Salima, 29th November 2023 – The Government of Malawi is pleased to announce the hosting of the 6th Southern African Development Community (SADC) Regional Policy Workshop on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), scheduled to take place from November 29 to December 1, 2023, at the Sunbird Livingstonia Beach Hotel in Salima. This landmark regional event will unfold under the theme, “Leveraging Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the Agro-processing and Pharmaceutical Value Chains for Industrial Development”.
Initiated by the SADC Secretariat in 2004, these biennial workshops serve as a platform for policy exchange and expert discussions on Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS). In its simplest form, IKS encompasses the unique, traditional and locally developed knowledge that indigenous communities pass down through generations. This knowledge, deeply rooted in cultural heritage, plays a vital role in shaping sustainable practices and community resilience, covering areas such as environment, natural resources, agriculture and health.
Building on the success of the previous workshops, it was unanimously decided at the fifth policy workshop in Botswana that Malawi would host the sixth edition. Aligned with the SADC Protocol on Science, Technology and Innovation of 2008, which underscores the importance of developing, valuing and promoting IKS and technologies, this workshop plays a crucial role in promoting dialogue and knowledge sharing regarding the development and implementation of national IKS policies by SADC Member States.
The workshop provides a platform for experts drawn from diverse fields to engage in panel discussions focusing on various IKS policy issues, such as funding mechanisms, intellectual property protection of indigenous knowledge, indigenous knowledge research and commercialisation, culture and heritage.
Objectives of the 6th Regional Policy Workshop on IKS
1. Creating awareness: To disseminate and publicise SADC Policy tools and instruments in order to raise awareness about the opportunities and benefits of investing in IKS in the region.
2. Policy development: To expedite the development of national IKS policies, share progress and address challenges encountered by SADC Member States in developing and implementing the national IKS policies.
3. Implementation strategies: To develop strategies for implementing approved SADC policy tools, including the Resource Mobilisation Toolkit, Research Ethics Guidelines, IKS Policy Guidelines and Action Plan, and Guidelines on the Operationalisation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing in the SADC Region.
4. Harmonisation: To harmonise the Regional Guidelines on the Operationalisation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing with the African Union Guidelines, thus ensuring coordinated implementation across Africa.
5. Regional strategy: To consider the draft Regional Strategy on IKS and the Awareness and Advocacy Programme of Action.
6. Showcasing innovations: To showcase IKS products, services, innovations, technologies and knowledge from within the SADC region.
7. Infrastructure development: To map a regional strategy for investing in research and innovation infrastructure in order to scale up support for IKS within SADC Member States.
Participants
The workshop will bring together an array of stakeholders, including government representatives from SADC Member States, academia, independent researchers and research organizations, international agencies, indigenous knowledge holders, schools, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), private sector entities (tourism, museums, cosmetics, food and pharmaceuticals), regional and continental institutions, and the media.
Outcomes
The workshop aims to produce an updated status on the progress of national IKS Policy development by SADC Member States and foster collaboration among stakeholders for the advancement of Indigenous Knowledge Systems in the region and on the African continent.
CHIKONDANO C. MUSSA
SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION
About SADC
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is a regional intergovernmental organization that promotes sustainable and equitable socio-economic development in the Southern African region.
It was inspiring to witness the encouragement of technology innovation in our nation through NCST & UNDP
Congratulations to the four remarkable winners:
1. Daniel Kwizombwe – Eka Lite LED bulbs production
2. Nouriceutic Foods – The Cabinet dehydrator
3. Benedictor Kankhulungo – Unified Electrical Power Amplifier production
4. Joshua John – House Power Banks
Each winner will be granted 10 million kwacha, a well-deserved recognition for their innovative contributions, promising a brighter future for technology in Malawi.
1.0 BACKGROUND
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) was established under the Science and Technology Act No.16 of 2003 with the mandate to advise the Government and other stakeholders on all science and technology matters in order to achieve a science and technology-led development. Its Mission is to promote, support, co-ordinate and regulate the development and application of research, science, technology and innovation so as to create wealth in order to improve the quality of life. By its mandate and mission, NCST has secured a research grant from the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) one of the Collaborating Technical Agencies (CTAs) of Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Sub-Saharan Africa. This Grant will enable the Commission to support and manage research and innovation projects in climate change adaptation and mitigation interventions. The SGCI is supported by a consortium of funders, namely; Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF), the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), NORAD and German Research Foundation.
2.0 RATIONALE AND SCOPE OF THE CALL
Climate change is affecting every region on earth in different ways. Existing evidence confirms an unprecedented rise in the incidence of climate-led stressors, which are increasing with additional warming, including, but not limited to heat waves, longer warm seasons, shorter cold seasons, more intense rainfall and associated flooding, erratic rainfall, more intense drought, severe storms, land-slides, sea level rise, wildfires, and desertification. These stressors have exacerbated exposure to conditions such as non-optimal temperatures (especially heat), reduced air quality, food and water systems disruption, migration and internal displacements, resource conflicts, disrupted healthcare systems, and changes in infectious agents. Apparently, most of these effects have been pronounced in the less developed countries, which have not contributed to its cause.
These climate shifts will continue to worsen in many places for decades to come. This calls for urgent attention to identify effective management practices that can mitigate public risks and consequences due to climate change through Research and Development. Research and Development in climate change will assist to mitigate the impact of climate change by improving disaster response, prediction models of climatic changes and expected effects and mitigation and optimizing resource management. The call will assist to support economic resilience, develop environmental sustainability and reduce vulnerabilities among communities.
