adminAshley Mujoma
THIRTEEN SADC countries are in Zimbabwe for the Plant Genetics Resources Centre (SPGRC) regional training workshop, aimed at providing solutions for adding value to the region’s agricultural activities.
Addressing journalists on the sidelines of the workshop, the head of SPGRC, Dr Justify Shava, said the five-day training workshop, which started on Monday, seeks to promote conservation of agriculture.
“Our mandate is to coordinate the promotion of conservation and utilisation of plant genetic resources in Africa.
“The main aim of this workshop is to capacitate offices from the national gene banks of the SADC member states so that they know the technical skills required in the process of conservation of plant genetic resources.”
He said the SPGRC has been collecting different unique plant species in Southern Africa for more than 30 years.
“What we have now are just materials in the gene banks which are not yet characterised.
“We want to know those basic characteristics that make that material we are keeping in our national gene banks to be useful to humankind.
“What is important is to get more information about the seed and the type of climate it requires for it to grow.
“Our government has been at the forefront of investing massively in the agricultural sector to boost production.”
Online Reporter