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Impacts
Secondly, our view is that impacts are the performance
indicators expected at the long term or goal objective at
the programme, sub-sector, or sector level. As such, we
agree that they are subject to many variables and
influences which are outside the control of an institution
or programme like BIO-EARN.
Our
assessment of impact therefore will be at institutional
and national levels. We also distinguish national or
systemic level impacts from institutional ones because the
former are critically important to society and the
economy.
Unfortunately
the Phase II programme is not founded on a logically
derived structured hierarchy of objectives. Rather, a
mission and overall objectives are given. The overall
objectives of the phase II programme were to:
-
Enable the countries in the region to develop
biotechnologies and policies according to their own
needs, abilities and opportunities;
-
Promote collaboration in biotechnology, biosafety and
biotechnology policy development to address key
challenges and opportunities in the region;
-
Foster communication between scientists, policy
makers, biosafety regulatory officials and private
sector nationally and regionally.
Because
of the lack of a complete logical framework, it is not
easy to assess or evaluate this Programme because the
goals, purpose and expected outputs are not given.
Similarly, it is not easy to assess impact because this
should ideally be based on an estimation of the extent to
which the programme has contributed towards achieving the
stated goal. However, it is still possible to make the
following assessment.
Our
assessment is that significant scientific impact was
achieved at the institutional level. Highly trained
scientists in biotechnology are now serving their
institutions within an enabling technological environment.
This environment is not only created by the considerable
equipment inputs from BIO-EARN II but is accentuated by
ICT support resulting in improved communication and
collaboration.
Regarding
economic, environmental or social impacts, we have no
evidence of indicators showing that these classes of
impacts have been achieved. Our view is that these are
long term systemic impacts that still require time to be
perceived. It is probable that they will be apparent at
the end of the present BIO-EARN programme.
At
individual level, the BIO-EARN II graduates were emphatic
on the benefits they have reaped from the programme, not
just because of their personal skills development but
because of the jobs they now hold and the contribution
they are able to make to their institutions.
BIO-EARN II
was a critical contributor to the strengthening of
research teams in the partner institutions. At Moi and Nairobi
Universities, BIO-EARN seeded training and research laboratories are
now fully operational and capable of independently
implementing their own programmes. At KARI, perhaps the
most developed biotechnology laboratory in Kenya, is carrying out advanced crop research, with the
BIO-EARN Phase II input (both human and material) playing a key
role.
BIO-EARN II
had significant impact on the Kenyan partner institutions
with regard to:
-
Provision
of highly trained manpower
-
Higher
awareness of biosafety;
-
More
enabling IPR policy/regulatory environment;
-
Efficient
communication systems, and
-
Better
institutional linkages.
These
institutions now have better equipped laboratories and an
improved capacity for training. Most of them are now well
on the way to developing intellectual property (IP)
policies as well as rolling out institutional IP
management systems. A few have entered into product
development partnerships, while others are taking measures
to do the same.
BIO-EARN,
among other initiatives, has been instrumental in
sensitizing key institutions in
Kenya
on biotechnology policy issues, and in particular, IP
policy. Several institutions are now in the process of
formulating institutional IP policy frameworks. The impact
on IP development has been notable at institutional level.
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2 of 3)
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Key Questions and Conclusions
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