AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA will today join the rest of the world to mark World Science Day for Peace and Development that highlights the significant role of science in society and the need to engage members of the public in debates on emerging scientific issues.
Science is one of the key drivers to development due to scientific and technological revolutions that underpin economic advances, improvements in health systems, education and infrastructure.
World Science Day for Peace and Development then underscores the role scientists play in broadening the understanding of the remarkable and fragile planet that humans have to protect to make societies more sustainable.
The day offers an opportunity to mobilise all stakeholders of science for peace and development from government officials to the media to school pupils.
It is an important event for Tanzania to prepare and review the national science and innovation programme, including the dissemination and transfer of technology.
This is because scientific processes and innovations play a vital role and greatly impact the productivity in various sectors of the economy.
The government has through various forums been encouraging Tanzanians to embrace science and innovation to accelerate industrialisation, create employment, promote sustainable trade and uplift the economy.
As Tanzania has been declared the middle-income economy, increased investment in science is important to boost manufacturing and production sectors to fast track economic growth.
Investment in science and technology should focus on developing requisite infrastructure that supports and promotes innovations. We have to set up innovation centres that function properly.
This should go alongside recognising and rewarding all those who are innovative in the society so that we may encourage others to take a leaf from them.
Furthermore, in a country where over 70 per cent of its workforce engages in agriculture, investment in science and technology is central to the transformation of the sector from one that manages rural poverty to a wealth creating sector.
It is now recognised globally that science and technology are more essential for wealth creation of nations today than either capital or land, the notion held from a history point of view.
According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco) science and technology can foster sustainable development by building greener and more inclusive societies.
Investing in science and technology can be a game changer for development by alleviating poverty, reducing inequalities, increasing income and improving health in the country
