Dr Zanetor outlines strategy to bridge gap between research and commercialisation

Minister-designate for Environment, Science and Technology, Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, has outlined plans to strengthen the link between research, industry and government to ensure that scientific findings are translated into commercially viable ventures.

Speaking during her vetting by Parliament's Appointments Committee on August 27, 2026, Dr Agyeman-Rawlings addressed concerns about the gap between research findings and their practical implementation.

She said collaboration among research institutions, industry players and the government was crucial to ensuring that innovations developed by Ghanaian scientists are commercialised.

“There is a nexus between research, industry and government, the role that we play in order to make sure that whatever research findings are actually commercialised,” she said.

The minister-designate noted that the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) already has frameworks in place to support the commercialisation of innovations and facilitate partnerships with the private sector.

“The CSIR already has in place the necessary framework that looks at the commercialisation of innovations as well as how to engage in private partnerships,” she stated.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said, if approved, she would seek to gain a deeper understanding of existing innovations and identify ways of accelerating efforts to connect researchers with private sector partners.

“What I would be looking to do is to understand what we currently have as far as innovations are concerned and how we can speed up the process of engaging private partners and looking at the commercialisation of some of these innovations,” she said.

She further stressed the importance of protecting intellectual property, explaining that scientists must be assured that their work and innovations will be properly recognised and safeguarded.

“I think key to that as well is also the protection of intellectual property, to reassure scientists of the fact that when they actually put in their very best, they're recognised and their work is also protected,” she added.

Dr Agyeman-Rawlings' comments highlight the need to address the longstanding challenge of moving research and innovations from laboratories and academic institutions into productive enterprises capable of contributing to Ghana's economic development.