Govt allocates 4.6bn/- to support youth innovations

DODOMA: THE government has allocated 4.6bn/- through the Samia Innovation Fund to support the protection, registration and commercialisation of innovations developed by young people.

Minister of State in the President’s Office (Youth Development) Joel Nanauka, announced the allocation in the National Assembly in Dodoma yesterday, saying the government remains committed to creating an enabling environment for innovation and creativity.

He said this while responding to a supplementary question from Arif Premji (Mtwara Rural, CCM), who sought clarification on measures being taken to protect innovations developed by young people. Mr Nanauka said the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) continues to play a central role in promoting technological development and innovation under existing legislation.

He added that the government has adopted several policy frameworks, including the National Science and Technology Policy and the National Innovation Framework, to strengthen the country’s innovation ecosystem. According to the minister, the framework supports innovators from the idea development stage through commercialisation and implementation.

In supplementary questions, Amina Ali Mzee (Special Seats, CCM) sought to know the government’s plans to ensure innovation training reaches every district in the country and whether there were plans to issue recognised certificates that would enable trained youth to compete in local and global markets.

Responding, Mr Nanauka said the government, through the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology and COSTECH, has continued to support innovation, entrepreneurship and technologybased initiatives targeting youth.

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He said youth development centres in Sasanda and Ilonga have been strengthened to provide short-term training programmes covering agriculture, information and communication technology, innovation and entrepreneurship. The programmes are intended to equip young people with practical skills that can help them create employment opportunities and improve their incomes.

Mr Nanauka said the government is also working with private sector institutions and development partners to establish innovation hubs, nurture talent and connect young innovators with markets and investment opportunities. He said that more than 3,500 young people had benefited from various empowerment programmes over the past four months.

The minister cited the example of Juma Kassim from Masasi District, whose sesame planting machine invention received recognition for helping farmers improve efficiency and save time during planting operations. He added that the government has also provided different forms of capital support to assist innovators in developing and expanding their projects.

Beyond innovation training, the government has incorporated entrepreneurship, financial management, ethics and work discipline into youth empowerment programmes to enhance participants’ chances of succeeding in business and other economic activities.