As a graduate student I was once involved in a multi-disciplinary project that required our team to develop an entrepreneurial pitch to the professor, selling novel nanotechnology solution to address a problem of our choice (business idea, not a technical solution as I am by no means a nano-engineer).

As we brain-stormed, the team was solicitous enough to ask me if we could perhaps address a case from my home-country. I was ready – some might even say overeager – with my list of problems and potential solutions. Next question: which of your universities carries out nanotech research? None!(As an end-to-end solution, this was key) Eventually, disappointingly, our final solution was set in the US.

For those foreign to the concept: nanotechnology involves the manipulation of matter at an atomic or molecular scale (10-9). To put this into perspective, this emerging technology deals with engineering matter within the scale of a billionth of a meter – larger than atoms but smaller than the smallest breadcrumb. At the nanoscopic scale, the properties of materials change and quantum effects become more apparent. I hope this helps; if it doesn’t, let us just agree that we are talking about things too small for our eyes to see but that can be manipulated to solve big problems.

The fact is that Rwanda can harness nanotechnology to address some of our needs –nanotech actually has the potential to dramatically improve lives. Sadly anyone with an understanding of what it takes to deploy nanotech knows that it is questionable that we can deliver these solutions either on our own, or in a timely manner that breaks the trend of playing catch up with the rest of the world.

Bluntly speaking, we have neither the skills nor the resources…mostly because we are yet to invest in them aggressively. (As of August this year, the Ministry of Education is exploring a partnership with a US nanotech firm to this end. I am not aware of any concrete developments but I certainly hope that the near future holds some promise for the country in this domain)

Nanotechnology is a relatively new material science that is set to revolutionise construction, pharmaceuticals, energy, agriculture (pest control), food processing/storage, you name it. Sadly, like most technological trends, developing nations are sitting on the sidelines as developed nations take the lead: an all-familiar case similar to the experience with biotechnology and worse still, pharmaceuticals. Each wave of technology seems to increase the gap between more advanced nations and lagging countries as there is no prioritisation of nanotech applications to solve third world challenges.

Where am I going with this? A friend once remarked "Does Rwanda truly believe ICT will solve its problems?” Of course not! ICT has found strong support as an enabler for development – other technologies also hold promise for exploration such as nanotechnology. Of course the undertone of that question meant to ask if the investment in technology diverts and detracts resources from the underserved and underprivileged.

With this myopic mindset, it is even more difficult for me to justify the benefits of a high-tech, capital-intensive technology like nanotech. Countries like South Africa, Nigeria, India and the Philippines understand this and have embarked on nanotech initiatives to address various issues; this has created jobs and set the tone for R&D in an emerging field. In the case of Rwanda, the novelty of nanotech may be an opportunity to export services as an industrial base for countries involved in research – a radical thought albeit worth reflection.

Even as an advocate for nanotech exploration in Rwanda, I am cognizant of the fact that, like any technology with numerous benefits, it is not ‘the solution’ for development and that it may very well pose risks for example to the environment. I am also not ignoring the fact that there may be more appropriate approaches to some problems.

In addition, some questions probably on everyone’s mind: how shall the solutions from nanotech be cost-effective given the cost and relative intricacy of creating these solutions? How can Rwanda with such a small skill and industry base invest in nanotechnology? And by extension who would regulate the industry?

I don’t have the answers to these questions but the first step lies in partnerships akin to the one the education ministry is orchestrating. The second could be seeking funding from the appropriate channels to meet this end. What do you think?