3.0 THEMATIC FOCUS
Research and innovation project proposals that demonstrate public and private partnership in the following areas will be supported;
4.0 INCLUSION IN THE PROPOSAL
i. Cross-cutting considerations
The proposal should demonstrate how sex, gender equality and inclusivity, public-private partnerships, risk management and intellectual property issues will be addressed in the project. Research projects led by female principal investigators are strongly encouraged. More weight will be given to a team that has female co-investigators during the review and selection process of the projects.
ii. Results and Dissemination
Applicants should clearly define the major outputs expected from the research project and describe how the research findings will be disseminated or used. Who are the target audience/ beneficiaries? How will the findings be used to influence policy and practice? What media engagements plans are envisaged? Indicate how open access will be fostered. Relate the specific dissemination method/approach to the target audience and briefly explain the rationale for the choice of the approach.
iii. Team composition from applicant organizations
All individuals who make a significant contribution to the intellectual direction of the research, and who may have some responsibility for financial aspects of the project should be listed. Team members from applicant organisations should be included. It is important to include the field of expertise of each individual, as well as the percentage of their professional time committed to the project. CVs of the research team members should be included and each one of them should not be more than 5 pages. Letters of support from the institutions of the Principal Investigator should be included.
iv. Budget
The budget should include an explanation and justification for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet. The maximum budget must not exceed the grant value. Presentation of detailed budgets is a must. Any allowable costs should include a clarification and a justification. All rates to be used for the budgeting purpose are the ones acceptable by the respective institutions of the Principal Investigators hosting the projects. Some of the project downstream budgetary items could include the following:
Provide a chart of key activities, timelines and key milestones.
vi. Ethical clearance
Where the project involves human participants and animal subjects, the Principal Investigator shall obtain ethical clearance from an appropriate NCST designated research ethics committee before any grant disbursement and implementation of the project. NCST will also ensure that the ethically cleared research projects have been inspected for ethical compliance in the field besides the ordinary monitoring and evaluation.
vii. Project Governance
Briefly describe the project’s governance. What is the make-up of the research team, their background, and their specific responsibilities in the project under consideration? Describe any plans for partnerships with other colleges or research centers. How will the project’s beneficiaries or the private sector be involved in its planning, management, and execution?
NB: The project team composition should include early career researchers, women and young innovators.
5.0 FUNDING LEVEL
The maximum grant value for each research project proposal is K30,000,000. Each research project will be implemented for a period not exceeding seventeen months (17 months) from 1st December 2023 to 30th March 2025.
Permissible budget items include the following:
Note: Salaries of PIs and other human resources involved in the implementation of the project are not eligible costs.
6.0 ELIGIBILITY
(a) Each proposal must have a principal investigator as a main applicant, based in Malawi. The Principal Investigator will bear the overall responsibility for the project, including its technical and administrative co-ordination as well as the timely delivery of scientific and financial reports.
(b) Applicants should be from public and private research and higher learning institutions in Malawi. Support letters from the host institutions of the Principal Investigators is a prerequisite. Proposals without institutional approval through support letters will not be considered;
(c) The Grant will fund only applied research projects in the listed thematic areas. Research proposals shall need to demonstrate the application of scientific principles or basic scientific discoveries to solve real life challenges. Basic or purely theoretical research will not be considered.
(d) The Principal Investigator at the point of application must fulfil the following requirements:
(e) The project management team should comprise of atleast 30 percent female members; and
(f)The project team should include atleast one early career researcher and atleast one young innovator.
7.0 PROPOSAL PREPARATION, SUBMISSION AND PROCESSING
Applicants are expected to pay particular attention to all the details provided in the Guidelines. Applicants must submit the following:
All attachments must be in PDF format.
The mode of application and submission of the full application package (i.e. with all the required attachments) shall primarily be through the web-based online grants management system of both NCST at https://grants.ncst.mw/; research proposals submitted via email will NOT be accepted under this Grant scheme.
8.0 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
The set deadline for submission of proposals is 8th November 2023 at 16:30 Central Africa Time.
9. 0 CONTACT INFORMATION
Any enquiries from Malawi researchers should be directed to kgondwe@ncst.mw
1.0 BACKGROUND
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) is a parastatal organisation created by the Science and Technology Act number 16 of 2003. Its Mission is to promote, support, co-ordinate and regulate the development and application of research, science, technology and innovation so as to create wealth in order to improve the quality of life. The Act establishes a Science and Technology Fund under Section 24 whose main object is to advance science and technology in Malawi. To achieve this objective, the Commission has set aside funds from the Fund to support innovation projects in the electronics sector through Technology and Innovation Grants (TIGs). The aim of the TIGs is to promote the commercialisation of locally produced innovative technologies and support development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) for wealth creation and sustainable development.
The Commission therefore is calling upon interested and eligible individuals or institutions to respond.
2.0 RATIONALE
Developing and maintaining infrastructure to support production of electronic devices in Malawi remains a persistent challenge. For instance, Malawi’s imports on electrical and electronic equipment in 2022 totaled to US$240 million (United Nations, 2023). This just shows how much money Malawi is allocating to electronic imports. Malawi 2063 acknowledges that industrialization is central to inclusive wealth creation and self-reliance through creation of secondary industries that will enhance import substitution and export growth.
