Internationalization of Research & Development, R&D in Water & related Resources in Developing Countries: A Blessing or A Curse?

....DRAFT....To be continued

By E.E. LIGDI

Independent Researcher
ee.ligdi@gmail.com 

‘'Nature can satisfy for human needs; but not their greed!.’’

 Mahatma  Gandi

Introduction to traditional Knowledge, society, and power

All traditional societies have kept their respected traditional knowledge and skills as a notable sign of self identity & heritage; and passed it over from generation to generation. Re-examining and testing under different sets of conditions the theories and practices that emerged from these civilizations were to become the backbone of the modern science: factual and exact; as true as it gets and passing the taste  of time.

In some cultures, these pursuit of knowledge as a means to search for truth is mandatory on all able entities and holly, a devine order. In these traditional societies, though the human mind and heritages were the medium of storage and transfer was initially oral, local knowledge and wisdom remained rich in social values and scientific facts.

The traditional communal organizations and administrative systems also gave an extraordinary status, acknowledgement and respect for practitioners, and those seeking knowledge. This was not only  for those engaged in understanding, improving  and changing  in examining forms of organization and relationships in social entities( laws ,customs and or (but not so )  for those who used knowledge and skills engaged in  production, manufacture or invention  of  skills and tools  for resource development to sustain livelihoods and  improve traditions in agriculture, medicine and advancement of technology natural sciences in other fields.

Even though some knew more than others, and deserved to utilize their expertise as a service (free or bartered) to individuals or society, they were in most cases free. The information, skills and understandings were the sole property of the community, transparent and accessible to all.

The use of already accumulated knowledge (written/oral) in natural sciences (especially those related to natural resources in general and water ecosystems in particular) have been a communal asset for communal good. They were managed and used by the community as per rules and regulations set out for the purpose.

The Later stages

Accordingly, in later stages, countries, nations and empires still kept the collection, storage, retrieval and dissemination of information/data (Knowledge generation and use) of the areas in their domain as a subject /form of sovereignty and monopolized them primarily for national use. These knowledge generations and uses may have unintentionally been unfair; may have been re-written or involved omissions and/or additions to benefit but the few: the strong & the wicked .

Trends in Internationalization of R&D in Key Strategic Natural Resources in Public Sectors in Poor Developing Countries: A blessing or a curse?

‘’Blessed are those who help others (the needy), for no other reason/(with no other intentions) other than to  enable them to help themselves.’’

‘’Blessed are those who instead of fish hand-outs teach someone how to catch the fish.’’

                                                            Anonymous

Internationalization of research , as traditionally viewed has been a platform of exchange of scientific knowledge and expertise from the developed world in mutual respect, cooperation and assistance aimed at building  the local technical  logistical capacity and expertise. It has always been a blessed way of knowledge transfer and experience sharing. Furthermore, it has also been a channel of exposure to new (local) environment, genetic resources, and traditional knowledge, which were a vast ocean of both compelling scientific problems, and potential solutions for the world’s ills. Consequently, the merge has been a laboratory to test a basket of solutions, range and search for alternative explanations to be drawn from. Thus it has opened up an array of potential new inventions, experimental cases, media, and environment to work with.

In view of the logical and genuine benefits in a win-win situation, Research & Development in Science & Technology has for long been part and parcel of bilateral, trilateral agreements between governments; and among International organizations and governments in some cases. These were, I wish to be not true, but in the by-gone era when knowledge was thought as a public asset for the common good of the human race. In the times where education was considered a basic human right, and scholastic endeavours and achievements from both spectrum were as acceptable and as rewarded. 

Since very recently however,.........

........And globalisation was there on their front doors ...knocking..............

It waged a silent war on communal cultures, to uproot the notions of society and the principles of’’ wisdom and compassion. Among these was the traditional polity of ‘’ I am, because we are!!’’

..............................On the other hand, the ‘’Ferenji’’s who were already in the dark corridors of power were given hidden seats. Some were with legitimate support/advisory role, but others, in rare cases, with an invisible ‘executive’ power. You needed their approval, consent or blessing consensus to be someone in the ladder...of knowledge,business..... of power. Knowledge became power; it became money. It was perceived as a means to authority and decision making. It was mistaken as a walkway to the ladder.  This became same for Businesses also.

This was so, even in professional public service provision. The Diaspora was flocked back as the foot soldiers of the globalization army to act as first line of defence, and a buffer zone. Some   teamed up with minority rulers and bolstered the national proxy groups with full international support and funding. Polarization and Nepotism reigned. Illegal rush and competitions in resource appropriation and exploitation were widespread. Corruption, and group affiliation, and the resulting power became the rules of the game.

