Palm oil project gives Kalangala a lifeline

By Moses Sserwanga

In Kalangala

 

 In a country where the locals are not very keen  at venturing out  of their traditional  surroundings,  Kalangala district one of the islands on lake  Victoria is fast becoming a local tourists  destination. 

 Because of its  quiet and breathtaking scenery  surrounded by the waters of Lake Victoria ,for  many of  Kampala’s affluent  and globetrotters -Kalangala is now one of their major weekend and holiday resting places.

 Although the tourism industry  is just picking up on the Island - after a one year lull- due to the devasting -global-novel -covid -19 pandemic, many  local and foreign tourists still  make the -three and half hours journey to the district -just to indulge themselves a little bit.

 “  We are extremely privileged that we are beginning to see the real potential of Kalangala even when it’s a hard to reach area . And for some of us in administration we cannot wait to take full advantage of  the people’s interest in our local tourism to help develop the district . There   is a lot of potential for our local tourism given the global interest in our cultural sites, the beautiful oil palm  gardens  (sic) -eco tourism,  Bugoma landing sites for early missionaries , sports fishing, water  surfing and  bird watching among others ,” Umar Kiyonga  an employee of the Kalangala oil Palm Growers Trust (KOPGT) , says.

 Mr. Balironda David Mukasa Salongo, the General Manager of  KOPGT, a former Agricultural Officer , says that Kalangala has come a long way since  1989 when it was  curved out of

Masaka district without any  economic feasibility to talk home about . “There was a
need to have a big  project  running here and  we are  happy to have the palm oil project which has helped inject ‘life’ in much of what the local people are doing currently .

 Kalangala (Bugala) with  a modest population of an estimated 90,000 inhabitants,  is the biggest out  of  the 84 Sesse Islands  “ The Kalangala local government is in charge of all the  84 islands 64 of which are uninhabited  . So through the   KOPGT we are  in position to improve our health sector, education, fisheries and above all promote echo-tourism with the beautiful scenery created by the oil palm trees- “forests” -dotted across the island”, Balironda states .

 “ And with  oil palm growing over the last 15 years , people are  earning  real incomes and in the month of April alone ,an estimated 1,300 oil palm farmers will earn an estimated UGSHS.4bn  from their farms and we expect the district’s  tax base to widen and that can only serve the public good,” a jovial Balironda told media personalities who visited the district to report about the positive economic and eco-tourism transformation caused by oil palm growing .

Because of the increased household incomes and general standards of living commercial banks have set -up banking services for the first time on the island and the farmers are encouraged to save and invest in other economic activities -thus widening the economic base of the district.

 “You can see all-round people are building better houses, opening up hardware shoes , saloons but above all sending children to schools which has led to a marked improvement in literacy levels,” Balironda explains .

 Ms.Connie Magomu Masaba, the Project Manager of the National Oil Palm Project (NOPP) said that growing of oil palm in Kalanga has  transformed households from subsistence farming to commercial agriculture.  The project has  also created thousands of jobs directly with many people working in the   plantations  owned by the  Oil Palm Uganda Limited (OPUL) plus the outgrowers.

 The National Oil Palm Project is a Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Industry and Fisheries (MAAIF) initiative with funding from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and because of  its success in Kalangala it  is now being extended to  Buvuma  Island .

The Buvuma Island project will be established on 7,500 hectares with 5,000 dedicated to the nucleus estate while the rest of the land (2,500) will be for smallholder farmers. The nucleus estate will be managed by Buvuma Oil Palm Limited (BOPL), a joint venture between the private sector, government and farmers, according to Masaba.  The Buvuma Oil Palm Growers Cooperatives Society Limited has been formed to cater for the interests of farmers

And the economics of oil palm growing

Currently, a kilo of fresh fruit bunches of oil palm is sold at Shs869 from Shs857 in April. In Kalangala, where the project was first implemented, smallholder farmers supply on average 6.9 million kilos of fresh fruit bunches earning a gross income of Shs6 billion every month. Smallholder farmers also earn from oil palm leaves once pruned, which they sell as brooms used in urban areas such as Kampala. It is estimated that an ordinary farmer can earn as much as Shs.800,000 from an acre of oil palm trees.

Commercial oil palm growing in Uganda started in Kalangala in 2006 and harvesting started in 2010 with crude palm oil shipped to Jinja where Bidco owns a refinery that makes cooking oil and soap among other products.