It is against this background that NCST would like to support innovation projects in electronics. TIGs will support institutions and individuals that have technological innovations (where innovation means something new or better) that have a demonstrable viable business model.
3.0 SCOPE
The grant will support activities in the following categories:
3.1 Product Manufacturing:
This includes the following activities:
3.1.1Acquisition of equipment for technology production and/or distribution
3.1.2 Product design improvements
3.2 Product Distribution and Marketing
This includes the following activities:
3.2.1 Organising product demonstration event in target market
3.2.2 Replication of industry-ready prototypes to meet market need
Note: TIGs will not support research activities to establish proof of concept.
4.0 THEMATIC FOCUS
The Commission will support projects in the fields of electronics with demonstrable innovativeness, contribution to import-substitution, value addition, scalability, and social benefit.
5.0 FUNDING LEVEL AND DURATION
The maximum grant value for each category is Ten Million Malawi Kwacha (MK10,000,000.00). Each project will be implemented for a period not exceeding twelve months (12 months) from 1st November 2023 to 30th October, 2024.
Permissible budget items include the following: purchase of equipment and raw material if they are directly linked to the project, project related travel expenses or third party charges; direct costs incurred through the use of infrastructure linked to the project; costs of organising marketing events in connection with the funded project.
Ineligible costs include Salaries, rentals, maintenance of fleet, purchasing of vehicles and office furniture are not eligible costs.
All budgets should be presented on the budget template in the guidelines found on www.ncst.mw/tigs_guidelines/ Co-funding of projects is encouraged.
6.0 ELIGIBILITY
Innovators, technologists, and institutions wishing to apply for the technology and innovation grants must be:
6.1 Malawian nationals or other technologists and innovators working with Malawian nationals
6.2 Malawian-owned institutions operating and registered in Malawi
6.3 Projects that demonstrate use of over 60% locally available resources
6.4 Led by a project leader as a main applicant, based in Malawi and of Malawi origin. The Project leader will bear the overall responsibility for the project, including its technical and administrative co-ordination as well as the timely delivery of technical and financial reports.
6.5 Supported by a letter from the host institutions of the project leader where the applicant is an institution. Proposals without institutional approval through support letters will not be considered.
6.6 Innovative projects in the electronics thematic area.
6.7 Projects that demonstrate the application of scientific principles
6.8 Projects that demonstrate a viable business model for taking the product to the market and solving real life challenges.
Application guidelines are available on www.ncst.mw/tigs_guidelines/
NB: It is acceptable for an individual, group of individuals or institution to apply for technology and innovation grants for more than one project.
7.0 HOW TO APPLY
Applicants must submit the following:
7.1 A filled project application form in the guidelines document which can be accessed through the following link: www.ncst.mw/tigs_guidelines/
7.2 All the required documents as requested in the application form.
7.3 The full proposals should be submitted electronically to directorgeneral@ncst.mw with a copy to nrdc@ncst.mw with the subject heading: “Full Proposal in Technology and Innovations Grants (2023)” clearly specified.
8.0 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
The deadline for submission of proposals is 10th October, 2023 at 12 mid-night, Central African time.
Call Opening Date: 13th July, 2023
Call Closing Date: 14th August, 2023
1.0 BACKGROUND
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) of the Republic of Malawi, the National Science and Technology Council of Zambia (NSTC) and the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) are participating in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) Phase II-plus. During this phase, NCST, NSTC and RCZ are jointly administering a Grant aimed at managing collaborative research calls in the application of artificial intelligence in agriculture and health service delivery in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The collaborative research call will be funded by the African Centre for Technology Studies.
Under this collaborative agreement, NCST, NSTC and RCZ aim to strengthen research collaborations between researchers in the three countries on application of artificial intelligence in agriculture and delivery of health services. It is the vision of this joint collaboration to strengthen the sustainability of health and agricultural systems through artificial intelligence in pursuance of sustainable economies and societies.
2.0 RATIONALE AND SCOPE OF THE JOINT CALL
In a bid to promote the utilisation of emerging technologies in the socio-economic development of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe there is need to leverage these technologies on our existing capacities so as to improve livelihoods. Research collaborations on artificial intelligence in health and agriculture can drive innovation, solve real-world challenges, and bridge the gap between research and implementation. In that regard, the contribution of artificial intelligence in generating sectoral and organizational efficacies and efficiencies is key to developing nations which seek immediate solutions their health and agriculture systems. By bringing together experts from various national boundaries, diverging fields and involving industry stakeholders from the three countries in the research process, it is envisaged that this programme can develop more effective and practical artificial intelligence based solutions that have the potential to transform the health and agriculture sectors of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
3.0 THEMATIC FOCUS
Researchers in the area of artificial intelligence directed to health and agriculture in Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe will collaborate to prepare trilateral research proposals focusing on artificial intelligence application either in health systems or agriculture. Project proposals submitted under this call may include, but are not limited to, the following research areas:
4.0 EXPECTED OUTCOMES
It is expected that interventions of the projects will improve the utilization of emergent technologies in the above stated areas of health and agriculture sectors of Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Projects should also aim within their proposed duration to enhance the capacity of researchers and relevant sectors in the practicability of artificial intelligence.
