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Constitution of Kenya Review Commission |
By Shem O. Wandiga Kenya National Academy Of Sciences
15-09-2001
Justification for Science & Technology in Development
* Human Resources Development
* Socio-economic progress is today knowledge-driven.
* Globalization supports trade in knowledge industry
* Economic growth is enhanced by S & T.
* The "Have-Nets and Have Not Society"
* The "Brain-Drain or Brain-Push".
* The New Political and Social Agenda for Africa.
S & T is important in
* Poverty alleviation
* Agriculture
* Health
* Environment
* Natural Disaster impact reduction
Reaping the benefits of S & T require the following policy options
* Development of Human Resources
* Basic Macroeconomic stability
* Openness to Trade and Foreign Direct
* Investment
* Credit Policies
* Provision of Industrial Standards/Metrology
* Intellectual Property Rights
* Competition Policy
POVERTY
REQUIREMENTS:
* Economic and Social Development
* Sustainable Resource Management
* Environmental Protection
FACTORS IMPACTING ON POOR PEOPLE
* Environmental Degradation
* Resource Depletion
* Natural Disasters
* Diseases
RURAL POVERTY
* Over 75% of Kenyans live and work in rural areas
* Dependent on agriculture
* Agriculture is the source for employment and food security
* Improving agricultural productivity depends on S & T
URBAN POVERTY
* Rural-urban migration increase numbers
* Over 50% of Kenyan urban poor live in absolute poverty
* Associated with slums and unsustainable dwellings
* S & T is needed to plan cities, provide municipal services such as safe drinking water, sanitation, public transport, schools and clinics.
* Cause of poor services may result from inadequate urban planning, lack of investment in infrastructure, speculative investment patterns, and indifference to the needs of the poor.
* Priority areas for improving urban poor require access to improved housing, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health and education.
HEALTH
* Health problems are caused or exacerbated by air and water pollution, noise, crowding, inadequate water supplies, poor sanitation, unsafe waste disposal, chemical contamination, poisoning and physical hazards associated with densely populated cities.
* Poor environmental quality contributes 25 per cent of all preventable diseases.
* Air pollution, ambient, indoor and workplace contribute significantly to respiratory diseases. (Asthma and acute respiratory infection in children, women and the elderly).
* 2.1 million (1.8 million in rural areas) die annually from respiratory illnesses.
* Poorly managed urban settlement and overcrowded housing promote infectious diseases and illicit drug use.
* 300 million clinical malaria cases occur each year with over 1 million deaths.
* Several parasitic conditions cause considerable morbidity and disabilities. (Onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistesomiasis, helminthisias, amoebiasis infect and affect millions.
* HIV/AIDS has had devastating impact on life expectancy.
* 25 million sub-saharan Africans live with HIV/AIDS more than 12 million Africans have died of AIDS (over 2 million in a single year).
* 13.2 million African children have been orphaned.
* S & T contributes to finding health related solutions.