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KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
SOME PRINCIPLES, CRITERIA AND PRIORITIES FOR
Knowledge Sharing in
ScienceandTechnology by JORGE AHUMADA-BARONA
In the very complex world of science and technology, there are nevertheless some basic
ideas about how to join forces across the South for the development and deployment of new
knowledge for mutual economic and social benefit. The Director of the Tecnos Foundation
in Bogota, Colombia, Jorge Ahumada-Barona, outlines a few suggested fundamentals.
ONLY RECENTLY has the real value of If they are to reduce these gaps, devel-
knowledge and the need for its appropri- oping countries need to take three criti-
ate management been recognized as the cal steps:
major factor in economic development. s Acquiring knowledge by transfer
The main differences between poor and and adaptation of available knowl-
rich countries are not only in the mag- edge worldwide, by creating new
nitude of their capital, but also in the knowledge, or by building upon
extent and depth of the knowledge indigenous knowledge;
available to them. Closing these gaps is s Absorbing knowledge, which
not easy, especially due to the rapidly results from ensuring universal
moving knowledge “frontier,” and devel- basic education, science and engi-
oping countries generally have a low neering education, and lifelong
capacity to create knowledge. What is education;
needed is not striving to become a world s Communicating knowledge by
economic power, but creating and adapt- making the new information and
ing knowledge to attain sound econom- communication technologies
ic performance and satisfactory social available to the great majority of
indicators, which is clearly easier said the population.
than done. International research and develop-
60 C O O P E R AT I O N S O U T H
KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
ment (R&D) produces findings which s Absence of new bureaucratic
are useful for developing countries, but authorities. No agencies or insti-
most knowledge that is important comes tutions should be created. Existing
from the countries themselves. Informa- national and international institu-
tion on policy developments taking tions, ministries of science and
place in one country can help others, technology, or similar organiza-
and the outcomes of many projects can tions in each country should be
provide clues to causes of failures and responsible for conducting and
successes which are useful to others. coordinating the work.
However, since it is beyond the capabil- s Increased participation of NGOs.
ity of any one country to gather, evalu- These have shown in many
ate and share this knowledge with instances their capacity for attain-
others, this task should be a main ing cost-effective results, and thus
responsibility of international institu- should participate more in the
tions within and outside the United process of S&T cooperation in
Nations system. The objective is to cre- their own right and complement
ate and manage a system for amassing government efforts.
knowledge and making it suitable for s Flexibility, responsiveness and
further uses and adaptations. What economy in operational manage-
should be shared is not only “hard scien- ment. Efforts should be made to
tific and technological know-how”, but limit regulations to a minimum
also the “soft technologies” involved in and to maximize the effectiveness
managing science and technology and required for a highly technical
their social implications. operation.
Below are some established and new s Utmost use of electronic commu-
criteria for mechanisms of cooperation, nication methods. In this way,
programs and projects, exchange of infor- onsite meetings will be reserved
mation, education and training, all with- for work relating to the implemen-
in the framework of knowledge sharing. tation of cooperation projects.
Finally, some considerations on priorities s Benefiting from past and ongoing
and financial aspects are discussed. experience. Lessons from both
successes and failures should be
PRINCIPLES CONCERNING learned at regional, subregional
THE MECHANISMS and local levels, including those
The following should be the basic princi- of private and public centers and
ples underlying a mechanism capable of institutions whose main objectives
efficiently accomplishing what South- are cooperation.
South cooperation is intended to achieve.
NUMBER ONE—2000 61
CRITERIA CONCERNING PROGRAMS
KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
posed, so as to take advantage of
AND PROJECTS what each has accomplished sepa-
In addition to logical criteria of con- rately, mount a broader coopera-
creteness, feasibility, sustainability, simi- tive effort and obtain results faster.
larity of interests and relevance, the s Follow-up and assessment should
following are considered important in be designed into every joint
selecting programs and projects for coop- endeavor so as to weigh progress
eration in science and technology: and results in relation to attaining
s Effectiveness: This criterion would goals and learn lessons about pro-
determine whether cooperation gram management.
between countries offers added s Prior agreement among scientists
advantages and is more effective and administrators from countries
than separate implementation. interested in a cooperation pro-
Advantages might include gram on whether it is justified and
economies of scale, quicker and convenient to treat the proposed
better results, complementary issue in a scientific way, which
learning and capacity-building objectives, goals and activities are
processes, and technology and to be developed, how to distribute
knowledge transfer. This criterion responsibilities, and what resources
applies, with changes, even when a of various types are necessary.
sizeable difference in the develop- s Participation of the North in a
ment levels of participating coun- given South-South effort should
tries leads to technical assistance not be discarded a priori. In many
rather than a cooperative project. cases it can be convenient for
s Multinationality: This criterion financial reasons and even neces-
would favor work on issues where sary on technical and scientific
research requires a larger critical grounds. This participation should
mass. An example is certain not be left to chance, but based on
aspects of biodiversity and other a systematic, organized, long-term
topics of mutual interest to coun- interaction with the countries or
tries with similar geographical communities involved.
