Presented during IST-Africa 2018.

1. Botswana Case Study
Prof Julius R. Atlhopheng (University of Botswana)
The Open Data Open Science in Botswana – the developments so far
Data for citizen empowerment; creating opportunities and resolving
economy/industry needs.

2. The Rationale for Open Data Open Science
• World Bank, Government of Botswana and the Botswana Innovation
Hub – conduct an assessment, on Botswana’s readiness.
• The report concluded in 2015, and affirmed Botswana was ready.
• That Botswana stands to benefit from the open data initiative, as data
impact would improve services and development.
• The report indicated the national institutions that must take a lead on
the initiative e.g. Ministry of Transport, National Strategy Office,
Statistics Botswana, Botswana Innovation Hub, as strategic foci
entities.
• Ministry of Transport, recommended to take the lead.

3. OPEN DATA OPEN SCIENCE – Botswana
• Data is essential to knowledge economy, data is for development,
data metrics help us measure impact of our interventions etc.
• Thus the world has come up with ‘data impact’ – and Botswana is at
the bottom 10 i.e. there is limited impact of data.
• Data drives initiatives, the National Development Plans and leads to
efficient systems (so much time lost on seeking data/information)
• Thus data leads to better services, more efficient development, hence
data is the new currency.
• There is need for legislative framework in Botswana, data
protocols/standards, National Research and Education Networks
(NRENS), data repositories etc.

4. ICSU-CODATA, RDA Visit to Botswana
• The CODATA_RDA visit to Botswana in 2016 started a new wave of
interest, effort and awareness on the initiative e.g. private entities
such as Joint Minds playing a facilitative role, with UB hosting most of
the events.
• A national adhoc committee was formed – i.e. National Steering
Committee, chaired by UB.
• A number of activities, in addition to weekly meetings included
extending the initiative to Ministry of Tertiary Education Research
Science and Technology.
• The drive was for policy development, to help with coordination of
national efforts.

5. Open Data Open Science initiatives-Botswana
• ‘Open Data’ is data that can be freely used, re-used and redistributed.
• It emanates from the concept ‘Open Science’ which itself aims to promote
transparency in experimental methodology, observation, and data
collection.
• This is to ensure public availability and reusability of scientific data.
• FAIR data principle = Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable.
Botswana held first
ever national forum on
data in October, 2017.
The outcome
document highlights
the following gaps:
Need for awareness
and discussion on
open data.
Need to highlight the
current data situation
in Botswana.
Need for legislative
framework on open
data, for coordination.

6. What are the data needs/gaps for Botswana
• Policy implementation requires transparency (data), i.e. to
demonstrate that national efforts have impact.
• Data is needed to achieve set targets of the National Development
Plans etc. require data for their monitoring, evaluation & reporting.
• Lack of access to data leads to poor performance i.e. inability to solve
problems. Loss of opportunities.
• Data access enhances efficiency and better coordination.
• Botswana needs a data policy – to meet data needs, coordinate
them better i.e. better data impact for the nation.

7. Activities on Open Data Open Science
• A national action plan was drawn, on how to effect open data
initiatives nationally. Activities included a National Forum (October
2017).
• It was noted that, Botswana needs to consider several aspects
relating to data:
• Data Management & Repositories – what are existing repositories
and whether they meet data protocols & standards. Data capacity
low.
• Data Awareness & Capacity Building – with Botswana pursuing
knowledge economy, it was imperative data use & re-use values were
appreciated. That access and interoperability needed to be built up.

8. • Coordinated Research Data Cyber-infrastructure: data sharing cuts
down on costs of ‘seeking’ data; NRENs are important infrastructure for
the developing Botswana. It is timeous to take advantage of the BOFINET
infrastructure, for better data sharing using FAIR data principles.
• Data Legislation, Governance & Policy: documentation of existing
legislation on data; highlight existing coordination which enhances data
sharing; and to draft a national policy on open data open science.
• Data for Innovation & Development: connectivity, tariffs; attitudes of
sharing data; benefits of open data e.g. jobs, revenue creation. Data
needs for development & innovations. Data for driving development &
the economy.
• Key international Partners for hand-holding the national initiatives:
AOSP, CODATA in giving guidance, motivation, expert advice, funding and
for being resource persons.

9. NATIONAL FORUM & INTERNATIONAL DATA WEEK 2018

10. Botswana National Forum Conclusions
1. Botswana building on her strengths - need to document successes e.g. existing
legislation, guidelines, policies etc. on open data open science. Show benefits of data
sharing e.g. emanating from reduced duplication; jobs made through data; that data is
a resource. Botswana currently seems to have no data sovereignty – e.g. personal
banking data etc. who controls our data (security).
• No data = missed opportunities on benefits of data impact.
2. Priority actions from the forum: Develop capacity in data management and
repositories; Profile types of data within institutions and their possible usage; Illustrate
revenue creation through data; NRENs developed (National Research Education
Networks).
3. Develop a policy on open data open science: Adopt FAIR data principles for better
access and impact/equity of data; Data for drive knowledge economy initiatives;
develop infrastructure for efficient data access which drives innovations and
economies. Develop policy that would lead to a legislative framework.
Need for partnerships/funding on all these initiatives.

11. National Priorities and Data
• Vision 2036 – Achieving Prosperity For All
• The kind of Botswana we would have built by 2036 i.e. sustainable
economic development; human & social development; sustainable
environment; governance, peace & security to have been achieved.
• Transformation and Implementation imperatives of V2036 mean:
innovative breakthroughs; multi-stakeholders participation i.e. non-
state actors, private and public. Data metrics is essential to
implement these.
• Status of innovations, SDGs implementation, national vulnerabilities
(e.g. droughts), successes etc. need data (extent, present, future).

12. For 2018 and beyond
• National feedback forum conducted in March 2018. High commitment
from national stakeholders to complete the roadmap.
• Implementation to be done through leading entities/institutions.
• A lot of enthusiasm during the forum discussions. A national strategy &
policy as high priority, so as to enable implementation.
• The knowledge economy, which the nation currently pursues, needs a data
anchor.
• Knowledge economy – through data offers opportunities of interweaving
knowledge systems i.e. indigenous & modern scientific knowledge.
• Data is needed to measure the progress in NDP11, Vision 2036, SDGs.

13. INTERNATIONAL DATA WEEK 2018
• Botswana is hosting, for the very first time, IDW 2018.
• International Partners at the helm of coordination and capacitation.
• Africa faces many challenges, which need data innovations to be
solved.
• There are challenges to do with health & diseases epidemics;
monitoring interventions, storing/protecting records and benefits
associated with impact of data.
• The IDW2018 has included key developing world issues such as
industry, development, research, education, indigenous knowledge.