Researchers have been urged to come up with new innovations and findings that promote the National Development Strategy 1 and continue pushing the economy forward so that growth can continue and drive Zimbabwe to an upper middle income status by 2030.
Air Commodore Walter Chikukwa, chief director in the office of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga, told the sixth Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) annual meeting that researchers must strive to promote and guide research activities that meet objectives of NDS1.
“Going forward, the shareholder expects you to promote and guide research activities to meet objectives of the NDS1 and our aspiration to achieve an upper middle-income society by 2030,” he said.
“This implies that the RCZ is central to science-based knowledge-driven research that enhances local production of goods and services designed to meet the needs and wants of the citizenry as well as the export markets thereby reducing the country’s import bill.”
Government would continue to fund the RCZ to enable it to effectively implement its programmes and Treasury was being engaged to provide a $100 million supplementary budget to support the on-going construction of the RCZ headquarters.
The RCZ held its first annual meeting after Covid-19 lockdowns to review its operations and activities.
The body supervises, promotes, directs and coordinates most research activities in Zimbabwe. RCZ research activities have been guided by NDS1 — the Government’s five-year economic masterplan through to 2025. The NDS1 identified agriculture, mining, tourism and manufacturing sectors as key to economic revival in the period 2021-2025.
Through support and guidance of the Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Ministry, Zimbabwean universities have come up with a string of innovations that showcase the country’s innovation and technological potential.
The establishment of innovation hubs at the country’s state universities has kick-started Zimbabwe’s industrial modernisation agenda through the pursuit of the Education 5.0 policy, which has so far seen the Government registering over 500 patents in various fields.
Some of the major research and innovation highlights include the commissioning of the Marula processing plant at Rutenga in Mwenezi, the production of medical and industrial oxygen at a plant in Feruka near Mutare by Verify Engineering and the introduction of the Zupco tap card system which aims to improve the fuel management system by providing a real-time fuel monitoring system.
Other innovations include manufacturing of electrical power transformers and the design of local authorities digital systems (LADS).
The innovations are being done in innovation hubs and industrial parks in the country’s universities. – The Herald
