By: Dawda M. Jallow
The National Research and Innovation Fund (NRIF) on Tuesday opened a three-day capacity-building workshop aimed at strengthening research funding and grants management systems in The Gambia.
The workshop, held at the NRIF headquarters in Bijilo, brought together researchers, policymakers, academics and development partners to promote collaboration, improve research governance and strengthen the management of research funding.
Opening the workshop, NRIF Executive Director Prof. Momodou Sallah said robust national research systems require collaboration among researchers, policymakers, practitioners and development partners.
He said the forum offered stakeholders an opportunity to examine ways of making research funding systems more transparent, credible and effective, while ensuring that research investments contribute to scientific advancement and national development.
“Research funding is not merely a financial process. It is an intellectual enterprise,” Prof. Sallah said, adding that funding decisions influence the quality, relevance and impact of a country’s research culture.
He thanked the African Centre for Technology Studies (ACTS) and the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI) for supporting the workshop, describing the partnership as an important contribution to strengthening national research systems.
Chairperson of the NRIF Board, Dr Ebrima Sall, said effective research institutions are built on continuous learning, sound governance and a commitment to excellence.
He said the workshop would focus on research funding frameworks, grants management, knowledge translation and research management systems, which he described as essential for ensuring accountability and supporting evidence-based policymaking.
“Our ambition is to build an institution that commands confidence because it is guided by merit, fairness, transparency and intellectual integrity,” Dr Sall said.
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research, Science and Technology, Director of Research and Technology Edward Mendy described research and innovation as key drivers of economic growth, employment and sustainable development.
He said countries that invest strategically in research and innovation are better positioned to address emerging challenges and compete in the global knowledge economy.
Mendy noted that although NRIF is a relatively new institution, it has made progress in establishing the foundations of a national research funding system.
The three-day workshop is expected to equip participants with practical skills in research funding, grants administration and innovation management in support of The Gambia’s development agenda.