Remember Deketeke
Herald Correspondent
ZIMBABWE is stepping up efforts to develop its first communication satellite, ZimCom-1, as the country expands its space science capabilities and harnesses satellite technology to drive economic development.
The planned satellite will mark a new phase in the national space programme, building on the development of ZimSat-1 and ZimSat-2, which provide data to support environmental monitoring, agricultural planning and other national development initiatives.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development permanent secretary Professor Fanuel Tagwira yesterday said the country was moving beyond satellite development to focus on communications and the practical application of space-based information.
Speaking on the sidelines of the International Conference of the African Association of Remote Sensing of the Environment at the University of Zimbabwe in Harare, Prof Tagwira said the country was also strengthening its capacity to access and process satellite data from other countries.
“Zimbabwe has not remained static over that whole period. We now have the Geospatial and Space Agency, which, as you are aware, launched ZIMSAT-1, our first satellite, which was developed by our own people and built by Zimbabweans after they received training in Japan,” he said.
“From ZIMSAT-1, we then moved on to the second satellite, which is ZIMSAT-2. As we speak, we are now on a journey to move to the next phase of our national satellite system, which will be ZimCom-1.”
Prof Tagwira said the value of the satellite programme lay in applying the information gathered to improve planning, agricultural production and private sector operations.
“It is important to mention that, apart from building satellites, what is most important is what you will get out of them,” he said.
Meanwhile, yesterday’s conference brought together scientists, researchers and practitioners from more than 20 countries to share knowledge and expertise in remote sensing, Earth observation and geographic information systems.
University of Zimbabwe vice chancellor Professor Paul Mapfumo said the gathering would strengthen the country’s scientific capacity and support national development priorities under National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2) and Vision 2030.
He said the conference was particularly important in equipping young people with the skills needed to apply space science and geospatial intelligence to national development.
“These are scientists. These are practitioners. Before the conference, there was training that aimed at imparting new skills and knowledge on tools of remote sensing, Earth observation and geographic information systems,” Prof Mapfumo said.
“These skills are much needed in advancing our development.”
Prof Mapfumo said the country needed a skilled workforce capable of using satellite data to improve planning, decision-making and policymaking.
“We are now preparing to gather data from space and inform our communications, inform our planning, inform our decision-making and policies.
“We need our young people to have acquired these skills and these capabilities,” he said.
Hosting the conference was significant because the association was established in Zimbabwe in 1986, explained Prof Mapfumo, adding that “they have come back to Zimbabwe to re-energise”.
“It is a homecoming, basically, and we welcome them for choosing Zimbabwe,” he said.
Prof Mapfumo said the conference enhanced the visibility of the university and the country while complementing the Government’s Education 5.0 philosophy, which emphasises teaching, research, community service, innovation and industrialisation.
The conference comes as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen the contribution of science, technology and innovation to economic transformation, with geospatial technologies expected to support evidence-based planning, resource management and the implementation of national development programmes.
