‘Make biotech work for Zim-Asset’

Sifelani Tsiko Senior Writer
Zimbabwean scientists and scientific institutions must create platforms to raise public awareness and stimulate dialogue on biotechnology issues so that they contribute to the Zimbabwe Agenda for Sustainable Socio-Economic Transformation (Zim-Asset).

In a speech read on her behalf by Mrs Scholastica Madzinga, an official in the ministry, at the recent launch of the Open Forum for Agricultural Biotechnology Zimbabwe chapter in Harare, Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Dr Olivia Muchena said raising public awareness paved way for application of biotechnology to attain the food and nutritional security goals as outlined in Zim-Asset.

“Zim-Asset speaks to the need to achieve sustainable development and social equality anchored on indigenisation, empowerment and employment creation.

“The National Biotechnology Authority with the assistance of the African Agriculture Technology Foundation (AATF) is expected to contribute to the attainment of the noble goals of Zim-Asset through application of biotechnology principles.”

The OFAB Zimbabwe Chapter, which was hosted by the NBA, was established to provide a forum to raise the profile of biotechnology use in agriculture.

Minister Muchena noted with concern that Zimbabwe was still to benefit from traditional agricultural biotechnology techniques such as tissue culture, artificial insemination, bio-fertilisers and biopesticides.

“Calls have been made to increase biotechnology public awareness and also to create platforms to engage the public on biotechnology and biosafety issues.

“Therefore, there is need to establish platforms at country level for discussing biotechnology and biosafety matters,” she said.
The African Union has established the High-Level African Panel on Modern Biotechnology to advise continental leaders on biotechnology. Similar panels have been set up at Sadc and Comesa level.

NBA chief executive officer Dr Jonathan Mufandaedza – whose organisation co-ordinates OFAB activities – said the launch of the Zimbabwe Chapter would bring together relevant stakeholders and facilitate interaction between scientists, journalists, civil society, industrialists, lawmakers and policymakers.

“We want to create a platform where scientists and other stakeholders can debate biotechnology for agriculture issues more openly and raise awareness among the people,” he said.

The first OFAB was launched in Nairobi in September 2006 and since then it has expanded to include Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.

Zimbabwe becomes the 10th country to join the OFAB network which is supported by AATF and Africa-Bio, key continental institutions running programmes to raise awareness on biotechnology.