మలావి: కూర్పుల మధ్య తేడాలు
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పంక్తి 187:
2016 లో మాలావిని ఒక కరువు దెబ్బతీసింది. 2017 జనవరిలో దేశంలోని జొంబా పరిసరాలలో చిమటల దండు చోటుచేసుకున్నాయి. చిమటలకు పేదప్రజల ప్రధానాహారమైన మొక్కజొన్న ధాన్యాన్ని తుడిచిపెట్టే సామర్ధ్యం ఉంటుంది.<ref>{{cite news|title=Malawi hit by armyworm outbreak, threatens maize crop|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malawi-grains-armyworms-idUSKBN14W0NT?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews|accessdate=12 January 2017|work=Reuters|date=12 January 2017}}</ref> 2017 జనవరి 14 న చిమటలు 2,000 హెక్టార్ల పంట నాశనం చేయబడిందని, ఇరవై ఎనిమిది జిల్లాలలో 9 జిల్లాలకు చిమటలు విస్తరించాయని వ్యవసాయ శాఖ మంత్రి జార్జ్ చప్పొండ ప్రకటిస్ .<ref>{{cite news|title=Malawi's armyworm outbreak destroys 2,000 hectares: minister|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-malawi-grains-armyworm-idUSKBN14Y0DK?il=0|accessdate=14 January 2017|work=Reuters|date=14 January 2017}}</ref>
==Science and technology==
{{Main|Science and technology in Malawi}}
=== Research trends ===
Malawi devoted 1.06% of GDP to research and development in 2010, according to a survey by the Department of Science and Technology, one of the highest ratios in Africa. This corresponds to $7.8 per researcher (in current purchasing parity dollars).<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
In 2014, Malawian scientists had the same third-largest output in Southern Africa, in terms of articles catalogued in international journals. They published 322 articles in Thomson Reuters' Web of Science (Science Citation Index expanded) that year, almost triple the number in 2005 (116). Only South Africa (9,309) and the United Republic of Tanzania (770) published more in Southern Africa. Malawian scientists publish more in mainstream journals – relative to GDP – than any other country of a similar population size. This is impressive, even if the country's publication density remains modest, with just 19 publications per million inhabitants catalogued in international journals in 2014. The average for sub-Saharan Africa is 20 publications per million inhabitants.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
=== Policy framework ===
[[File:Life sciences and geosciences dominate, Cumulative totals by field, 2008–2014.svg|thumb|Scientific research output in terms of publications in Southern Africa, cumulative totals by field, 2008–2014.<ref>{{Cite book|title= UNESCO Science Report: towards 2030 |date=2015|chapter= Figure 20.6}}</ref>]]
Malawi's first science and technology policy dates from 1991 and was revised in 2002. The ''National Science and Technology Policy'' of 2002 envisaged the establishment of a National Commission for Science and Technology to advise the government and other stakeholders on science and technology-led development. Although the Science and Technology Act of 2003 made provision for the creation of this commission, it only became operational in 2011, with a secretariat resulting from the merger of the Department of Science and Technology and the National Research Council. The Science and Technology Act of 2003 also established a Science and Technology Fund to finance research and studies through government grants and loans but, {{as of|2014|lc=y}}, this was not yet operational. The Secretariat of the National Commission for Science and Technology has reviewed the ''Strategic Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation'' (2011–2015) but, as of early 2015, the revised policy had not yet met with Cabinet approval.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
Malawi is conscious of the need to attract more foreign investment to foster technology transfer, develop human capital and empower the private sector to drive economic growth. In 2012, most foreign investment flowed to infrastructure (62%) and the energy sector (33%). The government has introduced a series of fiscal incentives, including tax breaks, to attract more foreign investors. In 2013, the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre put together an investment portfolio spanning 20 companies in the country's six major economic growth sectors, namely:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
[[File:Researchers (HC) in Southern Africa per million inhabitants, 2013 or closest year.svg|
thumb|Researchers (HC) in Southern Africa per million inhabitants, 2013 or closest year]]
* agriculture;
* manufacturing;
* energy (bio-energy, mobile electricity);
* tourism (ecolodges);
* infrastructure (wastewater services, fibre optic cables, etc.); and
* mining.
[[File:Seychelles and South Africa have the most publications per million inhabitants.svg|
thumb|Scientific publications per million inhabitants in SADC countries in 2014.<ref name=t2030/><ref name="Web">{{Cite book |title= Thomson Reuters' Web of Science, Science Citation Index Expanded}}</ref>]]
In 2013, the government adopted a ''National Export Strategy'' to diversify the country's exports. Production facilities are to be established for a wide range of products within the three selected clusters: oil seed products, sugar cane products and manufacturing. The government estimates that these three clusters have the potential to represent more than 50% of Malawi's exports by 2027. In order to help companies adopt innovative practices and technologies, the strategy makes provision for greater access to the outcome of international research and better information about available technologies; it also helps companies to obtain grants to invest in such technologies from sources such as the country's Export Development Fund and the Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
The Malawi Innovation Challenge Fund is a competitive facility, through which businesses in Malawi's agricultural and manufacturing sectors can apply for grant funding for innovative projects with potential for making a strong social impact and helping the country to diversify its narrow range of exports. The first round of competitive bidding opened in April 2014.The fund is aligned on the three clusters selected within the country's ''National Export Strategy'': oil seed products, sugar cane products and manufacturing. It provides a matching grant of up to 50% to innovative business projects to help absorb some of the commercial risk in triggering innovation. This support should speed up the implementation of new business models and/or the adoption of technologies. The fund is endowed with US$8 million from the United Nations Development Programme and the UK Department for International Development.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />[[File:Scientific publication trends in SADC countries, 2005-2014.svg|thumb|Scientific publication trends in the most productive SADC countries, 2005–2014.<ref name=t2030/>]]
=== Achievements ===
Among the notable achievements stemming from the implementation of national policies for science, technology and innovation in recent years are the:<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
* Establishment, in 2012, of the Malawi University of Science and Technology and the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) to build STI capacity. LUANAR was delinked from the University of Malawi. This brings the number of public universities to four, with the University of Malawi and Mzuzu University;
* Improvement in biomedical research capacity through the five-year Health Research Capacity Strengthening Initiative (2008–2013) awarding research grants and competitive scholarships at PhD, master's and first degree levels, supported by the UK Wellcome Trust and DfID;
* Strides made in conducting cotton confined field trials, with support from the US Program for Biosafety Systems, Monsanto and LUANAR.
* Introduction of ethanol fuel as an alternative fuel to petrol and the adoption of ethanol technology;
* Launch of the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Policy for Malawi in December 2013, to drive the deployment of ICTs in all economic and productive sectors and improve ICT infrastructure in rural areas, especially via the establishment of telecentres; and
* A review of secondary school curricula in 2013.
==Science and technology==
{{Main|Science and technology in Malawi}}
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