Dr. Zaneto Agyeman-Rawlings, Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, has urged the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) to work closely with the government and private sector to translate research into commercially viable products for national development. She made the call during a working visit to the CSIR in Accra as part of her familiarisation tour of agencies and institutions under the Ministry. The Minister emphasized the need to bridge the gap between scientific research and the public to enable Ghanaians and the private sector to understand, access and benefit from innovations developed by Ghanaian scientists and researchers.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings noted that the CSIR had immense potential to contribute to Ghana's development, with expertise and research covering a wide range of sectors. However, she expressed concern that there was a disconnect between research and academia and the public, making it difficult for the private sector to tap into the research. To address this, she urged the CSIR to showcase its research, innovations and products at the Ministry and through its communication platforms. The Minister also suggested that the Ministry would display samples of products developed by CSIR institutes at its reception to enable visitors to see and appreciate the institution's work.
The Minister said the initiative would make science more relatable, particularly to young people, and encourage them to consider science as a broad career field with practical applications. She also mentioned that the Ministry would use its social media platforms, screens, display panels and website to showcase the work of scientists and researchers. Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings emphasized that CSIR research must move beyond publication to practical application, commercialisation and job creation. She encouraged the CSIR to work closely with the Ministry's Public Relations Directorate to achieve this goal.
Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings also called for increased attention to research and development, saying Ghana needed to work towards the African Union's target of spending one per cent of Gross Domestic Product on research and development. She noted that funding constraints remained a challenge, but scientists and researchers also needed to make a stronger case for investment by demonstrating the practical and economic value of their work. The Minister expressed interest in research and pilot projects that could support the remediation of degraded lands, purification of polluted water bodies and protection of the environment.
The Minister acknowledged concerns raised about retaining scientists and researchers, saying conditions of service were important but would have to be considered within the broader context of the institution's financial sustainability. She urged CSIR staff to communicate their challenges openly to the Ministry but, where possible, accompany those challenges with proposed solutions. Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings also invited the CSIR to review its research archives and identify innovations that could be showcased and developed into scalable and economically viable projects.
Prof. Paul P. Bosu, Director-General of CSIR, said the Minister's visit was particularly significant at a time when Ghana was looking with renewed urgency to science, technology and innovation as instruments for addressing national challenges and accelerating socio-economic development. He noted that CSIR had built a rich reservoir of scientific expertise over nearly seven decades in various areas critical to national development. Prof. Bosu said CSIR was ready to become an even stronger partner to government by providing scientific evidence for policymaking, developing technologies to address national needs, supporting industry and entrepreneurship, and promoting commercialisation.
The CSIR has 13 specialised institutes located in Accra, Kumasi, Bunsu, Kade, Nyankpala and other parts of the country, supported by about 60 field stations. Ing. Mark Taylor, Chairman of the CSIR Governing Council, said the institution remained committed to turning research into practical solutions for Ghana's development. He noted that CSIR faced challenges including the retention of scientific talent, inadequate research logistics and infrastructure, environmental degradation and the need to move research outputs into commercial ventures.
Key points
- Dr. Agyeman-Rawlings calls for collaboration to turn CSIR research into commercially viable products.
- The Minister urges CSIR to showcase its research and innovations to the public and private sector.
- Ghana aims to work towards the African Union's target of spending one per cent of GDP on research and development.