5.0 FUNDING LEVEL
The budget limit for project activities in the proposal will be not more than the local equivalent of USD 45,000.00for the research team in Malawi and Zambia, while in Zimbabwe the budget limit for project activities will be USD 45,000.00. Budget modalities will include three separate budgets, one for each team representative of their respective countries. Collaborative research projects will be implemented for a period not exceeding nineteen months (19 months) from 2nd October 2023 to 31st July, 2025. Permissible budget items include the following:
Cost limits for the different research activity categories will include the following percentage of the budget.
Note: Salaries of applicants are not eligible costs, however, man-hours for research activities like lab tasks or participant interviewing are eligible under personnel costs.
6.0 ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA
7.0 PROPOSAL PREPARATION
These guidelines are provided to researchers to develop proposals for possible funding in artificial intelligence applicability in agriculture and health within the above-mentioned thematic areas. Failure to adhere to these guidelines would result in the disqualification of the proposal. Submission of a research proposal does not guarantee funding.
A multi-disciplinary inter-institutional group of scientists from the three countries and from the region with skills and experience in artificial intelligence will be appointed as an independent panel of reviewers. These reviewers may also be called upon to contribute to the assessment of the progress and performance of funded projects. The review process will be be two staged, the first stage will be revuew by external experts and the second stage will be by the Joint Research Management Committee.
Research projects that show potential for high impact at grass root within the project time line at a reasonable cost will be given high priority. Projects that emphasise technology identification and generation, packaging and dissemination for immediate impact on investment and productivity are encouraged. The applicants are requested to use Times New Roman font, size 12, 1.5-line spacing using the Research Proposal Template (Annexure 1).
8.0 NCST-NSTC-RCZ EXPECTATIONS FOR INCLUSION IN THE PROPOSAL TEMPLATE
1.Cross-cutting considerations
The proposal should demonstrate how gender equality and inclusivity, public-private partnerships, risk management and intellectual property issues will be addressed in the project. The researchers to also briefly indicate the sustainability plans of their projects after completion of the funding. Submissions of research projects led by women Principal Investigators are strongly encouraged.
2. Results and Dissemination
Applicants should clearly define the major outputs expected from the research project and describe how the research findings will be disseminated or used. Who are the target audience/ beneficiaries? How will the findings be used to influence policy and practice? What media engagements plans are envisaged? Indicate how open access will be fostered. Relate the specific dissemination method/approach to the target audience and briefly explain the rationale for the choice of the approach.
3. Team composition from applicant organizations
All individuals who make a significant contribution to the intellectual direction of the research, and who may have some responsibility for financial aspects of the project should be listed. Team members from applicant organisations should be included. It is important to include the field of expertise of each individual, as well as the percentage of their professional time committed to the project. Do not include CVs of the entire research team, but include a one or two paged CV for the Principal Investigators. Letters of support from the institutions of the PI should be included.
4. Budget
This should include an explanation and justification for each line item in the detailed budget spreadsheet. The maximum budget is as stated in section 5.0 above. Presentation of detailed budgets is a must. Any personnel costs should include a clarification of the roles and responsibilities of key researchers and percentage of time devoted to the project. The research grant will not cover salaries for the project team members. All rates to be used for the budgeting purpose are the ones acceptable by the respective institutions of the Principal Investigators hosting the projects. Some of the project downstream budgetary items could include the following:
Briefly explain how the project will be governed. What is the composition of the research team, their qualifications and specific roles in the proposed project? Describe how any partnership is planned with other universities/ research institutes? How will the private sector or beneficiaries be involved in the design/management/execution of the project? What is the role of the university’s/institute’s management (if any) and how might this governance structure influence the success of the programme?
Provide a chart of key activities, timelines and key milestones.
5. Monitoring and Evaluation
ACTS, NCST, NSTC and RCZ will be responsible for monitoring and evaluation. Successful applicants will be provided with Reporting Templates to aide monitoring and evaluation.
6.Ethical clearance
Where the project involves human participants and animal subjects, the Principal Investigator in the respective country shall obtain ethical clearance from an appropriate NCST, NSTC and RCZ designated research ethics committee before any grant disbursement and implementation of the project. NCST, NSTC and RCZ will also ensure that the ethically cleared research projects have been inspected for ethical compliance in the field besides the ordinary monitoring and evaluation.
9.0 SUBMISSION AND PROCESSING OF PROPOSALS
The mode of application and submission of the full application package (i.e with all the required attachments) shall primarily be through the web-based online grants management system of both NCST at https://grants.ncst.mw/; RCZ at https://rczgrants.org/ and NSTC at https://nstcms.nstc.org.zm/web/. Application packages submitted via email will NOT be accepted under this Grant scheme.
The deadline for submission is 14th August, 2023 at 17:00 Central Africa Time. Application documents uploaded on the Online Grant Management System must include full proposal; project team CVs; work plan; and budget. All attachments must be in PDF.
10. CONTACT INFORMATION
Any enquiries from Malawi researchers should be directed to Mr Kondwani Gondwe at kgondwe@ncst.mw. Enquiries from Zimbabwe researchers should be sent to Ms Zolisa Gumede at zgumede@rcz.ac.zw .Enquiries from Zambia should be sent to Atridah Mulonga on srf@nstc.org.zm.
