Calestous Juma | Harvard University (original) (raw)

Papers by Calestous Juma

This paper argues that although many transgenic crops are still in their early states of adoption... more This paper argues that although many transgenic crops are still in their early states of adoption and even more are being tested and developed, emerging trends show significant societal benefits through positive economic impact (especially by raising farm incomes), fostering food security, and promoting environment sustainability. Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to increase production on existing arable land; reduce losses related to pests, disease, and drought; increase access to food through higher farm incomes; raise nutrition levels; and promote sustainable agriculture. The pipeline includes crops with potential benefits such as enhanced photosynthesis, stress tolerance, aluminum tolerance, salinity tolerance, pest and disease resistance, nitrogen use efficiency, phosphate use efficiency, and nitrogen fixation.

Africa is a youthful continent: nearly 41% of its population is under the age of 18. To address t... more Africa is a youthful continent: nearly 41% of its population is under the age of 18. To address the unique challenges of this demographic structure, the African Union (AU) has adopted a 50-year Agenda 2063 to help guide the socioeconomic transformation of the continent with particular reference to the youth. One of the objectives of Agenda 2063 is to reposition the continent as a strategic player in the global economy through improved education and application of science and technology in development. The AU’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa, 2024 (STISA-2024) provides an initial 10-year framework for pursuing this goal. Achieving the objectives of STISA-2024 will require aligning education, research and innovation with long-term socioeconomic objectives. This paper argues that the AU’s Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology (STC-EST) is well-positioned to play a strategic role in guiding and fostering the reforms needed to improve the integration of education, research and innovation. The paper proposes the creation of “Innovation Universities” that combine research, teaching, community service and commercialization in their missions and operations. They would depart from the common practice where teaching is carried out in universities that do little research, and where research is done in national research institutes that do not undertake teaching. Under this model, there is little connection with productive sectors. The idea therefore is not just to create linkages between those activities but to pursue them in a cordinated way under the same university structure. Innovation universities can be created in diverse fields such as agriculture, health, industry, services, and environment to advance sustainable development and inclusive growth.

Environment, 2002

... The importance of international alliances is illustrated by the evolution of Biocon India, es... more ... The importance of international alliances is illustrated by the evolution of Biocon India, established in 1978 in Ban-galore as a joint venture between Biocon Biochemicals of Ireland and local inter-ests. ... Biocon India supplied food enzymes to US. ...

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, Mar 20, 2015

To expeditiously address fundamental national development needs e.g., health, education, food sec... more To expeditiously address fundamental national development needs e.g., health, education, food security and natural resource management; Kenya needs to invoke space-based technologies. A vibrant domestic space sector further spawns a plethora of other space-related opportunities -congruous with the government's long-term planning strategy; Kenya Vision 2030. We specifically analyse Kenya's technological environment, and then characterize phase-by-phase technological evolution it requires to establish a space sector and become self-reliant in space technology for sustainable development. Kenya needs to build human, organisational and societal capacity through 'leapfrogging' technology transfer mechanisms. Mastering satellite engineering, earth observation and acquiring launch capability constitute the priority areas.

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, Mar 20, 2015

ABSTRACT The absence of adequate infrastructure services is one of the main problems that hinder ... more ABSTRACT The absence of adequate infrastructure services is one of the main problems that hinder efforts to develop Africa. Technology and innovation are the engines of economic growth. With the globalisation of trade and investment, technological capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. While infrastructure development and technological development are two of the most important areas of development policy, practitioners and academics alike tend to consider them as separate issues. The focus of infrastructure development in recent years has shifted from merely construction of physical facilities to appropriate provision of services. Environmental and social factors have become part of infrastructure development and planning. Yet most infrastructure projects are not explicitly linked to technological development efforts.

There is an urgent need to create a new generation of innovation-oriented agricultural that effic... more There is an urgent need to create a new generation of innovation-oriented agricultural that efficiently bring together agricultural research, training, commercialization, and extension. This paper calls for upgrading the training, extension, and commercialization functions of existing national agricultural research institutes (NARIs). This would build on a strong research tradition, ongoing training efforts, connections with the private sector and farmers, and extensive international partnerships. Upgrading NARIs in this manner would also lay the foundation for the emergence of the first generation of research universities in Africa with an initial focus on agriculture. The creation of agricultural innovation universities would serve as a starting point for broader efforts in Africa to strengthen the role of science, technology, and innovation in 2.

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, Mar 20, 2015

... to create enterprises and therefore generate jobs while adding to the growth of the ... The e... more ... to create enterprises and therefore generate jobs while adding to the growth of the ... The educational institutions would help to nurture new enterprises through providing critical services in ... Efforts should be made to create a strong technical foundation through polytechnics, which ...

