adminNgoni Dapira Post Correspondent
ZIMBABWE finds itself in a distinctive position of leading both the African Union and Southern African Development Community, with President Robert Mugabe poised to take over chairmanship of both the former organisations next year.
By virtue of being the first vice-chairman of AU Bureau and the vice-chairman of SADC, President Mugabe is in a strong position to clinch both posts.
Zimbabwe is expected to assume the one-year tenure as SADC chair in August when it hosts the regional bloc’s heads of state summit.
Recently, Cabinet approved the summit theme “SADC Strategy for Economic Transformation: Leveraging the Region’s Diverse Resources for Sustainable Economic and Social Development.”
Officials in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs revealed that Zimbabwe is expected to advocate for the beneficiation and value addition of natural resources in Southern Africa during its one-year tenure as SADC chair.
With that in mind, on June 7 during the Africa University graduation, the guest of honour, the executive director of the Centre for Co-ordination of Agricultural Research and Development for Southern Africa, Professor Timothy Simalenga, shared the same sentiments with President Mugabe and said Africa needs regional solutions for its local problems.
The esteemed development and agriculture expert said the need to co-ordinate agricultural research and development in SADC region had been recognised for a long time with little being done, while the region was losing a lot in terms of resources and opportunities as it did not have a Sub-regional Research Organisation like other regions.
He said this is why CCARDESA was created in July 2011 to co-ordinate agricultural research and development in order to promote technology generation, dissemination and adoption, which will contribute to improved food security and livelihoods in the SADC region.
Prof Simalenga said following the establishment of CCARDESA, the board of directors developed an 18-month (October 2011-March 2013) work plan start-up phase during which the institutional structures and administrative systems have been put in place, together with the revision and finalisation of the first five-year Medium Term Operational Plan, soon to be availed.
Dead aid, he said, has contributed to the still-growth of SADC and the continent at large and commended Zimbabwe for implementing indigenisation policies to empower its people and seek home-grown solutions to the country’s problems.
“Some 30 years ago Malawi, Burundi and Burkina Faso were economically ahead of China on a capital income basis.
“However, between 1970 and 1998, when aid flow to Africa was at its peak, the poverty rate rose from 11 percent to 66 percent.
“This is because of Dead Aid, a concept written extensively on by a Zambian economist, Dambisa Moyo.
“There is a better way for Africa without relying extensively on aid. We need innovative systems, to transform our education and to realign how we work together as a region,” said Prof Simalenga.
The professor stressed that education transformation was key for development.
“Our science is good, actually very good. Agriculture probably has the most PhDs of any of the science and engineering sectors in the region and most importantly knowledge is available to transform our society,
“But the question still hangs, why is nothing happening for us in terms of economic growth as a continent?” quizzed the professor.
He said in agriculture the solution lies in mechanising farming to increase productivity.
Prof Simalenga said the education transformation agenda should focus on increasing the ability of entrepreneurs to innovate.
He urged SADC nation governments to support participation of graduates in serious enterprises in the wake of high unemployment rates.
He added that with the plethora of mineral and natural resources on the continent it was high time Africa stopped making excuses and found a way to steer the development of the continent.
Online Reporter