Online Reporter
Oliver Kazunga
Senior Business Reporter
National Biotechnology Authority (NBA) chief executive officer and registrar, Dr. Deckster Savadye, says his organisation is committed to collaborating with tertiary institutions and the private sector to promote skills and industrial development.
Dr. Savadye, who holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Molecular Parasitology and Biochemistry, a Master of Biotechnology, and a Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences from the University of Zimbabwe, is scheduled to present a paper on the commercialisation of indigenous knowledge at the Industry-University Innovate Together Summit in Harare on Tuesday next week.
An experienced molecular biologist with over 20 years of postdoctoral experience, Dr. Savadye, who was appointed to lead the NBA in 2019, is a Graduate Fellow at the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) based in Nairobi, Kenya.
It is anticipated that his presentation at the upcoming summit will be invaluable to the country, given his experience working at the University of Zimbabwe as an academic and at the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC) as a research leader.
In an interview yesterday, Dr. Savadye stated that the Industry-University Innovate Together Summit provides a platform for fostering linkages between industry and tertiary institutions.
“At the NBA, we encourage collaboration in most of the projects we undertake. We actively collaborate with universities and other industries.
“For example, at our Marula factory in Rutenga, we collaborated with Masvingo Polytechnic College.
“We also collaborated with the private sector in providing various services,” he said.
The Marula factory in Rutenga produces products including wine, oil, and by-products such as briquettes for biofuel and bio-fertiliser.
“With universities, there are specific skills required in the industry that we ask them to provide or include in their curriculum.
“The summit further creates a platform to discuss industry expectations from institutions of higher learning.
“For example, we now need bioprocess engineering, so we interact with universities to ensure they provide that expertise,” said Dr. Savadye.
The NBA has also collaborated with Muzarabani Rural District Council in Mashonaland Central Province, Bindura University of Science Education, and the private sector in promoting bioprocessing engineering through a plant that will process masau fruit into various products, including juice.
In the biopharmaceutical sector, the NBA is also collaborating with institutions such as the University of Zimbabwe, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Harare Institute of Technology, and Midlands State University.
“Whenever we undertake a project, we identify different partners who can add value to the project.
“There is significant potential in the application of biotechnology, and we want to encourage industry, communities, universities, and all other stakeholders to participate in bringing biotechnology to life in Zimbabwe,” he said.
