledge since the old stone-age era, our indigenous skills had been concealed and their recognition remained hindmost while the others' flourish."
Thus, the national technology road-map helps as a turning point to figure out those concealed technological knowledge and ensure and sustain the country's rapid economic growth, he added.
The Minister also said that it is significant to base technological issues to bring back Ethiopia's greatness. The road-map would guide to identify the differences between ways of starting to produce and boosting productivity,
State Minister Prof. Afework Kassu said that the technology road-map is a document that would play epoch-making role for the success of each and every sector such as sugar, leather, textile, agriculture and others.
Though all sectors have a ten or 20 year strategic visions, most of their goals have no technological components. "Hence, when we move towards growth, we have to make a technology-based change in all sectors," he noted.
Despite the gaps in the process from input to production, the disparity would be filled with assessing technological tools across sectors. All sectors need to identify proper technologies and implement them in the years ahead, Prof. Afework said.
Given the strong commitment of the government, the productive sectors need to work together with private enterprises, higher learning and research institutions, international organizations to realize the vision to join middle economies by 2025, he added.
Participants said advanced technology is crucial to speed up the growth of the country's economy. The technology road-map assists in providing technology alternatives and making better technology investment decisions.
Briefing on the sugar sector road-map, Sugar Agronomy Senior Expert Tadese Negi said that technological development is an important component to shift from agriculture-led to industrial-led economy. He noted that sugar sector would play important role in realizing the political economy of the country.
Presenting the leather industry road-map, Awash Leather Factory General Manager Daniel Akalu said that the country would reach the level of establishing a vibrant, functional, competitive and sustainable livestock industry by 2025. It is also set to transform the livestock sector and increase its supply by 20 per cent and raise its contribution to agriculture GDP from 47 to 60 per cent by 2025.
