Q FM Africa's Modern Radio
The Ministry of Technology and Science says it has revamped it’s support to innovation by increasing funding towards research and innovation to a tune of 22 Million Kwacha.
Ministry Technology and Science Acting Director for Technology and Innovation, John Chongo says the Ministry has also introduced new funding opportunities through the creation of the National Innovation Fund to be administered by the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and the venture capital fund to be administered by National Technology Business Council (NTBC).
Mr. Chongo, who read the speech on behalf of Minister of Technology and Science, Felix Mutati, says this has been done to ensure innovators and researchers are given an opportunity to access funds that will enable them to develop their innovations further into market ready prototypes.
Officiating at the National Training Program on Intellectual Property for Youth Innovation in Lusaka today, Mr. Chongo has encouraged innovators to leverage these opportunities that the government has created and endeavor to nurture the relationships being developed.
He notes that Intellectual Property plays an indispensably crucial role in enabling research, development and commercialization of the INNOVATIONS and making available such innovative products for the greater good of the globe community at large.
And National Science and Technology Council Acting Executive Secretary, Guess Mugala says the Council places great importance on the value that Intellectual Property brings to research and development and Innovation output.
Mr. Mugala says the main objective of the training is to contribute to building capacity in intellectual property technical skills among the young innovators and to enable them leverage Intellectual Property tools and techniques in innovation.
Speaking earlier, World Intellectual Property Organization Division for Least Developed Countries Director, Doung Chi Quing has reiterated the organization’s commitment and readiness to continue collaborating with the Zambian government in order to achieve it’s goals.