Oil palm trees reach maturity at four years and are harvested every 10 days for 25 years after which farmers will have to replant. This gives farmers a sustainable monthly income for years.   Oil palm is the world’s most versatile vegetable oil which is used to make soap, cooking oil, medicines, cosmetics, and ingredients used in the automotive industry among others. 

And the challenges

But much as  Kalangala has found its feet, there are  numerous  challenges it has to over-come. The district HIV/Aids prevalence rates are  still very high  averaging  at between
 27-30 %  compared to national average of  6-9%.  Kalangala does not have a district hospital; therefore, patients often have to travel by water to the nearby district hospitals in Entebbe and Masaka for treatment. Further, patients cannot travel by night because ferries and boats are not allowed to operate at night and the last time Ugandaupdatenews.com visited the oil palm farmers , the docking peirs at bugoma and Bukakata had been submerged following the rising water levels of Lake Victoria and no action had been taken by  the Kalangala infrastructure Services Ltd who operate the two public vessels that transport people to and from the island.

 msserwanga@gmail.com

 

MILES 4 SMILES MOTOR VEHICLE ENTHUSIASTS TOUR KIIRA MOTORS VEHICLE PLANT IN JINJA

 Members of the Ugandan famed Miles 4 Smiles – a group of motor vehicles enthusiasts ,mechanics and professionals have toured the multi-billion Kiira Vehicles Plant (KVP) at the jinja Industrial and Business park and pledged to support -mission vehicles made in Uganda- all the way – by buying vehicles produced by Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC).

Uganda’s automakers and industry champions are now taking orders to produce buses for the local, regional and continental markets .

The Miles 4 Smiles has over 200 members countrywide who each offer their relevant expertise in achieving the noble cause of charity . They were received at the plant by a team of Kiira Motors officials led by the Director of Sales and Marketing ,Mr. Allan Muhumuza.

Phase one of the Kiira Vehicle Plant which has been constructed by the UPDF Engineering Brigade under the army’s trading arm -the National Enterprise Corporation (NEC) is at 98% completion and has capacity to produce 22 buses a day and 5,000 a year. Some of the KMC products include the Kayoola EVs -the fully electric buses and the Kayoola Diesel Coach (KDC) -which for the last two years have been used to offer shuttle services for the staff of Civil Aviation Authority .

Do you want to buy a locally made durable bus (both electric and diesel) please contact Kiira Motors Corporation at their home in Ntinda ,Kampala. Telephone Contact; 0783039613 

THE ELETRIC VEHICLES REVOLUTION: GOVERNMENT SHOULD SET UP CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE AND PASS THE NATIONAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY DEVELOPMENT POLICY

 

BY MOSES SSERWANGA

As we usher in the year 2022 amid a resilient Covid 19 pandemic- the 4^th industrial revolution is also taking shape-with the global 9 trillion dollars automotive industry quickly shifting to electric mobility technologies to mitigate the wide spread effects of climate change largely as a results of pollution from fossil fuels .

Last year, over 11 million registered electric vehicles including cars, buses, vans and trucks were on the road across the world. This number is projected to rise to 145 million by the end of the decade.

Luckily, for Uganda and Africa in general -this new global trend for software-enabled forms of E- mobility might – after all-not leave us behind by several hundred years as the case has been with the past industrial revolutions.

Several African countries can be credited for attempting to keep with -in touching distance with the more advanced world to deploy clean energy -efficient Electric vehicles and phase out the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) cars by the year 2030. And this is just eight years away.

 Uganda, South Africa , Morocco, Nigeria and Mauritius are among the early leaders in the EV market and this is one milestone that should be celebrated across the African continent . At least for once, Africa is moving in tandem with the rest of the world to deploy its home grown E-mobility technologies that will help the continent to have a fair share of the multi-trillion -global car market .

 Uganda together with other EAC regional government should cease the opportunity in the new year 2022 -to pronounce themselves and offer clear road maps on greening our cities  by promoting clean and efficient  E-mobility solutions. Kampala and many other African cities are ranked among the most polluted in the world due to the dumping of -end-of-life second hand used vehicles.

 Well as several industrialized- developed nations have set 2030 as the magic year to phase out Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicles ,only one African country – Cape Verde has taken definitive steps to phase out the ICE cars by 2035 .

