Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister, Professor Amon Murwira, has called for greater investment in scientific research and innovation to strengthen Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector and improve food security.
Prof Murwira, who was speaking on behalf of Vice President Constantino Chiwenga at the 14th Annual National Agribusiness Conference at the Harare Showgrounds, yesterday, said agriculture should be viewed as a driver of social justice, human dignity and national development rather than simply a primary industry.
He said Zimbabwe’s quest for a prosperous society depended on developing the knowledge, skills and technology needed to meet people’s basic needs.
“When we talk about agricultural production, we are talking about the science of survival and the preservation of human beings,” Prof Murwira said.
He argued that human dignity was closely linked to the ability of individuals and communities to access basic necessities, making agricultural research an important component of national development.
“Every seed variety we breed, every soil sample we analyse, every water management system we design is a direct response to our people’s right to food security and the community’s right to live free from poverty,” he said.
Murwira urged institutions responsible for research and innovation to deliberately channel resources towards solving Zimbabwe’s most pressing agricultural problems rather than allowing research priorities to be driven solely by academic curiosity.
He said funding portfolios should therefore be strategically designed to direct scientific expertise towards areas with the greatest potential to improve food production and livelihoods.
“If you want research, then you have to know what your funding portfolios shape like in that research. Put our money where our mouth is,” he said.
He cited groundnuts as an example, calling for research across the crop’s value chain, including production, oil extraction, nitrogen utilisation and opportunities for value addition.
Prof Murwira also stressed the importance of developing human capital, saying sustained national development required a skilled population capable of meeting the country’s ambitions.
His remarks come as Zimbabwe pursues agricultural transformation through increased productivity, value addition, innovation and industrialisation, with science and technology expected to play a central role in improving food security and economic growth.
