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COSTECH

DID

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Dr. Raphael Mmasi
Director of Information and Documentation

 

Personal Profile:
Dr. Mmasi Raphael is the Director of Information and Documentation. He holds Doctorate Degree in Engineering Science, specialized in Computer Automation and Electronic control systems.  He has Master Degree in Electronics engineering and Bachelors Degree in Electrical Engineering.

He started as an Executive Engineer (MEM), Senior Scientific Officer (COSTECH), Part time lecturer (DIT), he also participated in the national Y2K campaign Task Force in Tanzania in 1999/2000,  Senior Lecturer (KIST), Director of ICT Center at KIST, Interim Executive Director for Rwanda Information Technology Authority (RITA), Director of National Computing Centre at RITA, ICT Infrastructure Coordinator in the Ministry of Infrastructure under the communication sector in the Government of Rwanda, Senior Lecturer in Information Technology and Director of Planning and Investment at the University of Dodoma, and currently Director of Information and Documentation at Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology.  Dr. Mmasi is a member of several boards, research, consultancy and Development teams involved in ICT for development.


 

Functions of the Directorate:
The Directorate of Information and Documentation (DID), established under Part IV of Act No.7 of 1986 of the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH) encompasses Science and Technology Library, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Unit, Publications and Publishing Programs, Documentation of Scientific and Technological Literature, Popularization of Science and Technology and Improvement of Systems of Communication and Knowledge Access by using modern ICTs.

The Directorate is charged with the fulfillment of the following three major objectives:

  • Acquisition, process, storage, and disseminate scientific information and technologies to scientific community and general public;
  • Foster equitable access to information and knowledge for development;
  • Create awareness and popularize Science and Technology at all levels of the Tanzania society.

 
Core Activities and Programs:

1.0 Popularization of S&T
Science and technology are recognized as a strategic tool for socio-economic development.  But the Tanzania society does not embrace this tool in its culture and social consciousness.  Thus it is imperative to inject and popularize science and technology to enable society to seek solutions of its socio-economic problems from this field.  Thus COSTECH working in collaboration with the Ministry of Communication, Science and Technology (MCST) (parent Ministry) have been using the electronic and print media to popularize S&T to the general public.  S&T programs are broadcast over the radio and television on a weekly basis over the last fifteen years.  On the side of print media, COSTECH has been monthly booklets on funding opportunities for research grants, fellowships and sponsorships as well as using local newspapers and magazines to popularize science and technology by publishing news and feature articles on science and technology.

2.0 Access to Knowledge
Access to knowledge is a necessary condition for human development.  But such access is not universal.  Recent advances in ICTs have increased such access and made it possible for more and more people to access information and knowledge through digital libraries and online distribution of science, technology and innovations information for development of individuals and societies.

 2.1 Tanzania – Finland ICT Innovation Center (TANZICT)
The TANZICT is a five year project supported by the Government of Finland. The starting point of the TANZICT project is that Tanzanian information society aspirations and developments also require the build-up of absorptive and innovative capabilities throughout the Tanzanian emerging ICT ecosystem. The overall objective of the TANZICT project is to enhance the achievement of key socio-economic goals (poverty reduction, societal renewal and economic growth) through providing support to Tanzania on its road towards an information society, and through strengthening the institutional set up of the ICT sector as well as development of favorable environment for absorptive and innovative capacities in the sector. The project’s purpose is to facilitate policy and strategy processes, mechanisms for knowledge development, transfer of skills, capacity building, and initiatives to improve connectivity between the public and private sectors throughout the emerging Tanzanian ICT ecosystem and broader system of innovation.

This component acknowledges weak absorptive and innovative capacities especially in content and application, as well as consumer and user layers of the emerging Tanzanian ICT ecosystem. It will involve activities to create a knowledge base for ICT innovation policy, promotion of cooperation and interaction between core actors of the Tanzanian innovation systems, financially support innovative projects, and liaison with other relevant projects in Tanzania and abroad (with an emphasis on an exchange program to Finland).