 In Uganda -Kiira Motors Corporation the state enterprise and industry captains in the development of the country’s nascent automotive industry have been at the forefront of developing  E-mobility technologies that have resulted in the deployment of electric vehicles -the Kayoola fully electric buses which are now offering shuttle services for employees of the Uganda Civil Aviation authority .

 Subsequently ,a  draft Automotive Industry Development Policy has been crafted to shape the destiny of Uganda’s multi-billion automotive industry. But unfortunately  ,this blue print is yet to be discussed and passed by cabinet .

 This means that whereas Kiira Motors and other two and three wheeler electric motorcycle producers like Zembo, Bodawerk and International University of East  Africa (IUEA) have taken the initiative to ensure that Uganda is at close quarters with other E-mobility champions across the world-there is still no clear government plan to align the country to the global mobility trends.

 Perhaps this is the reason why there is relatively slow adoption of EVs in Uganda and EAC region which still face  infrastructural challenges like the lack of public E-charging systems (apparently KMC has the only three available E-chargers) in the country if not in the entire EAC region. And what a pity ! .

 What needs to be done rather urgently

Government should in the year 2022 pass and implement the Automotive Industry Development Policy and other attendant laws .  There is also the urgent need -for the development of a national charging infrastructure for Electric mobility and that should be connected to the national grid at affordable rates to phase out the high polluting end-of-life vehicles in Uganda by 2030. This should quickly be done through the Ministries of Energy and Mineral Development and Transport and Works in collaboration with the Ministry of Science ,Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President -led by Hon. Ruth Nankabirwa, Gen. Katumba Wamala and Dr. Monica Musenero ,respectively . 

 

Kiira Motors and other start-up companies like Zembo, Bodawerk that have worked against all odds to  bring the electric-car revolution to the streets of Kampala with the production of electric-vehicle fleet and E- motorcycles  need to be supported  by government by putting in place a robust -conducive environment that will facilitate the fast development of  the country ‘s  automotive industry to service the  huge vehicle market in the EAC region and Africa continent .

The writer is a Media ,Communications  Consultant  and Advocate of the High Court of Uganda 

msserwanga@gmail.com

KIIRA MOTORS EMBARKS ON SKILLING UGANDANS AHEAD OF MASS COMMERCIAL PRODUCTION OF VEHICLES NEXT YEAR

By  Moses Sserwanga 

Uganda’ s Automotive Industry flagship, Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) has embarked on a massive skilling program for Ugandans -ahead of mass  commercial production of vehicles at their Vehicle Plant at the Jinja Industrial and Business Park next year .

At least 50  new KMC staff are now undergoing an intensive skills training program at Luwero Industries in Nakasongola where Uganda’s automakers are building buses for the local  and regional markets .  

Kiira  Motors are now taking orders to deliver  buses both electric and internal combustion  engines ones with the government of Uganda taking an initial order through the Ministry of Transports -company executives have revealed.

The  bus chassis and frame localization training of the initial group of 50 factory workers will last at least three months  and the lucky selected Ugandans were all but excited about the opportunity to build and produce -vehicles made in Uganda. “ This is a life time opportunity and I thank God for it . I cant wait to get onto the vehicles production line once we complete the training ,” one of the trainees stated .

The Kiira Motors Corporation CEO , Mr. Paul Isaac Musasizi said that with specialised funding for skilling the company  is ready to scale -up the training to over 1,000 skilled Ugandans  every three months -to create a critical mass of skilled labour -force for the rapid development of  Uganda’s nascent automotive industry.

“ The trainees are given skills that make them employable even in other sectors such as the  oil pipeline construction and furniture industry,” Musasizi stated . 

The central government will  be assured  of  at least an estimated  UGShs. 270 billion over a five-year period together with the local governments in Kampala,  Wakiso and Mukono once industry captains – Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) starts initial production at their vehicle plant -early in the new year.

The Kiira Vehicle Plant that has been constructed by the UPDF Engineering Brigade under NEC will have a capacity of producing  5,000 vehicles a year and 22 everyday .

The new recruits honing their skills

Supply chain localisation  is key  for KMC’s  immediate strategy -to not only reduce costs and add value to local minerals but to have at least 65% components of  all the company’s vehicles manufactured local by various industries across the automotive industry value chain by the year 2030.

