Research vital for industrial growth
Sep 29, 2008
Industrial research is an important tool needed to support the industrialisation process of the country, the Uganda Industrial Research Institute executive director, Prof. Charles Kwesiga, has said.
By Mikaili Sseppuya
Industrial research is an important tool needed to support the industrialisation process of the country, the Uganda Industrial Research Institute executive director, Prof. Charles Kwesiga, has said.
Prof. Kwesiga said research would help the country acquire appropriate technologies to avoid the problem commonly known as ‘white elephant industries’.
“Many imported technologies have failed because the buyers did not know enough about how they would perform in our environment. Too many people go abroad, see a factory and simply say ‘I am buying this to take back to Uganda.’
“When the machine arrives in the country it does not work because the circumstances are different.
“One must do thorough research including real-time pilot projects before implementing industrial technology to avoid the burden of ‘white elephant factories’,†Kwesiga said.
He was addressing 60 military officers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and southern Sudan who were touring the research institute last week.
The officers are undergoing training at the Senior Command College Kimaka, in Jinja
He said it is important to do research on our own products and use them as raw materials.
He, however, said under-funding by the Government was curtailing efforts to implement most of its projects.
“We need to establish pilot plants for training, carryout production and do business incubation to develop our capacities,†he said.
Kwesiga said it was ridiculous that Uganda still imports safety pins and toothpicks.
Industrial research is an important tool needed to support the industrialisation process of the country, the Uganda Industrial Research Institute executive director, Prof. Charles Kwesiga, has said.
Prof. Kwesiga said research would help the country acquire appropriate technologies to avoid the problem commonly known as ‘white elephant industries’.
“Many imported technologies have failed because the buyers did not know enough about how they would perform in our environment. Too many people go abroad, see a factory and simply say ‘I am buying this to take back to Uganda.’
“When the machine arrives in the country it does not work because the circumstances are different.
“One must do thorough research including real-time pilot projects before implementing industrial technology to avoid the burden of ‘white elephant factories’,†Kwesiga said.
He was addressing 60 military officers from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and southern Sudan who were touring the research institute last week.
The officers are undergoing training at the Senior Command College Kimaka, in Jinja
He said it is important to do research on our own products and use them as raw materials.
He, however, said under-funding by the Government was curtailing efforts to implement most of its projects.
“We need to establish pilot plants for training, carryout production and do business incubation to develop our capacities,†he said.
Kwesiga said it was ridiculous that Uganda still imports safety pins and toothpicks.