admin
Sifelani Tsiko
Innovations Editor
The Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) and the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) will jointly host the inaugural Research for Agricultural Excellence Indaba on the sidelines of the 2024 agricultural showcase.
ZAS chief executive officer, Dr Andrew Matibiri told journalists that the indaba aims to promote the utilisation of the research results from agro-based research projects.
“The Research Council of Zimbabwe and the Zimbabwe Agricultural Society (ZAS) mooted the idea of the indaba in pursuit of bridging the gap between policy and practice within the agri-business ecosystem,” he said.
“The indaba is envisaged to be an annual event on the ZAS programme as well as the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF).
“We want to bridge the gap between research and actual application through commercialisation of innovations and to identify key national research priority areas in the agricultural sector.”
The indaba is expected to increase awareness and understanding of the importance of research in agri-business development and enhance the uptake of new research innovations by farmers.
“The indaba will be a platform for interaction between academia, policymakers, Government ministries, departments and agencies, industry, farmers, and actors in the agricultural value chain and knowledge economy. Furthermore, the indaba is in line with Vision 2030,” Dr Matibiri said.
Vice President, Dr Constantino Chiwenga is expected to give a keynote address at the indaba.
Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector is grappling with several problems due to climate change, surges of diseases, and a growing population that needs agricultural innovation.
Online Reporter