Let’s commercialize research findings -Minister urges IAALD

The Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, Sherry Ayittey has urged members of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialist (IAALD) to encourage the commercialization of research findings so as to improve the living standards of people in Africa by increasing food security, improvement in health delivery system, provision of good drinking water and affordable houses. “It is time our researchers and research institutes contribute their quota to ensuring that outputs of research are available and accessible to all”. She disclosed this last week in Accra during the opening ceremony of the International Association of Agricultural Information Specialist conference under the theme “Towards opening access to information and knowledge in agricultural sciences and technology in Africa “.
Sherry Ayittey said the theme for the conference was appropriate as around the world, there is huge momentum going on towards the opening of access to findings of scientific research. Research institutions are implementing appropriate policies and strategies to facilitate access to their findings; organizations that are fund research are asking researchers to make results of the research they fund more visible and government s are also working towards enacting appropriate legislation to provide a supportive environment for these initiatives.
She further stressed that, “it was time for African countries to take serious consideration to the process of ensuring that research findings have been duly patented and have intellectual property rights over them .This will generate revenue for African countries in terms of royalties that is received from findings.” When properly harnessed science and technology could help Africa to overcome challenges such as environmental degradation, extreme and pervading poverty, HIV/AIDS, inadequate potable water, weak economic growth, low capacity and high illiteracy rates among others. Effect research into science and technology has brought to birth modern communications of internet and mobile telephony. These technologies have made life simple especially in disseminating content in digital format. The internet has also revolutionalized the communication of scientific and technical information. She assured the association of Ghana government’s preparedness of assistance to the association and especially in research.
The President of International Association of Agricultural Information Specialist (IAALD) Africa Chapter, Mr. Justin Chesinga welcomed all participants in to the country and urged them to have a fruitful deliberations which will yield positive results to have immense benefit to African and the world at large. The Executive Directory of International Association of Agricultural Information Specialist, Mr.Monty Jones made a presentation on the opening access to information and knowledge in African agricultural.
Source: The Ghanaian Reactor Online