Secrecy among Kenyan researchers is delaying implementation of novel ideas, a State agency has said.
It says co-operation by scientists would weed out duplication of ideas and patent infringement, enabling wananchi to benefit from their findings.
Kenya Intellectual Property Institute (Kipi) boss Sylvance Sange said in a statement that most researchers hardly co-operate with one another in sourcing funding or sharing ideas.
He said this has seen many scientists fail to access information on time about their innovations which could be replicas of already patented products.
“Our people should not try to re-invent the wheel. Kipi can help researchers access a wide range of specialised databases on intellectual property (IP) from across the world on their specific line of innovation. In the event it is patented, we advise them early enough to abandon the project and do something else,” he said.
Royalty divisions
Mr Sange spoke when he received Kenya National Innovation Agency’s Rose Nyanga, accompanied by Research Council (UK) official Jacqui Williams and Sarah Blackburn.
The MD said researchers could agree on royalty divisions with learning institutions and local companies, adding that this could fast-track commercialisation of identified products.
“It will not only speed up conclusion of their findings, but also reduce the cost of their research since institutions can fund the project and even finance its commercialisation,” he said.
He added that this is the best way to avoid common pitfalls where most research findings gather dust at local labs.
Kipi is a State corporation under the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Co-operatives mandated to administer industrial property rights in patents, trademarks, industrial designs and utility models.