Science, 2000

This paper reviews the implications of the agreement on Trade- Related Intellectual Property Righ... more This paper reviews the implications of the agreement on Trade- Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) under the World Trade Organization (WTO). It focuses on the national implemention of the TRIPS agreement, technological development, plant variety protection, geopgraphical indications, and biological diversity and the associated indigenous knowledge. The paper argues that efforts to promote compliance with to the TRIPS agreement should

In 2000, world leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration in which they pledged to... more In 2000, world leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration in which they pledged to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the world's people earning less than a dollar a day, suffering from hunger and unable to obtain safe drinking water. This paper argues that meeting these targets will entail concerted efforts to raise economic productivity in the developing world and to redirect research and development (R&D) in the industrialized countries to address problems that affect the developing countries. Doing this will require approaches that place science and technology at the centre of development policy in a world that is marked by extreme disparities in the creation of scientific and technical knowledge. Mobilizing this knowledge to meet the agricultural, health, communication and environmental needs of developing countries will continue to be one of the most important issues in international relations in the years to come. The paper identifies ways of using the world's scientific and technological knowledge to meet the needs of developing countries. More specifically, it examines linkages among science, technology and development; emerging trends in innovation systems;

This paper argues that although many transgenic crops are still in their early states of adoption... more This paper argues that although many transgenic crops are still in their early states of adoption and even more are being tested and developed, emerging trends show significant societal benefits through positive economic impact (especially by raising farm incomes), fostering food security, and promoting environment sustainability. Agricultural biotechnology has the potential to increase production on existing arable land; reduce losses related to pests, disease, and drought; increase access to food through higher farm incomes; raise nutrition levels; and promote sustainable agriculture. The pipeline includes crops with potential benefits such as enhanced photosynthesis, stress tolerance, aluminum tolerance, salinity tolerance, pest and disease resistance, nitrogen use efficiency, phosphate use efficiency, and nitrogen fixation.

Africa is a youthful continent: nearly 41% of its population is under the age of 18. To address t... more Africa is a youthful continent: nearly 41% of its population is under the age of 18. To address the unique challenges of this demographic structure, the African Union (AU) has adopted a 50-year Agenda 2063 to help guide the socioeconomic transformation of the continent with particular reference to the youth. One of the objectives of Agenda 2063 is to reposition the continent as a strategic player in the global economy through improved education and application of science and technology in development. The AU’s Science, Technology and Innovation Strategy for Africa, 2024 (STISA-2024) provides an initial 10-year framework for pursuing this goal. Achieving the objectives of STISA-2024 will require aligning education, research and innovation with long-term socioeconomic objectives. This paper argues that the AU’s Specialized Technical Committee on Education, Science and Technology (STC-EST) is well-positioned to play a strategic role in guiding and fostering the reforms needed to improve the integration of education, research and innovation. The paper proposes the creation of “Innovation Universities” that combine research, teaching, community service and commercialization in their missions and operations. They would depart from the common practice where teaching is carried out in universities that do little research, and where research is done in national research institutes that do not undertake teaching. Under this model, there is little connection with productive sectors. The idea therefore is not just to create linkages between those activities but to pursue them in a cordinated way under the same university structure. Innovation universities can be created in diverse fields such as agriculture, health, industry, services, and environment to advance sustainable development and inclusive growth.

Environment, 2002

... The importance of international alliances is illustrated by the evolution of Biocon India, es... more ... The importance of international alliances is illustrated by the evolution of Biocon India, established in 1978 in Ban-galore as a joint venture between Biocon Biochemicals of Ireland and local inter-ests. ... Biocon India supplied food enzymes to US. ...

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, Mar 20, 2015

To expeditiously address fundamental national development needs e.g., health, education, food sec... more To expeditiously address fundamental national development needs e.g., health, education, food security and natural resource management; Kenya needs to invoke space-based technologies. A vibrant domestic space sector further spawns a plethora of other space-related opportunities -congruous with the government's long-term planning strategy; Kenya Vision 2030. We specifically analyse Kenya's technological environment, and then characterize phase-by-phase technological evolution it requires to establish a space sector and become self-reliant in space technology for sustainable development. Kenya needs to build human, organisational and societal capacity through 'leapfrogging' technology transfer mechanisms. Mastering satellite engineering, earth observation and acquiring launch capability constitute the priority areas.

