Growing and taking stockThe worlds of private business and academia have complementary roles to play in creating a better world, the UN representative in Namibia suggests. Teamwork needed between private sector and academia As the world is increasingly challenged in its capacity to grow economically and eradicate poverty, focused partnerships between the private sector and academia should provide the surest guarantee of success.Such was the analysis of Anita Kiki Gbeho, United Nations (UN) resident coordinator and UN Development Programme (UNDP) resident representative, at a public lecture on private-sector innovation for poverty eradication in Windhoek last week.
“By 2050, the world will need to produce twice as much food as was produced in the year 2000, but with the same amount of land and using less water,” Gbeho told those in attendance at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) mining building.
Fast-tracking economic growth was among the most effective global tools to eradicate poverty, Gbeho said, though she said growth alone was not sufficient for sustainable and inclusive poverty eradication.
“Examples abound of how entrepreneurship has lifted millions of people out of poverty. Whether this was through a shift to a market-based economy in China, that lifted nearly 800 million out of poverty; the garment manufacturing industry in Bangladesh on which more than 20 million people are dependent; or the cut-flower industry in Kenya that helped to diversify its export base,” the UN veteran said.
In the case of Namibia, she said the private sector was being looked to for answers in solving the challenge of serving people in hard-to-reach places. Private small and medium enterprises also contribute to valuable job creation while serving as incubators for larger firms.
In times of drought, the promise of low-cost technologies to help farmers reverse soil degradation, conserve water and find energy solutions for irrigation and manufacturing would come from the private sector.
It is however up to academia, she said, to support the private sector in thinking through its intended solutions, to make sure these are sustainable.
“When it comes to academia, engagement is critical to ensure that graduates can solve development problems, are employable, and possess skills that make them productive members of society,” Gbeho said.
Areas where local academia is currently engaged in include research on the genetic diversity of local grains, vegetables and fruit; and malaria elimination. Institutions involved in these include the UNDP, National Commission on Research Science and Technology (NCRST) and the University of Namibia (Unam).
The academic fraternity was particularly important now, she said, given Namibia’s development of its fifth National Development Plan (NDP5), and regional development frameworks such as Agenda 2063 and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
“Academia will be critical in tracking progress needed to measure success and to ensure accountability,” Gbeho said.
DENVER ISAACS