As a result, higher level research and training institutions affiliated to and run by GO’S/NGO’S and supported by international firms/organizations are becoming non-equal opportunity employment (and advanced  research & training) organizations. This further move away from the basic ownership and rights of the society on public domain resources and knowledge was divisive, coercive and a sign of none other than vicious neo-colonialism traits of racism, and the likes; or/and an old tribal philosophy of their proxies.

 "They call us dreamers.Dreamers are those who think things will indefinitely remain as they are for  ever.''
                                                                                    Italian emerging politician

The Trend in R&D support in Water & Land Resources

Some self reliant and enlightened 'sovereign' countries have long come to consensus and grasped the logic and necessity of basing their development endeavours on knowledge, science and technology for resource sustainability, and maximization of benefits to all. Hence, they have established number of institutions for key strategic issues and resources like water. But still, some others are dragging back to establish, fund and manage national R&D and knowledge management activities.

However, the recent trend in most poor developing countries has been that International organizations are increasingly becoming reluctant and not willing to directly support R and D activities in key strategic natural resources in the public centre in poor developing countries. Instead, they are opting for arrangements of direct, independent and full-fledged involvement. This was certainly not for cooperation, or support with over sighting capabilities as usual, but to own it. This leaves/shows that the days of mutual cooperation and support for the capacity building of the host country are long gone, at least as an alternative of the past, and increasingly thrown out of the window. This exacerbated recently with globalization marching to the centre stage.

The Internationalization…

 In some cases, donor governments through their international development arms, and notable international organizations including NGO's are creating a parallel organization of R and D, almost independent of the non-existent or poorly equipped national R&D organizations. They are principally affecting/influencing/ setting the R and D agendas and managing and coordinating the research. What is amazing is they are also undertaking the Knowledge management (keeping the storage and retrieval, etc...) of the valuable information. As a consequence, in some key sectors, it is increasingly becoming relatively very difficult to the nationals (locals) to access R&D information at ease.

Pertinent to the makeover, some argue that they have consent. They are obliged to do so to keep the quality of the research to the international standards. For the sake of freedom, and ….what not! can’t this be done in partnership by strengthening the weak local institutions within the existing framework?. They say, for the sake of dreaming a way-out, that they are stakeholders of the national institutions, and they are working as one! Etc...Why not as one then under the national umbrellas? Why not then in decent knowledge transfer &experience sharing with all?  If the local institutions are left for themselves, how long is this going to last if the required capacity is never built? Are these to remain put delivering the requisite research data for planning?

In addition, knowledge nowadays is not only money, nor only power. It is the matter of sovereignty, identity, partisanship to and benefit to the society. The real expression of freedom and independence has to shine not only in independence of the resources nations own, but also in the scientific knowledge and information base thereof.

 '' Cursed are those who deny knowledge to others.''

Anonymous

The recent past: No to direct funding and support for Independent National R&D Institutions

Very recently, as knowledge started to be global and the subjects in emerging markets started to acquire knowledge and research almost to the same status of understanding with the others, they were no longer susceptible to be fooled, or wait for the piecemeal haggle/bargain from abroad.

In the other developing countries, with fast development, growth, revolutions and awakening, the locals started singing to the tunes of real freedom, dignity, social equality and social justice. On the go, they came up with slogans against welfare and food aids. Such were that ‘’we should be taught how to fish........we should be abled to help ourselves.’’ etc...

May be as a trigger, or as a follow-up measure, I can’t say, the international organizations and humanitarian agencies started to respond. The rules of international development aid and partnership accords started to change.  They are becoming increasingly reluctant and unwilling to support national R&d projects. In some cases, the trend is slowly creeping into R&D and KM of key strategic Natural resources and public sectors.

They started to come up with their own R&D agendas and force those down the throat of everybody. There started a time to come where there were no room for compromises and

Or negotiations and work in unison with national institutions: Saying No to coming together to work as equals with dignity and respect. ...No to actual & transparent, and non-coercive merging of resources for better results and benefits for all. They planned and managed the fundamental shift to indirectly own R&D agencies and research agendas expanding over decades. Skilfully orchestrated through pre-signed general purpose MOU’s stipulating           R&D to be undertaken by diff staff (Mostly with and led & managed by  own staff; organized separately.....As such, Some of the donors started to reduce and in some cases totally refuse/cease to directly fund/ assist R&D efforts in Developing Countries.

Some self reliant and sovereign countries have established number of institutions for key strategic issues and resources like water. But still some others are foolishly hoping to gain from by- partisanship prior to strengthening partisanship to ownself/oneself. They are opening up as never before to be dictated or more truthfully for realizing their own aims and petty benefits.