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, Mar 20, 2015

ABSTRACT The absence of adequate infrastructure services is one of the main problems that hinder ... more ABSTRACT The absence of adequate infrastructure services is one of the main problems that hinder efforts to develop Africa. Technology and innovation are the engines of economic growth. With the globalisation of trade and investment, technological capabilities are a source of competitive advantage. While infrastructure development and technological development are two of the most important areas of development policy, practitioners and academics alike tend to consider them as separate issues. The focus of infrastructure development in recent years has shifted from merely construction of physical facilities to appropriate provision of services. Environmental and social factors have become part of infrastructure development and planning. Yet most infrastructure projects are not explicitly linked to technological development efforts.

There is an urgent need to create a new generation of innovation-oriented agricultural that effic... more There is an urgent need to create a new generation of innovation-oriented agricultural that efficiently bring together agricultural research, training, commercialization, and extension. This paper calls for upgrading the training, extension, and commercialization functions of existing national agricultural research institutes (NARIs). This would build on a strong research tradition, ongoing training efforts, connections with the private sector and farmers, and extensive international partnerships. Upgrading NARIs in this manner would also lay the foundation for the emergence of the first generation of research universities in Africa with an initial focus on agriculture. The creation of agricultural innovation universities would serve as a starting point for broader efforts in Africa to strengthen the role of science, technology, and innovation in 2.

International Journal of Technology and Globalisation, Mar 20, 2015

... to create enterprises and therefore generate jobs while adding to the growth of the ... The e... more ... to create enterprises and therefore generate jobs while adding to the growth of the ... The educational institutions would help to nurture new enterprises through providing critical services in ... Efforts should be made to create a strong technical foundation through polytechnics, which ...

Science, 2000

This paper reviews the implications of the agreement on Trade- Related Intellectual Property Righ... more This paper reviews the implications of the agreement on Trade- Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) under the World Trade Organization (WTO). It focuses on the national implemention of the TRIPS agreement, technological development, plant variety protection, geopgraphical indications, and biological diversity and the associated indigenous knowledge. The paper argues that efforts to promote compliance with to the TRIPS agreement should

In 2000, world leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration in which they pledged to... more In 2000, world leaders adopted the United Nations Millennium Declaration in which they pledged to halve, by 2015, the proportion of the world's people earning less than a dollar a day, suffering from hunger and unable to obtain safe drinking water. This paper argues that meeting these targets will entail concerted efforts to raise economic productivity in the developing world and to redirect research and development (R&D) in the industrialized countries to address problems that affect the developing countries. Doing this will require approaches that place science and technology at the centre of development policy in a world that is marked by extreme disparities in the creation of scientific and technical knowledge. Mobilizing this knowledge to meet the agricultural, health, communication and environmental needs of developing countries will continue to be one of the most important issues in international relations in the years to come. The paper identifies ways of using the world's scientific and technological knowledge to meet the needs of developing countries. More specifically, it examines linkages among science, technology and development; emerging trends in innovation systems;

The aim of this report is to share lessons learned from the past five decades of development prac... more The aim of this report is to share lessons learned from the past five decades of development practices. It is not a collection of recommendations of what countries should do but a source of ideas on how to approach development challenges. It emphasizes the need to create space for policy experimentation and learning in developing countries. Development is largely an expression of local initiative and international partnership; it cannot be sustained without local ownership and champions.

This collection of essays by key experts in the field of international development looks at the r... more This collection of essays by key experts in the field of international development looks at the role of science, technology and innovation in encouraging a risk-taking, problem solving approach to development cooperation in Africa. This year has seen an unprecedented determination by the world’s richest nations to engage with the development of the poorest. The report of the Commission for Africa, chaired by Prime Minister Tony Blair, Our Common Interest, set out the themes that dominated the G8’s discussions at Gleneagles over the summer, while a mass movement, in the form of the ‘Make Poverty History’ campaign, affirmed that the political agenda was matched by a widespread public demand for action. Central to this transformative agenda will be the role of science, technology and innovation, both as a driver of economic growth within the developing countries and as a core element in nurturing managerial and governance competencies.

The New Harvest argues that Africa can feed itself in a generation and help contribute to global ... more The New Harvest argues that Africa can feed itself in a generation and help contribute to global food security despite its history of persistent food shortages and the rising threat of climate change. To achieve this, the continent must harness scientific and technological advances, invest in infrastructure, foster higher technical training, and create regional markets. It must also produce a new crop of entrepreneurial leaders dedicated to the continent's economic improvement.
This new edition provides ideas on how to place agriculture at the center of the continent's long-term economic transformation. It demonstrates how policy coordination can help realize agriculture's full potential as a motherboard for other economic activities. Incorporating lessons from academia, government, civil society, and private industry, The New Harvest outlines how African countries can work together at regional levels to generate new knowledge and resources, harness technological advancement, encourage entrepreneurship, increase agricultural output, create markets, and improve overall economic performance.