or ecological circumstances, i.e.
shared river basins or similar CRITERIA CONCERNING EXCHANGE
tropical ecosystems. OF INFORMATION
s Prior existence: A highly desir- For certain issues, it is critical and even
able and advantageous criterion is imperative to exchange information
the prior existence and operation with other countries at the same level of
of projects similar to those pro- development. For example, the largest
62 C O O P E R AT I O N S O U T H
KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
reservoirs of biodiversity — located in s Encouragement of communica-
developing countries — are most in tion among specialists by creating
need of sustainable management; yet directories, mailing lists, discus-
much of the national and global-level sion groups and electronic bul-
knowledge about this can be obtained letins on the Internet.
only through extraordinary effort, even s Informal transfer of documents
when industrialized nations are doing between scientists and specialists.
it. Unfortunately, developing countries Traditionally done through per-
generally have little installed capability sonal contacts at meetings or at a
to gather, assess and give added value to distance, it is now made easier by
information for the sake of its circula- electronic means.
tion and use. In other instances, there s General or specific bilateral
is a large volume of information at the agreements through which infor-
appropriate time and broken down to mation is exchanged on topics of
the required level, but exchange mecha- interest to each country.
nisms are inadequate. s Concentrations on priority areas
How to generate and direct informa- selected by participating countries
tion exchanges that will be more com- for joint R&D projects or other
plete, efficient and sustained? The obvi- activities.
ous first requirement is that countries s Exchange of knowledge about
must invest in building or reinforcing how to manage information
their capacity to gather, store, organize, systems, including about methods
evaluate and use their own information of information gathering and eval-
and knowledge. Parallel to these efforts, uation in selected areas of interest.
countries must gain access to a variety of There is also scope for technical
mechanisms for exchanging information, assistance in this field.
especially those offering better cost-ben-
efit ratios. The following are some rec- PRIORITIES
ommended channels and methods: It is imperative to establish priorities
s Use of the Internet to circulate and when dealing with the wide spectrum
obtain information from Web pages of needs for science and technology
and clearing-house mechanisms. cooperation, especially since financial
s Networking of specialized infor- resources are limited. Operational deci-
mation centers to facilitate on-line sions should be taken case by case, as
consultation of their databases. countries are considering entering a
s Question-and-answer service to partnership project or initiative.
handle specific requests for infor- However, looking across the board
mation on a particular country. and interregionally at the opportunities
NUMBER ONE—2000 63
KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
THE EXAMPLE OF BIODIVERSITY
Biodiversity and related fields involve an enormously complex range of phe-
nomena. This makes it very difficult for scientists to understand and interpret
many of the mutual relationships among components of our ecosystems and
between these and the human environment.
Developing countries need to get ahead of the reeling pace of technologi-
cal change associated with the use of biodiversity. To do this, they have to
develop a critical mass of researchers and technologists who can study the
basic issues and characterize, evaluate and use the resources of biodiversity. It
is also essential to relate these studies and findings to the social, economic and
cultural processes of the populations involved. Education and training on bio-
diversity needs to reach not only researchers, field-applications specialists and
program managers, but also the public.
Below are some useful criteria to guide cooperative efforts concerning bio-
diversity, including related education and training:
s Give preference to topics related to ongoing projects and programs
within the common interests of participating countries
s Pay attention to techniques, methodologies and technologies for
expanding what countries know about their biodiversity, their limita-
tions and potential
s Emphasize technologies that increase the added value of products and
by-products of biodiversity
s Work in multicountry groups for holistic study of biodiversity factors,
components and phenomena, for assessing cultural, ethical and other
aspects, and for interchange of information.
and possibilities, it is possible to suggest ment, science education, and science
a few areas of science and technology and technology policy.
where it seems feasible and desirable
to concentrate efforts. Proposed topics FINANCIAL ASPECTS
which are vertical in coverage are bio- It is often argued that the main obstacles
technology, management of biodiversity for an effective South-South cooperation
(see box), and information-communica- stem from the lack of funds and political
tion technologies. Horizontal topics are interest by the countries themselves,
R&D management, knowledge manage- a frequent preference for North-South
64 C O O P E R AT I O N S O U T H
KNOWLEDGE SHARING IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
interaction, the lack of technical and participating countries.
financial support by the industrialized As appropriate for different programs,
countries, and the absence of a financial funding would come from a combination
mechanism with global coverage. of sources such as government budgets
To bypass or surmount these obsta- for R&D, government resources ear-
cles, the founding principles in a finan- marked for bilateral cooperation, nation-
cial strategy for South-South coop- al and international nongovernmental
eration should be that participating organizations, and multilateral banks
countries earmark resources for scientif- (global, regional and subregional). In
ic and technological cooperation, and some countries, an alternative source to
that programs and projects are based on explore is private risk capital. s
the sharing of costs and benefits among
NUMBER ONE—2000 65
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