History was made when the National Research Fund (NRF) of Kenya hosted the inaugural national research festival on 19-23rd August, 2024. The extravaganza was opened by Felix Kipatarus Koskei the Head of Public Service. A most successful national celebration on the centrality of the research enterprise in socio-economic transformation of the country, region and the continent. This festival was being held on the tenth anniversary of the establishment of the Fund. I was privileged to have been a founder trustee of the NRF for two consecutive terms (2015-2021). The festival showcased innovations from all over the country and was organised through a collaboration with the Young Scientists Kenya (YSK) and invited participation of over 300 secondary schools drawn from 20 counties. A truly refreshing and engaging participation. The university presence, both public and private was very much there and they exhibited innovative problem-solving innovations. I learnt how to make briquettes from bamboo through the Busia based Lunaso Water Resources Users Association (LWRUA), and drank yoghurt made from Baobab fruit courtesy of the Technical University of Kenya (TUK). Meru University had a first in bottled ‘muguka’ tonic drink. The close of the festival was appropriately spiced up with Kenya National Academy of Sciences (KNAS) recognising deserving academics and researchers. The mental health specialist and author, Prof. (Emeritus) David Ndetei of the University of Nairobi was presented with a life-time achievement award for his contribution to this critical sector.
Three sessions caught my eye. Professor Victor Murinde, formerly of the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) and currently the Executive Director of the African Economic Research Consortium (AERC) spoke on “Innovative Sustainable Research Funding in the Global South” opened our minds to the possibility of growing research funding by exploring unconventional models. The East Africa Research and Innovation Hub of the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) sponsored two sessions; one on: “Research Capacity Strengthening” and the other on “Research Utilisation and Uptake”. Very topical, strategic as well as timely.
If you ask me, an important element that permeated throughout the festival was the need for effective communications of research outputs for realization of transformative impact. The festival organizers had considered this and provided for an expert panel discussion session that comprised of practicing communication experts, such as Juliette Mutheu of Science Foundation for Africa (SFA).
Early this year, Chris Featherman published a thought-provoking blog titled “Science v. Story: Narrative Strategies for Science Communicators – review”. https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/impactofsocialsciences/2024/06/11/science-v-story-narrative-strategies-for-science-communicators-review/.
The review is based on Emma Frances Bloomfield stand that:
‘stories have the power to both explain and persuade, making complex technical information comprehensible to lay audiences by grounding it in their lived realities.”
Science communicators, she reasons, are therefore wise to leverage the power of story – when rooted in sound science – to engage and instruct the public on scientific, environmental and health-related topics.
Incidentally the communication gap is not limited to research outputs. Former Cabinet Secretary for ICT Samuel Poghisio, was this very same week interviewed on how government should work to restore public trust by Spice FM’s popular ‘Situation Room’. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tYWyTXJiKM&t=2165s.
A seasoned communicator and a former academic of the Daystar University, Poghisio expounded on why he thought President’s Ruto’s administration failed to endear the youthful majority of the voting population that culminated in the Gen-Zee protests that breached parliament. The president is now forced to make countywide tours to sell his policies, say’s Poghisio. The former CS identified important imperatives of communication. One of which is clarity in the communication message. Much learning can be gleaned from this interview that can inform effective communication of research results.
So, what are the take home bytes? Firstly, kudos to NRF and all the collaborating partners for pulling this through. As you plan for the follow-up event in Njoro, Nakuru County in 2025, kindly rack-up the publicity for the event. An international participant, Dr. Leonard Oruko, who is an economist and monitoring & evaluation expert, was pleasantly surprised to see the high-level of organisation this event achieved. He wondered why he had missed to see it’s publicity in print, electronic and social media. Feedback: well-designed, organized, resourced and delivered, but low publicity. Secondly, in response to the call by the Head of Public Service, ensure more active participation of the consumers of research, i.e. decision-makers in the public and private space. Feedback: involve more participation of Cabinet and Permanent Secretaries, as well as leaders of industry. They need to be seen at floor of plenary discussions and visiting exhibition halls, raising questions and providing helpful way-forwards.
JPR Ochieng’-Odero is a scientist, author, playwright, blogger, and beekeeper all rolled into one