A low-cost LED-based intelligent photocolorimeter for the sugar industry in Cuba; the conversion of palm oil waste to biodegradable plastics in Malaysia; a novel composite material that can be used to remove pollutants from water in Nigeria.
These and other case studies make the core of the recent ISTIC-TWAS joint publication Innovations in Science and Technology in Developing Countries. ISTIC—the International Science, Technology and Innovation Centre for South-South Cooperation—is a UNESCO center created in 2005 to serve as an international platform for cooperation in science, technology, and innovation, in developing countries. TWAS—The World Academy of Sciences—is located in Italy and works toward advancing science and engineering for sustainable prosperity in the developing world.
Their book describes cases from 15 countries where innovation proved to be the keystone that turns challenges into opportunities for development, whether of new products or services.
For example, researchers from Redeemer’s University in Nigeria have formed a composite adsorbent of defatted papaya seeds with locally sourced kaolinite clay. The composite demonstrates excellent adsorbent properties for lead and cadmium as well as for nickel ions, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls found in water.
More than 100 candidates made up an initial list of innovation projects. Twenty-three of them were then selected on the basis of their replicability, impact, and the lessons they provide. They were also chosen for a presentation at a workshop held in Penang, Malaysia, in October 2012.
Now these cases have been grouped in a publication that ISTIC and TWAS will distribute among policymakers and other leaders to illustrate why investment in innovation is a critical part of effective governance.
