‘Prioritize research for sustainable economic development’

Stop the brain drain of researchers:

By Rosanne Koelmeyer Anderson

[email protected]

‘Integrating science and technology is the imperative for nation building. Research is the foundation of knowledge. Research and development (R&D) is the only approach towards achieving sustainable economic development and bridging the gap of industrial growth between the first world and the third. It has become the need of the hour.

Under the Mahinda Chinthanaya, considerable accomplishment has been recorded and 1 per cent of the GDP has been allocated for the development of science and technology although only 0.13 per cent of it has been utilized.

Sri Lanka has much potential to prove to the world that we are not second best as many scientific research breakthroughs as in the DNA finger printing technique headed by the late Dr. Maya Gunesekera and nanotechnology led by Sri Lankan expatriate scientists’ have proved our potential.

‘Providing adequate support for technology development, training and research, attractive incentives and infra structure for our researchers and scientists to progress would help restrain the steadily increasing brain drain of our expertise.

According to Sri Lanka Science and Technology Statistics 2004 world research personnel stand at 894.0 per million inhabitants while Sri Lanka has recorded a 237.2 research personnel per million inhabitants; a decrease over the recent past.

This includes research in natural sciences, agricultural sciences, engineering and technology, medical sciences and social sciences and humanities. Statistics also reveal that only 20 per cent of our academics are engaged in research.

The framework to conduct research extensively and work on a National Development Research Policy together with the support of the Treasury is a vital aspect for uninterrupted progress in the field’, Chairperson of the National Science Foundation (NSF), Prof. Sirimali Fernando told the Sunday Observer.

The NSF having set up mechanisms to support local (R&D), technology needs in industry and society have been acting as catalyst between inventions and commercialization locally as well as established liaisons with international scientific bodies such as UNESCO, ICGEB, IFS, TWAS and ICUSU: an invaluable contribution and insightful research towards the country’s development thus far.

Spelling out some of the most interesting researches, Prof. Fernando said the DNA fingerprinting technique which had been researched subsequent to a grant in 1996 had bee successfully used as evidence for the first time in a court of law in Sri Lanka in the identification of Baby 81 during the tsunami in 2004 which received international publicity: the first case of paternity testing in Sri Lanka.

This accepted methodology was also used for the most recent forensic cases such as the Hokandara multiple murder, Colombo Royal Park murder and High Court Judge Sarath Ambepitiya’s murder and many rape and alleged incest cases. To date, over 1500 parentage tests and over 300 criminal case work have been performed using DNA typing technology, the Sunday Observer learns.

Another of the interesting NSF funded projects was invention of ‘Murali’, the low cost robot for anti-landmine intelligence: a fully independent, intelligent, eight legged robot that can clear landmines in an environment covered with vegetation by a team of scientist of the Moratuwa University; a device which could be used to speed up resettlement of displaced persons in war torn areas.

This was found to be a good cost effective alternative technique as the sniffer dog used for landmine detection cost as much as Rs. 5 m. Yet another NSF funded study conducted with mice and rats for the first time revealed that Sri Lankan black tea possesses a plethora of bio-activity that could be of potential health benefit to man helping to reduce anxiety, lowers the sugar level in blood, cholesterol and fever conditions, has pain killing properties, prevents diarrhoea and increases urination and sexual desire. Being the third largest tea producing country with approximately 19 per cent of the global demand is yet another step towards economic development.

Meanwhile, towards advancement in the agricultural sector, microbiologist of the Faculty of Science, University of Peradeniya have developed a fertilizer from paddy straw with bacterial and fugal mixtures which accelerates decomposition and increases plant growth and yield in wetland rice production.

A folding type cage wheel developed by Dr P. de Alwis of the Faculty of Agriculture, Peradeniya University which could improve the grip of the regular rubber tyres of small and medium power tractors were also NSF funded projects: an invaluable research finding which would assist the wetland farmer in particular.

A bio-pesticide was also developed from banana fruitpeel which could control post-harvest diseases in banana, a widely consumed fruit in Sri Lanka.

Apparently approximately 50,000 hectares are under banana cultivation, producing 450,000 metric tons of edible fruits annually. Banana which was considered a home garden crop several decades ago is now given national priority among food crops.

Yet another interesting islandwide survey carried out by Dr Wipula Yapa and his team on the status of bats in Sri Lanka which was assessed after 70 years was also funded by NSF. The challenging study would help conserve these truly amazing and most vulnerable animals whose echo location is a method of location which is said to help the blind too.

To compensate for the escalating electricity bills on research findings, three new electronic devices to reduce energy wastage have also been developed by Prof. K.K. Y. W. Perera: a low cost electronic controller for automatically switching on and off of street lamps and ceiling fans, a cage wheel and an alarm to indicate unnecessary use of electricity with an optional tripping facility were also scientific research contributions towards economic development, Prof. Fernando explained.

Meanwhile, there are many ongoing researches to enhance science and technology in Sri Lanka in a bid to bring about sustainable economic, scientific and technological development to meet global challenges which need be prioritized.