11. IMPORTANT DATES
Call Opening Date: 26th June, 2023
Call Closing Date: 25th July, 2023
Introduction
OFAB-Malawi Chapter is calling for entries from all journalists reporting on sustainable agricultural biotechnologies for the OFAB Annual Media Awards for 2023. The Awards will be at OFAB-Malawi Chapter level and later culminate into the OFAB-Africa Media Awards.
The OFAB-Malawi Chapter is hosted by the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) with support from African Agricultural Technology Foundation (AATF). NCST was established by the Science and Technology Act No.16 of 2003 as an umbrella body responsible for promoting, supporting, coordinating and regulating the development and application of research, science, technology and innovation in order to create wealth and improve the quality of life. Over the years, NCST has played major roles in setting up biotechnology and biosafety frameworks and supported research and innovation for genetically modified crops in the country. These are in line with the aspirations of the country through both MIP-1 and MW 2063, which recognises the role of science, technology and innovation, in the attainment of the three key pillars namely: Agriculture Productivity and Commercialisation, Industrialisation and Urbanisation for creation of an inclusively wealthy and self-reliant nation.
The AATF is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to facilitate sustainable access of agricultural technologies to smallholder farmers in Sub-Saharan Africa. Driven by a vision of sustainable food security and agriculture-driven economic development in Africa, AATF established Open Forum on Agricultural Biotechnology (OFAB) in 2006, to enhances knowledge and awareness on agricultural biotechnology and to build understanding of the technology and inform decision making.
About OFAB
OFAB operates in ten countries: Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Ghana, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Rwanda, Mozambique, and Malawi. It is a partnership platform that contributes to creation of an enabling environment for biotechnology research, development, and deployment for the benefit of smallholder farmers in Africa. The OFAB-Malawi Chapter is therefore, critical in bridging the information gap, between the scientists, farmers, and the general public.
About OFAB Media Awards (OMAs)
The OFAB Media Awards (OMAs) are aimed at recognizing exemplary journalism that exhibits best practices in credible science reporting that is crucial to better public understanding and acceptance of sciences, technologies and innovations that are needed to transform African agriculture for food security, sustainable development and poverty eradication.
The specific objectives of the Awards are to; i) promote excellence in science journalism and appreciate the contribution of journalists in promoting sustainable agricultural technologies particularly agricultural biotechnology and ii) reward the critical roles played by journalists in promoting constructive dialogue on modern biotechnology through responsible, professional, ethical, and effective reporting.
The OFAB-Chapter Awards culminates into the OFAB Africa Media Awards contest that brings together OFAB country level finalists from which the overall winners are selected in the categories of: Television, Radio and Print & Online.
Eligibility
Scoring
An independent judging committee will select the winning entries based on:
Prizes
Each category will produce 1) category winner, 2) runner-up. The winners of each category will be eligible to participate in OFAB Africa Media Wards (OMAs) scheduled for end of the year in the country to be announced. The following prizes will be given:
Submission Modalities
Journalists are encouraged to ensure the following when submitting their entries:
Call Opening Date:26th June, 2023
Call Closing Date: 25th July, 2023
1.0 BACKGROUND
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) was established under the Science and Technology Act No.16 of 2003 with the mandate to advise the Government and other stakeholders on all science and technology matters in order to achieve a science and technology-led development. Its Mission is to promote, support, co-ordinate and regulate the development and application of research, science, technology and innovation so as to create wealth in order to improve the quality of life. By its mandate and mission, NCST has secured a research grant under SGCI Phase II-plus from the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Sub-Saharan Africa and Malawi Government through the Science and Technology Fund. The Grant will enable the Commission to support and manage research and innovation projects in Renewable Energy, Aquaculture and Fisheries under the public and private partnership approach. The SGCI is supported by a consortium of funders, namely; Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF), the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), NORAD and German Research Foundation.
2.0 RATIONALE AND SCOPE OF THE CALL
Renewable energy, Aquaculture and Fisheries are some of the national research priority areas in the National Research Agenda. The research projects to be funded under this grant will follow the public and private partnership (PPP) approach. The key defining feature of the PPP approach is its deliberate emphasis on the need to move from research to innovation. Whereas the universities and research institutes have been generating technologies and other research outputs, translating these into commercial products that could spur socio-economic development have been slow. These grants are, thus, designed to break the barriers to the uptake and application of research for socio-economic development by facilitating universities and research institutes to be the champions of the process of translating outputs of their research (e.g. new technologies, new varieties, prototypes, new business models) into products and services in the market place. To achieve this, NCST will provide grants to fund research projects that will involve collaborations between public research institutions with other actors who are not their traditional partners (particularly, the private sector). The grant will also promote multi-disciplinary approach for teams of experts from diverse disciplines to work together on an identified research problem in the priority areas of research. The involvement of the private sector is key to the success of this call management. The private sector will be expected to support the process through additional financing and other forms including sharing of equipment; faculty members and student placements, secondments and internships; etc. In return, the private sector will gain access to expertise within the universities and research institutions; aid in the renewal and expansion of technology; improve access to students as potential employees and leverage internal research capabilities.
3.0 THEMATIC FOCUS
Research project proposals that demonstrate public and private partnership in the following areas will be supported;
4.0 FUNDING LEVEL
The maximum grant value for each research project proposal is MK32,797,710.00. Each research project will be implemented for a period not exceeding twenty-two months (22 months) from 1st September 2023 to 30th June, 2025. Permissible budget items include the following:
Note: Salaries of applicants are not eligible costs.
