Science research fund crucial to development

By Martin Henry

More and more developing countries are setting up research funds. Jamaica does not yet have such a research fund. The country has established a wide range of 'research' institutions supported by subventions from the public revenue which mostly pay for salaries and day-to-day operational expenses. The country has never had a research fund from which competitive research grants can be made.

When the National Commission on Science and Technology (NCST) was set up in 1993, it was pointed out then that the NCST would fail to be an effective body for the promotion of research without a research fund.

One country which is operating a highly successful and productive national research foundation is South Africa. After email interaction and a survey of their online material at http://www.nrf.ac.za, a University of Technology delegation visiting South Africa earlier this year made it a point of duty to visit the National Research Fund (NRF) for observations and discussions.

In February, the Government signed an agreement with South Africa on scientific and technological cooperation.

The South African NRF was established towards the end of the Nelson Mandela one-term presidency in 1999, pulling together a number of earlier agencies serving various research sectors and expanding their roles.

The Research Fund was created by the National Research Foundation Act (Act No. 23 of 1998). According to Section 3 of the act, the object of the NRF is to:

Promote and support research through funding, human resource development and the provision of the necessary facilities in order to facilitate the creation of knowledge, innovation and development in all fields of science and technology ... .

The broad strategic goals of the agency are to:

Promote internationally competitive research as the basis for a knowledge economy;

Grow a representative science and technology workforce in South Africa;

Provide cutting-edge research, technology and innovation platforms;

Operate world-class evaluation and grant-making systems; and

Contribute to a vibrant national innovation system.

The foundation stands on three pillars:

Research and Innovation Support and Advancement, which promotes research in research institutions by way of programme-based competitive grants from funds provided by the Parliament through the host Department of Science & Technology.

The South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement tasked with com-municating the value of S&T to South African society towards building the science, engineering and technology human resource base, beginning at school level.

National research facilities which are the custodians of large pieces of scientific equipment or large collections of data and specimens available for the use of researchers across the country.

In the 2011-2012 financial year, the NRF of South Africa handled a total budget of 2.1 billion rands (about US$235 million, or J$23 billion at the then exchange rates).

The Government of Jamaica, Ministry of Science, Technology Energy & Mining (MSTEM), has recently commissioned another study for a Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) road map. The consultancy was paid for with support from the Canadian International Development Agency, which is typical of how the country has sought to finance STI research.

While its strategic objectives are closely similar to the South African National Research Foundation, the Jamaican NCST has never had a dedicated grant fund supplied by the GOJ for research. The commission has attempted to operate a National Foundation for the Development of Science and Technology which has been weakly supported by private-sector contributions.

Ideally, a percentage of the annual budget should be earmarked for a research fund if the country is serious about STI as a key driver of growth and development. The research fund is separate from operational subventions to research agencies and would be managed by an inde-pendent centralised agency. As little as one-tenth of one per cent of the 2013-2014 Budget would provide $578 million for the research fund.

Another potential and attractive source of financing for research has been recommended to MSTEM. It is earmarking a portion of the many special funds held by Government to support research, funds such as the HEART Trust Fund, the National Housing Trust Fund, the Universal Access Fund, and the Tourism Enhancement Fund. These are, by definition, 'development funds', and a case can be made that research conducted in areas related to the fields of operation of these funds can benefit these areas of development.

One thing is certain: If Jamaica does not discover that a dedicated research fund is necessary to support the national research agenda, the hopes attached to STI plans and policies and road maps will collapse.

Martin Henry is a communication specialist. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and medhen@gmail.com.