In line with its Motto of “Academia for Society and Industry”, research at NM-AIST is coupled with innovation with a view to generating tangible products, industrial and business solutions that address the needs and problems of the society and industry. This requires an open channel of communication with society and industry in identifying research problems, partnership in thrashing out the various aspects of the problem or need being addressed, using the high concentration of SETI talents resident at NM-AIST and its network partners to develop the solutions, and feeding back the developed solutions and technologies or services to the society or industry.
To address the pressing societal needs and problems in Tanzania, the EA region and SSA generally, NM-AIST gears its research and innovation towards generating knowledge, developing products and generating industrial and business solutions, and policy briefs to inform policy making in the following areas:
- Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security
- Harnessing of the Biodiversity of Nature and Eco-systems Management
- Human and Animal Health in the context of Eco Health
- Energy Security, and Management of the Environment for Safety and Sustainable Development
- Water Security and Sustainability
- Core and Applied Electrical Engineering, Electronics and Information sciences
NM-AIST’s focus areas for R&I were developed in line to national and regional development plans for example, the Tanzania Development Vision 2025, National Environmental Research Agenda for Tanzania 2008–2013 and the 2011/12–2015/16 Development Strategy of the East African Community.
The full research agenda can be read here.