Science, Technology, and Innovation in Uganda
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for Strengthening Agricultural Research in Eastern and Central Africa (ASARECA), the African Network for the Chemical Analysis of Pesticides (ANCAP), and the African Malaria Network Trust (AMANET). Another welcome finding about the knowledge base is the emergence of platforms for knowledge partnerships between private firms (including small and medium-sized ones) and entrepreneurs. Although not widespread, a number of programs were identified in which large companies (often with sophisticated production and processing techniques and highly developed technological capacity) partner with individuals and enterprises. Partners agree to experiment, research, or develop new technologies and processes on behalf of the industrial partner. In the oilseed sector, one of the two dominant processing firms, Mukwano Industries, partners with more than 32,000 outgrowers (small-scale and subsistence farmers). Mukwano provides the outgrowers with new oilseed varietals, optimized growing techniques, technology packages. A prenegotiated pricing arrangement guarantees outgrowers that the crops produced using the technology packages will be purchased by Mukwano. Thus the risk associated with experimenting with new inputs is minimized for the outgrowers. The firm-outgrower relationships serve as platforms for knowledge exchange, learning, technology, and process optimization. A fifth positive indication of Uganda’s advance toward deepening its knowledge base relates to research. Pockets of research and instances of international scientific collaboration reveal the country’s growing research capacity. As the knowledge maps in the annex illustrate, Uganda maintains research strengths in infectious disease, food science and technology, tropical medicine, biotechnology, and other areas. Although almost entirely donor-funded, Uganda’s researchers are beginning to demonstrate an ability to elicit research collaborators elsewhere and contribute to the global knowledge base. Finally, although it accounts for a tiny portion of research activity, private sector research is occurring. For example, the second leading player in Uganda’s oilseed and vegetable oil processing sector, Bidco, is exploring opportunities to produce palm oil domestically, reducing reliance on expensive Malaysian palm oil that is imported into Uganda for processing by the company. Bidco has a 20,000 hectare palm plantation under development on Bugala Island in Lake Victoria. There the company is building a training center for farmers. Integral to its plan is continued reliance on robust research and development capacity, which is critical to respond to changes to market needs and customer demands. The focus of the palm oil development research effort is to ensure that the palms grown produce the highest possible oil content at an appropriate standard of quality. The positive findings previously described suggest that Uganda benefits from an ability to contribute to and elicit information from the science and technology knowledge base, be it the local knowledge base, regional knowledge base, or global knowledge base. Still, multiple challenges restrict the ability of firms, governments, and people to capitalize on available knowledge. Seven of these challenges are detailed in the following. Endemic to the Ugandan knowledge system is a dearth of opportunities for knowledge exchange. Related to the challenges described above affecting communication capacity, too few opportunities to share ideas, collaborate over technology development, and engage in cross-sectoral problem-solving are fostered or exploited. Thus knowledge does not circulate within communities (university researchers, government ministries,