In recent years, a trend of overtaking the R&D coordination and management in key strategic areas especially natural resources like land, water, rare minerals, etc... Very unfamiliar parallel organizations are being created initiated just as government administrative structures with different tiers. Supported duly by some line departments, either overlooking or failing to understand the conflict of interest this may cause. This is very unfamiliar act, especially when the national R&D capacity is at its infancy and in dire need of assistance in capacity development in all forms (Finance, technical support, and logistics). What happened to cooperation and partnership?  What has to come of at most a win-win situation? Is not Research and knowledge management there of tied with the overall goal of Improving and developing the local potential to better planning and execution of sustainable development programmes and projects. Is it not to enable the local population to undertake good business practices, through wise use of resources supported by science and technology? Is it not to improve the livelihood of the vast majority and enable them to be masters over of their own resources and destiny?

Some are disguised, and short lived, but only until they come back under another name/ company /or status. Some are attached to the fragmented Higher learning and R&D units, but with a very large funds and benefits not imaginable to be compared with that of the ‘’mother institution’’. Hence, overtaking from within? The disguised hands....

Why do governments allow this?

The governments of most of the countries in the developing world, and especially in Africa are authoritarian, non-representative, minority, and corrupt. They antagonize with their partisans, but bark loud to work for bi partisanship. They are very proactive in others matters, outside their borders. If you allow me to use a very good local saying; In neighbourhoods, where anonymous; a hyena requests for skin and hides to lie on...

They are searching for partners to exploit their subjects. There is an old Amhara/Abyssinian/ saying I hate and do not accept that says ‘’when your fathers’ compound is looted be part/take part in/’’.I think this explains it all...Don’t we have the obligation and duty to protect? I think, we do.

Ownership: On whose resources and for whose benefits?

One of the major problems in the management of Natural resources is that the ownership of land is never devolved with power, authority and accountability. ..................

 In absence of the devolution of the management, and If the land, and water resources are not owned by society/community at the appropriate logical level, what is the essence of regional autonomies and federalism? Isn't that to increase and bolder the commitments to the people?

Conflict of interest

In the poor developing countries land and water are closely linked with the community’s values and customs and traditional rights. In opting for blackmailing these parts, and ruling the locals out of the equation in R&D activities in one form or another, at lower or higher level is wrong. It remains to be seen as it will bear no seeds.  Besides, the emerging trend does not seem a scientific endeavour alone. It may have been linked with resource ownership and benefits there-of. In this context, there is no way that the real local R&D issues are wisely articulated and experiments undertaken to solve them. It is ambiguous that the needs and rights of the community at the grass roots level will also be protected.

‘’O my people! to avoid the destruction of your way of life, stand against those who aspire and seek to use your resources to satisfy their own greed!’’

Anonymous

The Argument:The premises and the Conclusions .......from the tales of the Oromo

I think we arrived late in the west..The sun is shading and the Dusk is falling.The dogs are barking.May be they heard the laughter of the hyenas from "FERENJ ARADA". At this location; and at this time,they may be preparing for another kill; or to coerce somebody's kill.
Aba KOLODO-the traditional wise man of the village is confused. He has heard the noise. he is thinking "some body is knocking at his door" ; or "Is it  the usual gush of the spring flowing by?'.

"You! don't just stand!" " Prepare some porridge and let some of you go... go and ask JARRI-the spirit of the fruits of earth". After a while those who went with the offering returned.Those who stayed ask" What did JARRI say?"from inside the room.The outsiders reply"JARRI said Lets hunger vanish!Lets food be plenty. Rejoice JARRI has replied.

The Next morning,
Let us turn inwards!, the sun is rising in the east! I think we all need it for a little bit of warmth and thinking straight.

 
‘'Nature can satisfy for human needs; but not their greed!’’

Mahatma Gandi

The Author

E.E. Ligdi is an Agricultural Engineer. He is a soil & water conservationist and sustainable Natural Resources Development specialist. He is currently an independent researcher. He was a senior lecturer at the college of agriculture, Jimma university. He was a General Manager of the Oromia Irrigation Development Authority, OIDA in Oromia Region, and until very recently a water Research Coordinator (Hydrology, Water resources & Watershed Management) at the Federal Ministry of Water & Energy Resources in Ethiopia.

He is writing this essay the way he witnessed the changes in decades;and the way he experienced the recent revolutions, transformation oriented adjustments, Financial tides;and in the manners he understood it.

 Edited by: Lagabaso