5.0 ELIGIBILITY
Application guidelines are available on www.ncst.mw/pppnewsgciphasetwo.
6.0 PROPOSAL PREPARATION, SUBMISSION AND PROCESSING
Guidelines for proposal preparation and submission are provided in the Application Guidelines that are downloadable on www.ncst.mw/pppnewsgciphasetwo. Applicants are expected to pay particular attention to all the details provided in the Guidelines.
7.0 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
25th July, 2023 at 16:30 Central Africa Time.
8. 0 CONTACT INFORMATION
Any enquiries from Malawi researchers should be directed to Mr Lyson Kampira at lkampira@ncst.mw
CALL FOR RESEARCH PROPOSALS UNDER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP IN RENEWABLE ENERGY, AQUACULTURE AND FISHERIES
Call Opening Date:26th June, 2023
Call Closing Date: 25th July, 2023
1.0 BACKGROUND
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) was established under the Science and Technology Act No.16 of 2003 with the mandate to advise the Government and other stakeholders on all science and technology matters in order to achieve a science and technology-led development. Its Mission is to promote, support, co-ordinate and regulate the development and application of research, science, technology and innovation so as to create wealth in order to improve the quality of life. By its mandate and mission, NCST has secured a research grant under SGCI Phase II-plus from the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) in Sub-Saharan Africa and Malawi Government through the Science and Technology Fund. The Grant will enable the Commission to support and manage research and innovation projects in Renewable Energy, Aquaculture and Fisheries under the public and private partnership approach. The SGCI is supported by a consortium of funders, namely; Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF), the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), NORAD and German Research Foundation.
2.0 RATIONALE AND SCOPE OF THE CALL
Renewable energy, Aquaculture and Fisheries are some of the national research priority areas in the National Research Agenda. The research projects to be funded under this grant will follow the public and private partnership (PPP) approach. The key defining feature of the PPP approach is its deliberate emphasis on the need to move from research to innovation. Whereas the universities and research institutes have been generating technologies and other research outputs, translating these into commercial products that could spur socio-economic development have been slow. These grants are, thus, designed to break the barriers to the uptake and application of research for socio-economic development by facilitating universities and research institutes to be the champions of the process of translating outputs of their research (e.g. new technologies, new varieties, prototypes, new business models) into products and services in the market place. To achieve this, NCST will provide grants to fund research projects that will involve collaborations between public research institutions with other actors who are not their traditional partners (particularly, the private sector). The grant will also promote multi-disciplinary approach for teams of experts from diverse disciplines to work together on an identified research problem in the priority areas of research. The involvement of the private sector is key to the success of this call management. The private sector will be expected to support the process through additional financing and other forms including sharing of equipment; faculty members and student placements, secondments and internships; etc. In return, the private sector will gain access to expertise within the universities and research institutions; aid in the renewal and expansion of technology; improve access to students as potential employees and leverage internal research capabilities.
3.0 THEMATIC FOCUS
Research project proposals that demonstrate public and private partnership in the following areas will be supported;
4.0 FUNDING LEVEL
The maximum grant value for each research project proposal is MK32,797,710.00. Each research project will be implemented for a period not exceeding twenty-two months (22 months) from 1st September 2023 to 30th June, 2025. Permissible budget items include the following:
Note: Salaries of applicants are not eligible costs.
5.0 ELIGIBILITY
Application guidelines are available on www.ncst.mw/pppnewsgciphasetwo.
6.0 PROPOSAL PREPARATION, SUBMISSION AND PROCESSING
Guidelines for proposal preparation and submission are provided in the Application Guidelines that are downloadable on www.ncst.mw/pppnewsgciphasetwo. Applicants are expected to pay particular attention to all the details provided in the Guidelines.
7.0 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
25th July, 2023 at 16:30 Central Africa Time.
8. 0 CONTACT INFORMATION
Any enquiries from Malawi researchers should be directed to Mr Lyson Kampira at lkampira@ncst.mw
Call Opening Date: 26th June, 2023
Call Closing Date: 25th July, 2023
1.0 BACKGROUND
The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) of the Republic of Malawi and the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) are participating in the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) Phase II-plus. Participation in the SGCI Phase II-plus builds on the previous SGCI Phase II objective of seeking to strengthen the capacities of Science Granting Councils (SGCs) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) concerned with the support of research and evidence-based policies that will contribute to socio-economic development. SGCI Phase II-plus will continue to focus on the management of research and innovation projects.
During this phase, NCST and RCZ are jointly administering a Grant aimed at managing collaborative research calls in emerging technologies and development in Malawi and Zimbabwe. The Grant will support and manage research in Agricultural Biotechnology conducted in both Malawi and Zimbabwe under the auspices of the SGCI. The Initiative is jointly funded by the Foreign and Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC), South Africa’s National Research Foundation (NRF), Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), NORAD and German Research Foundation.
2.0 RATIONALE AND SCOPE OF THE JOINT CALL
The transition to knowledge-based economies has put the role of knowledge at the pinnacle of trade, investments, and manufacturing. In that regard, the contribution of the knowledge generating organizations, their linkages with the private sector, the potential for knowledge exchange and technology transfer has become central to socio-economic development in Africa.