KMC is aiming at both the private and government markets to offtake its production. So far KMC products -the Kayoola fully electric buses and Kayoola Diesel Coach are offering shuttle services to the  staff of Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on a daily basis for the last two years .

Kiira Vehicle Plant in Jinja

Building the indigenous mobility industry provides an unprecedented opportunity for promoting value addition to Uganda’s mineral and other natural resources; as well employment creation for Ugandans, contribution to economic growth and poverty reduction within the context of a green

and circular economy.

The global value of the automotive industry will hit the – 9 Trillion  US dollars mark by the year 2030 with 109 million vehicles produced annually and African economies-Ugandan inclusive  should be seen taking the right steps to position themselves and benefit from the immense opportunities on offer.

msserwanga@gmail.com

The writer is a Media and Communications consultant ,Trainer and Advocate of the High Court of Uganda 

PRESIDENT MUSEVENI HAS CALLED UPON UGANDAN SCIENTISTS TO INNOVATE FOR IMPORT SUBSTITUTION AND EXPORT PROMOTION

 By  Moses Sserwanga

President  Yoweri Museveni has called upon Uganda Scientists to use innovation to support the country’s  import substitution and export promotion- drive  through value addition .  Gen. Museveni was officiating at a colourful  event celebrate to mark the World Science Day for Peace and Development held at Kololo Independence grounds on November 10,2021.

President Museveni reiterated his determination to have  all scientists who work in government get better remuneration -noting that in a government’s new new strategic direction – to have Ugandan innovations reach the commercialization stage resources will be provided through direct budgetary  allocations and Uganda Development Bank (UDB)- where innovators will access affordable credit at very low interest rates.

He said that the NRM Government has been working to promote science-led industrial development policy for faster transformation.

“Science led industrial development has been our goal in government. With effect from June 2021, I put the Ministry of Science and Technology under the Office of the President so that it can be effectively managed and financed,” Museveni explained while giving an example of some of the ventures he and government have supported such as Uganda’s automakers Kiira Motors Corporation –who are now producing vehicles for the African market  and the Joint Clinical Research Centre (JCRC) in developing a diagnostic test for Covid-19 that produces results within 30 minutes.

The Science Day was held under the theme “The future of science technology and innovation in Uganda: Breaking the silos & leveraging synergies for a skilled and sustainable workforce for national economic transformation”  and was attended by among others the Minister for the Presidency Babirye Milly Babalanda, the Minister of Science Technology and Innovation Office of the President ,Dr. Monica Musenero, Minister of State for Education Hon. Muyingo Professor Sandy Stevens Tickodri-Togboa the Board Chairman Kiira Motors among others.

The Executive Director of UNESCO in Uganda, Prof. Eriabu Lugujo said that Africa cannot develop without science. He saluted the President for prioritizing science teachers through improved remunerations.

The Principle of the College of Veterinary medicine of Makerere University Prof. David Kabasa in a keynote address called for collaboration among Ugandan scientists through think tanks to commercialize their innovations .

Museveni saluted the new Minister of STI OP Dr. Musenero for  undertaking several key stakeholder engagements which have led to the identification of six (6) priority industrial value chains to  be  the  core  focus  for  strategic  intervention  in  the short-medium term under NDP III namely: Pathogen Economy, Engineering, Mobility, Beauty and Apparel, Digital Economy, and Agro-Security.

“There will be increased industrialisation, commercialization,    productivity    and    enterprise development  with  the  right  application  of  Science, Technology and Innovation in each of these identified industrial  value  chains. 

The  prioritization  of  the selected  Industrial  Value  Chains  was  informed  by four (4) key attributes based on careful consideration and these include -Need: Items that will transform how our people’s lives  and  do  business  (Supporting  the  Parish Model)-Advantage:   where   Uganda   has   competitive advantage   such as    raw    materials,    localization potential ;Market:   Availability   of   domestic,   regional, continental and global market and potential for growth looking at trends in market size.

Dr. Musenero  explained why they chose  this year’s theme thus, ” We chose this theme because it aligned with the ongoing efforts to address some of the constraining fragmentation, silos and gaps that have characterized STI in the country. It also reflects the progress so far made in building synergies to create a well-coordinated National Science, Technology and Innovation System focused on a common prioritized agenda.”

 The World Science Day for Peace and Development is annually celebrated on 10th November globally. It was initiated by the United Nations Education and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in a bid to recognize and promote Science and Technology in the advancement of societies since 1937.

