Forum advocates establishment of research fund for software devt in Africa

Stakeholders, who gathered at the second Africa and Middle East Conference on Software Engineering (AMECSE 2016) in Rostum, USA, have called for the establishment of Africa Continent Software Research Fund to aid software development in the region.

In a paper authored by Senior Software Developer, Mobile Software Solutions, Okwu Marcus Eke and the Africa Chair on IEEE World Forum on IoT, Chris Uwaje, with the theme: “Africa and Software of Things-Engaging the Knowledge Olympiad”, they argued that Africa must step forward to be counted and digitally ready at all levels, if it must survive the emerging critical challenges, traumatic impact as well as secure the opportunities and benefits presented by ‘globalization order’ of the 21st Century.

According to them, competition has always been the hallmark of appraising human development at traditional and modern levels, stressing that today, knowledge has become and will for a longtime remain the primary key and most critical factor for national development, wealth creation, and promotion of human dignity, productivity, increased GDP and above all, national security and global competitiveness.

They pointed out that the centre of gravity of the knowledge in question resides in understanding the chemistry of software development ecosystem.

As such, they advocated the need to establish a continental software knowledge framework (CSKF) for Africa as a platform to cluster, bank and share critical software knowledge on logic systems at all levels.

Apart from calling on policy makers and leadership in Africa to establish the Africa Continent Software Research Fund” and by extension, pledge to adopt, advance and promote the concept of Africa IP Knowledge Grid (AIPKG), they stressed the need to declare the current status of Africa software development and application as a
“Critical State of Emergency” and establish Africa Software Development Bank as a subsidiary of Africa Development Bank (ADB).

According to the forum, there is also need for approval for the establishment of an Africa-wide e-Knowledge competition on Africa Software of Things aspect of IoTs.

They equally stressed the importance of retooling the Africa knowledge workforce from the kindergarten to tertiary levels with software engineering and development, skills, abilities and capacities as strategic imperative for the establishment of the “Africa’s New Creative and Innovative Class.”