National Science and Technology Policy

DECEMBER, 1993
ADDIS ABABA

INTRODUCTION

The peoples of Ethiopia are still victims of the problems of drought and famine, scarce employment opportunities, shortage of energy and other pressing needs. Hence, in order to bring about massive social and technical changes; to accelerate agricultural and industrial productivity; to facilitate the means for a rational conservation and use of natural resources and the provision of basic necessities of life (food, clothing, shelter, education, energy, health, etc.); to modernize communication networks and to generally improve the standard of living of the peoples and to keep abreast with the technological advancement of the 21st century, extensive, popular participative and sustained Science and Technology (S&T) capacity building is a requirement.

The scientific and technological advances of the past years have made most third world governments well aware of the important role of science and technology for national development. However, least developed countries like Ethiopia have limited resources to allocate for their S&T capability building. This leaves no choice for these countries other than to plan & commit a share of their limited resources for a long term S&T capability building. Such a long term undertaking, however, can only succeed if it is guided by a clearly enunciated S&T policy.

According to an assessment conducted on the prevailing S&T situation in Ethiopia, lack of a clearly articulated policy has handicapped the growth, and application of S&T for national development. Hence, the situation is characterized by unnecessary duplication of efforts, programme redundancy, uneconomical/wasteful/ use of limited resource, continued dependency on foreign technology and above all, absence of national capability to bring about sustained, self reliant and popular-based socio-economic development.

Thus, to reduce the level of dependency and to increase the supply of locally required technology, the development of a planned technical infrastructure becomes a necessity. In view of this, therefore, and based on the Charter and the Economic Policy, the Transitional Government of Ethiopia (TGE) has issued this Science and Technology Policy in order to build the country's S&T capability, to coordinate related activities and to enhance their contribution to national economic development.

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