 This component acknowledges the limited experiences with roll-out of ICT content and applications at rural-local and sectoral levels in Tanzania. It will launch three small pilot projects, all of which can represent a first step towards developing ICT content and applications tailored to local needs (to address socio-economic issues in local or sectoral communities). The first pilot project is a local information society initiative, the second relates to the local adaptation of good practices (DEMOLA-an open innovation environment) from Finland, while the third pushes for ICT applications in the fisheries and agriculture sectors.

 

2.2 National Research and Education Network
COSTECH is a beneficiary of the World Bank funded Science, Technology and Higher Education Project (STHEP).  In the expenditure category of Consumables and Operating Costs, there was a component for the increase of ICT bandwidth capacity from 4 Mbps in year 1 to 16 Mbps by year 3.

 This project of securing internet bandwidth for COSTECH is in line with the organizations mission of enabling and promoting education and research institutions.  Already the internet link of 1Mbps is being shared with 17 affiliated institutions. Therefore acquiring this new bandwidth will upgrade the COSETCH infrastructure and allow even more institutions to be able to utilize bandwidth. The other aspect of this is the linking with Regional and National Education and Research Networks in Europe, North America, South America and Asia.  This connection through the NRENs will allow institutions through COSTECH network infrastructure to share and access research material as well as education material, and libraries.

COSTECH is also spearheading the implementation of Component 2B: Investments in system-wide ICT libraries under shared mechanism.

 Shared Mechanism of the STHEP has 2 inter-related sub-components as follows:

  1. National Research and Education Network (NREN),
  2. ICT Applications and Infrastructure (Education Management Information System (EMIS), Library Management System (LMS), e-learning resources for teachers and students for HEIs.

COSTECH is determined to fulfill its part of the mission in making available access to advanced research and education networks worldwide.

 2.3 Tanzania Biodiversity Information Facility
COSTECH in partnership with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) is implementing a three year pilot project titled “Capacity Enhancement Program for Developing Countries-CEPDEC”.  The aim of this project which commenced early 2007 is to build a science infrastructure that will enhance capacity in mobilizing and using biodiversity data and information for a sustainable future in Tanzania.  Through this project the following have been done;

  • Tanzania Biodiversity Information Facility (TanBIF) has been established.  TanBIF is an extensive, decentralized system of national biodiversity information units that intends to provide free and universal access to biodiversity data and  information.
  • The TanBIF National Committee to oversee TanBIF activities is in place and met regularly.  Members for the Committee are representatives of policy makers, research and academic institutions from such sectors as environment, fisheries, forestry, wildlife, health, agriculture and livestock.
  • The TanBIF Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been ratified by the TanBIF National  Committee.  Membership to TanBIF is open  to any national institution interested to share biodiversity data and information.
  • ETI Bioinformatics and GBIF developed TanBIF web portal which was launched in November 2008.
  • Tanzania hold the 15th GBIF Governing Board Meeting and its related meetings in October/November 2008 during the time of holding the Third National Annual Science and Technology Conference at Arusha.
  • COSTECH is hosting TaBIF Secretariat.  It has provided a room with furniture for TanBIF  and will host TanBIF data portal.
  • The 1st TanBIF Governing Board met in Mach 2010 with more than 30 members representing institutions that have signed MoU. The meeting among the other things endorsed the exist strategies for CEPDEC project which is to come to an end by November 2010. The exist strategy includes 10 year TanBIF strategic plan, resource mobilization document, and organization structure for TanBIF.

 2.4  S&T Library
The S&T library collection is specialized in that all materials collected are mainly based on objectives of the commission such as Management of Research and Development, S&T Policy issues, technology transfer and environment issues.  The library undertakes routine activities such as acquisition, accessioning, classification and cataloguing, spine labeling, shelving and indexing.  In addition, the library has embarked upon a special operation to create a database acronymned COSLIB (COSTECH Library) geared towards automating the library catalogue using greenstone software.  It uses the CDS/ISIS library management software.  Up to now 6940 records have been processed.  Unfortunately, however, the COSLIB is not operational at the moment.  Every effort is being made to revive the database.  Efforts will also be made to improve the appearance of the library especially after the refurbished of the COSTECH building.

