CENTRE FOR INNOVATIONS AND TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (CITT)

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND TRAINING DEPARTMENT

This department is the core of the Center for Innovations and Technology Transfer (CITT). It undertakes transfer of technologies developed by the center. It has sub-units of Satellite Centers in the Eastern and Northern Provinces which facilitate transfer of technologies in rural areas.
The department also trains the private sector in different technologies developed by CITT.

SATELLITE CENTERS

CITT has been fairly successful in developing appropriate technologies especially for rural and peri-urban areas. However, the slow pace at which the technologies developed by the center are disseminated to the wider Rwandan community remains one of the major setbacks in the contribution to the envisaged rural economic transformation and development.
KIST through CITT therefore, with the support from the NUFFIC established 2 Satellite Centers in Eastern and Northern provinces of Rwanda to make a closer partnership/link with the rural communities and beneficiaries of the program.

Nyagatare Satellite Center

Activities:
- Transferring of developed technologies.
- Training cooperatives in fruit processing and value addition.
- Dissemination of homestead biogas
- Small scale irrigation using treadle and seasaw
- Dissemination of spray race for controlling ticks in livestock
- Training cooperatives in making bakery products from cassava and banana.
- Dissemination of energy cooking stoves from CITT

Apart from this the satellite centers have established a base of development partnership with major stakeholders e.g. UNDP, UCRIDP, ADRA and the local government authorities.

Ruhengeri Satellite Center

Activities
- Biogas project at Nyarutovu Secondary School in Gakenke District
- Dissemination of appropriate technologies at Sunrise High School

• Three fuel efficient cooking stove
• Bread Oven
• Modern kitchen with seats

- Training of ICT to vocational students and other individuals

RESEARCH AND INNOVATIONS DEPARTMENT

This is the department that is in charge of research on the technologies to be developed according to the needs of local community and the country as a whole.
It has a sub-unit of Production which work is workshop based. This department works hand in hand with Project Development and Technology Transfer departments in monitoring and conducting needs assessment to find out whether the technologies developed meet the needs of the community.

Energy supply: community cooking stoves, solar water heaters, biogas systems, solar box cooker, energy saving cook stoves, combination oven, bread oven, sauna bath, kerosene shower, picnic barbecue.

Sanitation and waste management: a number of biogas plants have been installed in prisons, schools hospitals and to some individuals.

Improved bio-latrines: a number of units have been installed including those at Kimironko prison, Gitarama prison, Kamonyi and Lycée de Kigali.

Water supply, rainwater harvesting and storage: rainwater-harvesting systems, treadle pump, hand pumps, hydraulic rams etc.

Low cost housing: a number of houses have been built at Kanombe military barracks, Rusumo classrooms, and CITT premises.

Brick making machines: two prototypes have been developed one is for making the standard cement bricks and the other is for road pavements.

Rural transport system: suspended bridge has been built across the Mbirurume River in Kibuye province, joining the former Kibuye and Gitarama provinces. Also push carts have been supplied t Shyira hospital.

Agro-processing: equipment worked on includes maize sheller, juice squeezer, and rice winnowing machine.

PROJECT DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

Activities
- Community needs assessment
- Awareness raising , promotion and publicity of KIST/CITT technologies that could lead to conservation and development of our country
- Linkage and partnership between KIST/CITT and the community/clients
- Developing proposals and soliciting sponsors
- Marketing of CITT developed technologies

PRIVATE SECTOR DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT

In 2005, KIST established the Technology and Business Incubation Facility (TBIF) under the Center for Innovations and Technology Transfer (CITT) to contribute to the development of entrepreneurship and private sector promotion. Currently, graduates of Institutions of Higher Learning in Rwanda are experiencing difficulties with setting up their own enterprises. Studies have shown that the main problems of starting enterprises are low level of entrepreneurial skills and lack of access to finance.

It is made up of two units: KIST Enterprise Development Fund (KEDF) and Technology Business Incubation Facility (TBIF).