Nanotechnology in South Africa – Challenges in evaluating the impact on development

Abstract

Nanotechnology has captured global attention as the technological platform of the next industrial revolution. 1 South Africa is one of the few countries from the global South that have adopted nanotechnology with the aim of enhancing global competitiveness and sustainable economic growth. As early as 2005, South Africa displayed an interest in nanotechnology by publishing and subsequently implementing the nanotechnology strategy and an associated 10-year plan.2 The strategy explicitly outlined the country's niche areas in the application of nanotechnology, namely water, energy, health care, chemical-and bio-processing, mining and minerals, and advanced materials and manufacturing.3 The applications focused specifically on areas that were expected to benefit the country, as the overall goal was to support development. About 10 years have elapsed since the strategy was implemented and the question has inevitably arisen as to how the technology has contributed to the development of the country. We argue that it is not easy to measure the impact of nanotechnology on development. South Africa's nanotechnology strategyThe South African National Nanotechnology Strategy focuses on four priority areas of intervention: the establishment of characterisation centres (national multi-user facilities), the creation of research and innovation networks (to enhance interdisciplinary, national and international collaboration), the building of human capacity, and the establishment of flagship projects (to demonstrate the benefits of nanotechnology).4 These interventions are meant to facilitate the realisation of the country's vision of economic growth, poverty reduction and enhancing quality of life. The strategy identifies two development clusters -industrial and social.3 The former targets mining, minerals, chemical-and bio-processing, and materials and manufacturing, while the latter focuses on the provision of clean and purified water, affordable and renewable energy, and improved primary health care.

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