By Abachi Ungbo
SIR: Today’s China is the product of its fourth attempt at industrialization which started in the late 70’s with Deng Xiaoping as the impresario. Now the world’s manufacturing powerhouse, elaborate plans have since been laid and committedly pursued in becoming the hub for innovation through ramping up spending in Research and Development (R&D).
R&D is the key to the innovation door- providing untrammelled access to new knowledge, products and services which touches our modern lives and contributes to stable and continuous economic growth.
The world is on the cusp of the fourth industrial revolution which will be dominated by Artificial Intelligence, robotics, nanotechnology, internet of things, renewable energy, space travel etc. thus countries like China are working frenetically towards that direction.
In its 14th five-year plan 2021-2025 it hopes to score an annual increase of more than seven per cent in it research and development spending according to official statistics. Reports have it that China’s R&D spending is second only to the U.S since 2013 having been investing more than two per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to R&D. Not a few Chinese firms are setting aside huge funds to R&D in apparent lockstep with the plan.
Already, the Americans are launching a bipartisan $200 billion Innovation and Competition Act. Sources like Wikipedia place the U.S as the country with the highest R&D expenditure with China following hot on its heels. However, forecast for 2021 puts China in the lead with spending exceeding $621 billion against the U.S investment of $589.7 billion.
R&D in many developing countries in Africa hasn’t taken root which may continue to put it at the backwaters just as other parts of the world have seen the future and are taking hold of it through well thought plans and preparations. To all intents and purposes, a knowledge-based economy is impossible without encouraging research which birth innovation.
The involvement of Africa in global contribution and development of knowledge pales in comparison with the rest of the world generating below one per cent of the world’s scientific knowledge despite its huge population teeming with youth. The 2019 UNESCO’s institute of statistics estimates put the continent’s R&D funding at 0.42 per cent which is below the global average of 1.7 per cent. It’s the practice to have institutions, business enterprises and non-profit organisation aside government expenditure spending on R&D. However, in Africa these players are too weak to perform such roles which would have been salutary vis-à-vis the competing demands vying for government lean resources.
Basically, the wheel of R&D in Africa is either slow or not rolling at all due to poor or absence of funding. The truth is, Africa is still throttled by corruption and increase in expenditure on research under an atmosphere saturated with corruption will yield no results. So, aside improved funding, focus is required on building strong institutions. Other important factors include: university-industry partnerships/linkages, effective legislation, support for industrial and manufacturing firm in prioritising R&D activities.
Africa must develop its research capabilities and manpower, if not, it may just languish as other continents race toward being active players in the rich field of technology and innovation. Having been fascinated by China’s phenomenal progress leading to adoption of myriad of its development models, Africa should look to it for inspiration on this score.
- Abachi Ungbo,
abachi007@yahoo.com
Leave a Reply