MATHEWS KABAMBA, Lusaka
MINISTER of Commerce and Trade Margaret Mwanakatwe says there is need for research institutions in the country to ensure their findings are verified and grounded.
Ms Mwanakatwe said research evidence needs to go beyond “fancy” reports for it to be relevant to policy-makers and society.
“Research evidence needs to inform the decision-making processes and the general public…the evidence must be relevant, verified, grounded and in context. There is need to appropriately package your findings for various targeted audiences,” Ms Mwanakatwe said.
She said this in a speech read for her by Policy Monitoring and Research Centre (PMRC) board member Professor Mutale Chanda at the PMRC partners’ cocktail and media awards recently.
Mrs Mwanakatwe, who is also PMRC board chairperson, said it is encouraging that PMRC continues to live up to its mandate of producing quality policy analysis and reform proposals.
In January, PMRC embarked on a project to refine its strategic direction resulting in the PMRC 2015-2020 research strategy, which will be launched soon.
“The refined strategic framework could not have come at a better time than this, when the world is moving to the next level in the designing, implementation, monitoring and learning from research interventions,” she said.
Ms Mwanakatwe said since its inception in 2012, PMRC has conducted its work through multi-stakeholder partnerships with notable associates drawn from Government institutions and the private sector.
“It is assuring to note that PMRC understands that partnerships and collaborations play an integral part in the success of any socio-economic development initiatives,” she said.