Title: Innovation: Applying Knowledge in Development
Coordinated by: Calestous Juma and Lee Yee-Cheong
Reviewed by: A W Sangster

The United Nations Development Project publication in 2005 is the result of the extensive work of a task force that focussed on the United Nations Millennium Development Goals with particular emphasis on the role of science, technology and innovation in achieving the goals of the project.

The publication underscores the importance of knowledge and innovation for development in every country and shares the experiences of those countries that have successfully moved their development process forward through the process of applying science and technology.

There are eight major Millennium Goals with 18 targets within the framework of those eight goals. These goals have become the international standard for measuring and tracking improvements in the human condition in developing countries.

The major goals are to:
Goal 1. Eradicate extreme poverty and hunger
Goal 2. Achieve universal primary education
Goal 3. Promote gender equality and empower women
Goal 4. Reduce child mortality
Goal 5. Improve maternal health
Goal 6. Combat HIV/AIDS, malaria and other diseases
Goal 7. Ensure environmental sustainability
Goal 8. Develop a global partnership for development.

The volume of some 200 pages and eleven chapters is a gold mine of ideas for innovation and development and outlines strategies that can be used and have been used to move a country's development process forward. The executive summary outlines a number of critical considerations. Among these are the following:

. Infrastructure is the foundation for technology. Therefore investment in infrastructure is critical.
. Investment in science and technology education needs to increase and the role of universities needs to change.

. Specifically developing countries need to devote resources to helping more young people, especially women, to receive higher education.
. Government needs to promote business activities in science, technology and innovation.

. Policymakers need to develop, apply, and emphasise the important role of engineering, technology, and small enterprise development
. Mechanisms for advising governments on science, technology, and innovation need to be improved.

. Successful implementation of science, technology and innovation policy requires civil servants with the capacity for policy analysis.
. A few strategic measures need to be taken at the national and international levels in the short run.

Within the above outlined goals and strategic initiatives, the volume goes into great detail with specific examples to buttress the argument for strategic shifts in the development process.

National initiatives in innovation - a definition

"Innovation is the conversion of knowledge and ideas into a benefit, which may be for commercial use, or for the public good; the benefit may be new or improved products, processes or services. The starting point of innovation is the generation of creative ideas; innovation is therefore the process of taking those ideas to market or to usefulness."
There have been several important local initiatives in the area of innovation. Some of these are noted below.

Innovation in Science and Technology Awards

Phillip Paulwell, the minister of Commerce, Science and Technology, recently introduced an innovation awards programme that culminated in the awards being presented at a special Awards Banquet on November 24, 2005. There were 10 categories of entries and each one had a specialised panel of judges to evaluate the entries.

The Scientific research Council (SRC) served as the Secretariat for the awards programme. The ten categories were: Agriculture and Food, Education, Environmental Sustainability, Health and Safety, Entertainment Products, Engineering, Energy, Popularisation of Science and Technology, Information and Communication Technologies and Electronics, and Manufacturing.

There were sector prizes in eight of the categories mentioned above and then the sector prize winners competed for the top awards - first, second and third places.

First place went to the Firestream Media Distribution System (FSMDS). In the category of the Popularisation of Science and Technology, the system delivers video and data across a network. It integrates visual and data communications for the purpose of mass communication and has huge potential for distance education.

Second place went to Nutraguard. In the category of Agriculture and Foods the process involves non-chemical preservation of juice, drinks and beverages using an edible plant extract which is widely available locally.
Third place went to the Hybrid Solar Dryer. The product is a cost effective environmentally benign drying process that is applicable to a wide variety of Jamaican agricultural products.

Many of the entries were of a high standard and displayed the concept of innovation identified in the definition quoted above. It is interesting to note that only one of the projects (Nutraguard) had obtained a patent for the process. Several of the other entries were either encouraged to apply for patents for their inventions or were already in the process of patent application.

The issue of patents becomes an important issue both at the personal and national levels. A patent protects the legitimate discovery or innovation of an individual and is there to protect the individual's and country's Intellectual Property Rights.

A school for innovation and development

The book mentioned in the Review in Part 1 has as one of its co-ordinators Professor Calestous Juma, of the Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge Massachusetts. He is lending his expertise to The School for Innovation and Development to be held in Jamaica in 2006.

The school will feature a one-week course for community leaders in government, academia, industry, and civil society and will provide a unique opportunity to integrate science and technology into a national development policy. One of the local co-ordinators of the project is Dr Henry Lowe a former Permanent Secretary and a well-known scientist and author.

The curriculum of the five days of the school shows an exciting range of topics that participants will be exposed to and gain experience from. Some of the topics to be covered are:

Technology and Development Trends, Innovation Systems and the Role of Knowledge-based Institutions, Business Development, Technology and Sustainability, The Global Industry, Institutional and Policy Implications of putting Science and Technology at the Centre of Economic Development, Science and Technology Advice, Technology and Foreign Direct Investment, Intellectual Property and Emerging Technologies.
Clearly an exciting prospect for the extension of innovation and for the training of national leaders.

UTech's Technology Innovation Centre

In 1988 the Entrepreneurial Centre, a small business development unit was established at the then College of Arts Science and Technology (CAST) now The University of Technology (UTech). Initially the centre, under the leadership of Sandra Glasgow, had initiated programmes in the training of innovation and enterprise to students.

Over the years the programme grew and it became necessary to expand the facilities into a full-blown Technology Innovation Centre. This was funded by a Caribbean Development Bank loan and with Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) assistance and the University's involvement. The centre now has an expanded role in providing Business Services, Training/Consultancy, Study Tours, Facilities Rental and the provision of space for small business development. It is a highly successful enterprise.

Mothers can't father

Trousers in Denim

Cream of the 'Crop'