The exhibition at Kololo which has attracted over 50 of Uganda’s finest innovators across six Industrial Value Chains followed  the first ever  -colourful -green mobility industrial value chain motor parade which was staged around the capital Kampala as part of the Science week.

 The motor parade involved Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC Uganda’s automotive industry champion, Tondeka Metro- Bus Service  , Zembo and  International University of East Africa who are spearheading-electric motorcycle transport in and around Kampala ,other cities and urban centers.

The parade was flagged- off  by the Minister of Science , Technology and Innovation in the Office of the President Dr. Monica Musenero . She was accompanied by the Kiira Motors Board of Directors  Chairman ,Prof. Sandy Steven Tickodri-Togoboa and the Mr. Fred Senoga a Director at Tondeka Metro Bus Service.

Dr. Musenero highlighted the objectives for this year’s Science Week-which  include showcasing- the existing scientific innovations (prototypes), human resource, equipment and natural resources in the country for synergy formation to increase productivity through value chain adoption.

Other objectives are  to create awareness about the new National STI Innovations System including the Think-tanks, Secretariat, the industrial value chain approach, hackathons, multi-sectoralism, Intellectual Property, and focus on industrialization and commercialization.

The NSW is also meant to  advocate for increased government and stakeholder collaboration in commercialization of R&D and science education at all levels of learning; promote domestic scientific literature, publications and books towards a knowledge-based economy.

Several innovators were recognized and received cash prizes including a nine-year-old primary four girl  Trany Ann Mpagi.

msserwanga@gmail.com

UGANDA SET FOR THE BIGGEST SCIENCE INNOVATORS’ AWARDS 2021

 BY MOSES SSERWANGA

The Ministry of Science , Technology and Innovation (ST&I) - Office of the President in partnership with the Private Sector Foundation Uganda (PSFU) is organizing the Uganda Science Innovators’ Awards to celebrate Ugandans’ innovation efforts and inspire young innovators to activate their abilities and contribute to the technology development of the country.

Ministry officials have told ugandaupdatenews.com – a leading Uganda online news publisher -that the Uganda Innovation Awards- the first of a kind to be held in the country ,corresponds to the ST &I Minister Hon. Dr Monica Musenero's reflection on Uganda’s Aspirations and Pathways to Vision 2040 in her famous saying; “Africa needs African minds to solve African problems.”

The Awards have been positioned to align with the National Science Week and the World Science Day for Peace and Development Celebrations commemorated annually on 10th November.

President Yoweri Museveni -a strong champion for home grown innovations- to offer solutions to local problems is expected to be the guest of honor at the Awards ceremony on 10 Nov 2021 -where winners will receive cash prizes geared at supporting them to improve their prototypes, register Intellectual Property (IP) and support their  incubation leading to commercialization.

“Winners of the Uganda Innovation Awards will also enjoy practical three to six months technical training to improve their skills and enhance their capabilities,” officials stated .

Although many Ugandan innovations supported by President Yoweri Museveni for over wo decades now- have not survived the “valley of death” to commercialization , Uganda’s automakers and champions of the green mobility technologies in Africa – Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) is one shining example that Ugandan Innovators can have their products commercialized and cement Uganda’s industrial revolution.

Kiira Motors Corporation (KMC) which had a humble beginning at Makerere University’s  College of Engineering as an extra -curricular activity under the stewardship of Prof. Sandy Stevens Tickodri -Togboa and Eng. Paul Isaac Musasizi -with the support of President Museveni is now set to produce vehicles locally -on a commercial large scale .

In order to have many more innovators of KMC’s ilk -the new Minister of ST&I Dr. Musenero has hit the road running fast – setting up ST&I national think tanks -not only to inspire local innovators but to also  coordinate their efforts and have their innovations commercialized -in line with government of Uganda’s industrialization policy .

The KMC success story has been about a high-level of resilience ,commitment and determination . They have demonstrated that if Ugandan innovators are focused and united they will be at the forefront of the country’s industrialization drive during the 4th industrial revolution. 

This is the same spirit under which the Uganda Innovation Awards are being organized . Several categories have been identified and earmarked for the awards and these include : Pathogen Economy; Engineering; Mobility; Beauty and Apparel; Digital Economy; and Agro-Security.