In order to promote the co-creation and exchange of knowledge to boost agricultural productivity in the two countries, the NCST and RCZ have instituted a Collaborative Research Grant in Agricultural Biotechnology. The grant, has been established through a co-fund between the SGCs, NCST and RCZ with the aim of supporting Agricultural Biotechnology research projects identified by the National Research Priority Areas in both countries.
3.0 THEMATIC FOCUS
Researchers in the area of Agriculture Biotechnology in both countries will collaborate to prepare joint research proposals focusing on either Plant or Animal Biotechnology. Project proposals submitted under this call may include, but are not limited to, the following research areas:
4.0 EXPECTED OUTCOMES
It is expected that interventions of the projects will improve co-creation and exchange of knowledge to boost agricultural productivity in Malawi and Zimbabwe. Projects should also aim within their proposed duration to enhance the capacity of researchers in areas including biotechnology research analysis skills.
5.0 FUNDING LEVEL
The budget limit for project activities in the proposal will be not more than MK32,797,710 for the research team in Malawi and budget limit for project activities for the research team in Zimbabwe will be the local equivalent of USD 30,000.00. Budget modalities will include two separate budgets, one for each team representative of their respective countries. Collaborative research projects will be implemented for a period not exceeding twenty-two months (22 months) from 1st September 2023 to 30th June, 2025. Permissible budget items include the following:
Note: Salaries of applicants are not eligible costs.
6.0 ELIGIBILITY
Each proposal must have at least one Principal Investigator as a main applicant based in Malawi and one Principal Investigator as a main applicant based in Zimbabwe. These are the Principal Investigators on the Malawian and Zimbabwean sides, respectively. The Principal Investigators will bear the overall responsibility for the project, including its technical and administrative co-ordination as well as the timely delivery of scientific and financial reports.
Applications are open to bona fide researchers from public research and/and or higher learning institutions in both Malawi and Zimbabwe. Researchers from the Private Sector and Non-profit Organisations registered in Malawi and Zimbabwe are eligible to apply but in collaboration with researchers in public research and/or higher learning institutions in both Malawi and Zimbabwe.
Support letters from the Malawi and Zimbabwe host institutions of the Principal Investigators are a prerequisite. Proposals without institutional approval through support letters will not be considered.
Application guidelines are available on www.grants.ncst.mw and http://www.rcz.ac.zw/application-forms/ for eligibility and other application requirements.
7.0 GENERAL WRITING GUIDELINES
NCST and RCZ particularly encourage collaborative research projects across institutions, disciplines and individuals. The following should be taken into consideration.
a)Proposals should be well presented and expected to meet quality scientific standards
b)The management structure should be well defined as well as a clear sustainability plan.
c)Applicants should “make the case”, i.e. to explain the steps that led to the proposed research concept and focus.
d)Demonstrate the strategic value of the research to Malawi and Zimbabwe and the Region.
e)Demonstrate commercialisation potential, research capacity building and a description of how gender and diversity will be included in the implementation of proposed projects.
f)Budget should not be inflated and/or expenses should be adequately justified.
g)Applicants should declare originality of their work and sign off to confirm ownership.
8.0 SUBMISSION AND PROCESSING OF PROPOSALS
The mode of application and submission of the full application package (i.e with all the required attachments) shall be through the web-based online grants management system of both NCST (www.grants.ncst.mw) and RCZ (http://www.rcz.ac.zw/application-forms/). Application packages submitted via email will also be accepted in exceptional circumstances, provided that such circumstances have been communicated to and approved by an officer responsible for handling enquiries at NCST for Malawi principal investigators and at RCZ for Zimbabwe principal investigators.
Those submitting via email, the application package must include principal investigator’s covering letter; full proposal; CVs; and letter of support from an institution of the principal investigator all in one logically flowing PDF document saved as ‘last name of Principal Investigator-NCST-RCZ Call for Proposals 2023”.
a)The application package must be sent via email to both directorgeneral@ncst.mw and technical@rcz.ac.zw with a copy to Lkampira@ncst.mw at NCST and a copy to fchinyemba@rcz.ac.zw at RCZ with the subject heading: “Full Proposal in Agricultural Biotechnology Research(2023)” clearly specified.
b)All proposals must be submitted in the prescribed template and will be reviewed based on their quality and merit. A full proposal template is downloadable on ncst.mw/sgciphasetwoplus and on http://www.rcz.ac.zw/application-forms/.
c)Proposals should not exceed fifteen (15) pages, using 1.5 spacing and font size 12 Times New Roman (Refer to the proposal template for other details).
d)All proposals will be received and processed in strict confidentiality and with complete acknowledgment of Intellectual Property Rights of the applicants.
e)Proposals will be screened for completeness by both NCST and RCZ before a rigorous review by an independent panel of reviewers.
f)Evaluation, selection, approval and communication to successful applicants by respective Boards of NCST and RCZ will be by 20th August 2023.
g)NCST and RCZ’s decisions will be final.
9.0 DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS
25thJuly, 2023 at 16:30 Central Africa Time.
Any enquiries from Malawi researchers should be directed to Mr Lyson Kampira at Lkampira@ncst.mw while enquiries from Zimbabwe researchers should be sent to Dr Timothy Marango at tmarango@rcz.ac.zw.
Members of Parliament (MPs) have pledged to provide the necessary support to the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) in its efforts to promote and enhance science and innovation across Malawi.