 2.5 Development and Application of ICT
Information and communication technologies (ICTs) are important tools for facilitating socio-economic development.  They enhance efficiency in the workplace, increase the ease and speed of communications, improve access to knowledge and contribute towards good governance.  Thus COSTECH has seized most opportunities to collaborate with development partners to formulate initiatives at the local and national government level to stimulate utilization of  emerging  technologies.  Current initiatives include:

 

2.5.1 IST-Africa (Regional Impact of Information Society Technologies in Africa)

Objective: To identify and promote ICT research cooperation with counterpart organizations in EU and Sub-Sahara Africa.
Under the signed agreement between COSTECH and EU, COSTECH will undertake the following:

  • Deploying two of its staff members for  the identification and mobilization of originations with high potential  for ICT research to participate in collaborative projects
  • Participation in regional (Africa) and European ICT conferences which form part of this initiative.

 

2.5.2    Rural ICT Projects
(a)        Lugoba and Dakawa Projects

The main objectives of this project are:  

  • To utilize village information  system for eGovernance
  • To provide ICT-based services such as access to knowledge, email services and others.

An ICT Centre is functioning at grassroots level (Lugoba), which  provides ICT training,  document preparation, email, and database services.  A website has been established for  Lugoba  Village, Bagamoyo District (visit http://www.lungalugoba.or.tz).   While the  Lugoba project is more advanced with many ICT services, a similar project is running in  Dakawa, Mvomero District, without  Internet connectivity .  This Project begun with  development partner support (UNESCO) but now relies on COSTECH  for meeting bandwidth charges worth USD  150 per month and technical support.

 

(b)       ICT for Rural Development
Building on the infrastructure at the Lugoba ICT Centre, another initiative begun in the  year 2006 whose aim is to create sustainable  broadband markets in the villages along the  Chalinze-Miono Area in Bagamoyo District that utilize ICTs to stimulate development in  areas.  A similar initiative was undertaken in Bunda-Mugumu in Bunda/Serengeti districts.


Development partner (SIDA) provided support for broadband market creation and COSTECH provides office, coordination  and local staff as well as project planning and implementation.

 
2.5.3    Mainstreaming ICTs
In spite  of adopting the National ICT Policy in 2003, Tanzania is still not reaping the benefits available from the knowledge society and finds it  difficult to deliberately use ICTs to  increase the pace of its development agenda in addressing poverty and transom its  economy.  Thus SIDA agreed to support COSTECH on this initiative to engage with key stakeholders in order to accelerate the deployment of ICTs in the poverty alleviation and national development. COSTECH undertaken the followings activities:

  • Preparation of  District Level ICT intervention and implementation plans
  • Establishing collaboration with the State House
  • Finalizing the framework the ICT in education in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training
  • Finalizing of the special video showing Tanzania participation at the World Summit on Information Society  (WSIS)  email the  Tanzania@WSIS Video in 2005.
  • Follow up on an agreement reached in principle with the Director General of TCRA to prepare a  strategy to review and update the National ICT Policy and  other  national  policies related to the Knowledge Economy
  • Continuing to firm up partnerships and collaborations, and  nurture synergies with various ICT stakeholders

 

2.5.4 Coordinating ICT Research – ICTs and Poverty Reduction (PICTURE-Africa)
The project is supported by IDRC Canada to undertake the followings activities:

  • To investigate the effects of access and use of ICTs on the circumstances of  poverty in households.
  • COSTECH was invited to participate in this East Africa-wide project which  begun in  Uganda  under the title “Poverty & Information and Communication Technology System in Urban and Rural Systems in Rural Eastern Africa (IICTURE  Africa):  Case Studies from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda “.  It overall goal is to facilitate future policy decisions concerning the allocation and targeting of resources for poverty reduction by  providing analysis of the ICT/poverty nexus that adopts an analytical framework drawn from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
  • To continue to host the project and make available to of COSTECH staff members plus consultants (hired on temporary basis) for project planning and implementation work on this project.