To augment the position of scientists in the country an award tied to the best scientist will be given. These categories were chosen on the basis of the findings from consultative meetings undertaken by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations with government Ministries, Departments and Agencies in the identification of priority industrial value chains for Uganda. Twelve winners will be obtained from two age-groups i.e.above 18 (18+) and under 18(>18), one from each category.

Uganda Innovation Awards will be a national event and the biggest ever organizers have intimated that the Uganda Innovation Awards will be a truly national event where innovators will be allowed to showcase their innovations and use social media platforms to appeal to Ugandans for their votes . 

“It is going to be a transparent process involving the Ugandan people directly . Information about the awards is going to be translated in the local languages and circulated widely . Ugandans should be proud of their country and fellow -countrymen who are innovating – that good innovations and products can be produced in Uganda and by Ugandans,” officials asserted.  

The writer is a Media and Communications Consultant and Advocate of the High Court of Uganda msserwanga@gmail.com

Award Categories

Pathogen Economy: The award in this category will go to the innovators with innovations targeting disease control and management. The innovations will include; vaccines, therapeutics, diagnostics, biomedical ICT and Equipment.

Engineering: This award will aim at recognizing innovators with technology related innovations in renewable energy, mechanical, electrical and electronic engineering as well as civil engineering and chemical engineering among others.

Mobility Economy: The award recognizes innovations that augment the national mobility ecosystem along the develop, make, sell and use tiers. These should be towards the development of environmentally friendly, efficient, inclusive and safe mobility solutions.

Beauty and Apparel: Innovators with innovations in cosmetology and textile processing will be earmarked for this award. It will look into innovations in skincare products and hair products for cosmetics as well as fabric and thread production, fabric recycling, textile production technology and value addition for existing raw materials.

Digital Economy: The digital economy awards will be given to innovators who demonstrate high aptitudes in designing information and communication technologies and applications that ease transmission and knowledge dissemination.

Agro-security: This award will value innovations in agro processing, agribusiness, soil conservation, agriculture technologies, food preservation and safety applications among others. An Innovator with practical models, devices and applications adding value to food propagation, value addition and food conservation will be awarded.

Women Innovators Award: This award will go to a seasoned woman innovator. They should have registered at least a patent and at least have a product on the market.

STI Science Ambassador: This award will recognize the most outstanding scientist in Uganda for their contribution to science innovation and technology. They should have registered at least 5 patents and at least have a product on the market.

Objectives of the Award

●      To recognize outstanding innovators and innovations

●      To earmark innovations for scaling up and commercialization purposes

●      To create visibility of Ugandan capabilities in technology development and innovation

●      To inspire Ugandans especially youth into technology development and innovation

Criteria

The awards will be;

1.     Cash prizes that will be tagged to efforts to support the innovators to improve their prototypes, register their innovations/ patents, support them with incubation, commercialize their products.

2.     Practical 3-6 months technical training to improve the innovators’ skills be given in the form of incentives to upgrade the capabilities of the innovators. A practical approach will be employed that should offer measurable outcomes.

Steps to follow when submitting the nomination of your innovation (either by self -innovator or other person- nominator)

1. Record a video of the innovator explaining the innovation in strictly not more than 2 mins (120 seconds)
2. The recording could be shot using a phone or any other gadget that can perform the service
3. The video quality should be excellent and the sound audible.
4. Share the video on email innovation.awards@gcic.go.ug or Tel:+256 414 670 288

Details of the Innovator which should include;

                            i.         Name

                          ii.          Age

                         iii.          Phone Number

                         iv.          District

                           v.          Category of innovation

Note

·       The deadline for submission of nominations is 20th October 2021 at midnight

·       Vetting and shortlisting of successful nominees: 21st -24th October, 2021

·       Voting of shortlisted nominees: 25th October to 8th November, 2021

·       Voting will end on 8th November, 2021 at Midnight

·       Announcements will be on T.V, local radios, newspapers and social media platforms

Outcome

·       The shortlisted candidates will face a panel of Judges who will give a verdict based on the presentation, capability and knowledge of their innovation.

·       The top three candidates per category per age group will be shared with the public for final voting.

·       Media profiling for each innovator will be done as well as that of the STI Science Ambassador.

·       All successful winners including the Science Ambassador will be given a slot to exhibit their innovations at the World Science Day Celebrations on 10th November, 2021.