Member of Parliament for Thyolo North Constituency and member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Technology, Ephraim Nayeja, made the pledge on Wednesday 21st June,2023 when they toured a biogas project, which Green Impact Technologies is implementing with financial support from NCST.
Nayeja said, Science and Innovation have played a crucial role in the attainment of social and economic development of countries; hence, the need for Malawi to take deliberate steps towards enhancing the sector.
“China developed itself to the level it is today because of innovation. And if China made it, what can stop Malawi from achieving its dream out of science and innovation? We simply need to give our innovators the much-needed support for them to excel in whatever they are doing,” he said.
At this point, Nayeja assured NCST of the commitment by legislators to lobby for adequate funding towards initiatives aimed at identifying, encouraging and promoting local talent. He said MPs are also ready to facilitate allocation of part of the Constituency Development Fund (CDG) resources towards promotion of science and innovation in their respective constituencies.
“We’ve noted your concerns on inadequate financing. Very shortly, we’re going for a mid-year budget review and I can assure you that we will present this issue to the House. We’re there for you; make use of us in developing science and innovation in this country,” narrated the legislator.
NCST Chairperson of the Scientific and Awards Committee, Munday Makoko, said the aim of the visit was to familiarize lawmakers with what the Commission as it carries out its mandate of promoting and coordinating local innovation.
Makoko said indigenous science and technology is key to the development of the country.
“The Commission is impressed with the level of commitment MPs have demonstrated towards development of science and technology. As you have seen from the field visits, Malawi has a lot of innovators who simply need our support to achieve their dreams,” he said.
With financial support from the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST), Green Impact Technologies (GIT) installed a biogas plant at the market to, among others, address the problem of poor waste disposal, which posed serious health risks to the vendors and their customers.
Chairperson for Tsangano Market, James Mapondera, hailed the project, saying it will help in addressing the problem of poor waste management at the market.
“This market produces one tons of organic waste every day. Unfortunately, we have had no sustainable way of managing it and this led to the deterioration of the conditions of this market,” said Mapondera.
The chairperson of the vendors added that the project is producing organic fertilizers, which farmers from the surrounding communities are using in their fields, use of the organic fertilizers will help in reviving and boosting soil health thereby increasing agricultural production and productivity.
“Already, the farmers that have bought and applied organic fertilizers on their fields are realizing increased production. We believe that with the passage of time, farmers from this area will not need chemical fertilizers in their fields,” he narrated.
In her remarks, NCST Acting Director General Gift Kadzamira said the Commission pumped in M22 million into the biogas project, the funding came from Science Granting Council Initiative (SGCI) and Science and Technology Fund.
Kadzamira highlighted inadequate funding as their main barrier to reaching out to many innovators. Meanwhile, Nayeja assured that their committee will lobby the government to allocate more funding to the sector.
Open Forum for Agriculture and Bio-technology (OFAB) through The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) organized a workshop for journalists on science reporting which was held on 1st June,2023 in Lilongwe, the 9th June 2023 in Mzuzu and 14th June,2023. Part of the training was sharing some of the reasons Biotech adoption is low to lack of Communication concern shared by experts. Biotechnology is the use of biology to solve problems and make useful products. It can be used in a variety of fields, including agriculture, medicine, and environmental protection.
Dr Abel Sefasi, a senior lecturer at the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), one of the trainees said the public has not been provided with adequate and accurate information about biotechnology. According to him, the public including policymakers need to be made aware of the power of biotechnology, in terms of solving real problems for the country. Malawi is reliant on agriculture and the moment there are diseases with crops like maize, issues of Cyclones, these challenges cause problems in the yields of the crops they consider having a conversation that will make people realize that there are advantages of biotechnology which some farmers are already enjoying in cotton
Malawi cotton farmers are benefiting from genetically modified variety BT-cotton as it has improved farmers’ yields. He said, since the introduction of Biotech cotton, the yields for farmers who adopted the seed have increased to 800 kilograms per hectare from 400 kilograms per hectare and this is a big improvement.
Stating 90 percent of the cotton produced through this technology and farmers are having high yields of cotton from the technology. they are looking forward to achieve other benefits that they have seen in other countries. For example, they want maize to be drought tolerant and to be able to fight insects.
The science of genetic engineering has solved problems in crops such as maize and soya bean because farmers are able to grow crops in an environment where there is a lot of insects and the crops can grow without being affected by the insects. It is unfortunate, that there is a low rate of adopting biotechnology in the country due to poor communication, Said Dr Sefasi.
The National Biosafety Registrar under the Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change, Lilian Chimphepo, mentioned that the low adoption rate is due to a lack of research.
“We depend on scientists and researchers to bring technology to us so that we can regulate it to see if it is safe for the environment and if it is good for consumption, to see the safety of people and livestock. She pointed out that only one genetically modified crop, BT cotton, has been approved for commercialization by the general public, and farmers are now growing the crop.
“So far, we have only adopted one GM crop which is BT-cotton in 2019 and now farmers are actually growing the crops. Researchers, scientists once they bring the technology, that’s our job to regulate to see the safety, to consider the safety issues for the environment as well as safety issues for consumption for the health of people and also livestock.” Said Chimphepo.
To conclude Lilian, encouraged scientists in the country to submit applications on varieties of crops as they need to have more applications from scientists and then they see if their applications are good.
