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The novel coronavirus crisis is prompting researchers and manufacturers’ ingenuity that can yield innovative results to help fight the pandemic. Local researchers and innovators are making bold decisions and technological investments that could lead to outcomes that can help strengthen Zimbabwe’s resilience to the pandemic. The Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University is no exception. In this report, Sifelani Tsiko (ST), our Agric, Environment & Innovations Editor speaks to Prof Christopher Chetsanga (CC), a renowned biochemist and Vice Chancellor of ZEGU about innovations emerging at the university.

ST: A team of young researchers at your university, recently won acclaim from the President for coming up with new innovations to help the country to respond to the challenge posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. How do you feel about this achievement by your students – Freda Jaricha and Tinashe Masunda and their team?
CC: We are very pleased about the achievements of our students.

ST: Just how does this new fumigation technology operate? How cheap is it to produce?
CC: The fumigation is done in the fumigation booth where the fumigation tank that contains the fumigation solution is located. We are still gathering final information about costs.

ST: Are there any components that are imported to make the technology? If so, how do the researchers intend to make those elements locally?
CC: Some of the components of the fumigation solution are imported.  There is no capacity to make them locally.

ST: How many fumigation gadgets do you intend to produce this year? What is the amount of money that is required to produce the fumigation equipment? Are you running it as a commercialisation project?
CC: We are still working on strategies for commercialisation.

ST: What do you think Zimbabwe needs to do to support such innovations by young researchers? Is your university on track with the Government’s 5.0 policy which calls for all tertiary institutions to become hubs of production, practical skills that sought to promote the country’s technological advancement?
CC: There need to be funding arrangements made for our students to actively implement our government’s Education 5.0 policy requirements.

ST:  A number of young students and start – ups incubated at various universities are coming up with new innovations to help fight the Covid 19 pandemic. What do you think needs to be done sustain this level of innovative outcomes we are seeing today?
CC: There needs to be a national budget for universities to fund their innovations.  Such an arrangement will stimulate innovation activities to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

ST: Are there any other innovations you are working on at your university? If so, what does it aim to achieve?
CC: We are working to promote the research activities of our academic staff and students. The lock down regulations are preventing us from conducting most of the Education 5.0 requirements at this time.