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Sifelani Tsiko
Innovations Editor

Building an integrated approach to strengthen synergies between local universities and colleges is critical to harnessing the potential of gene editing – a plant breeding technology – to boost the country’s agricultural productivity, experts say.

Scientists said this at a workshop to strengthen the capacity of local institutions on genome editing in biotechnology research and development.

Mr Willard Manungo, Deputy Chief Secretary for Policy Analysis, Coordination, Devolution and Development Planning in the Office of the President and Cabinet told the scientists that successful implementation of genome editing tools requires strong institutional capacity.

“Therein lies the need for strategic partnerships, alliances, and linkages with institutions of higher learning and national research institute,” he said.

“The Government, as the pillar of these institutions, provides funding, policy direction, enabling environment for research for ensuring that the knowledge generated translates into tangible societal benefits.
“Therefore, these collaborations will enable tapping into the wealth of knowledge and pooling of resources available in academic, research institutions as well as industry.”

Mr Manungo said the symbiotic relationship among academia, research institutions and Government is beneficial for the development of the country and the attainment of Vision 2030 to build a middle income economy.

The African Union Development Agency (AUDA-NEPAD), the Scientific and Industrial Research and Development Centre (SIRDC) and National Biotechnology Authority organised the workshop to help strengthen the capacity of local universities and colleges to adopt gene editing as a tool to optimise the country’s agricultural sector.

Mrs Florence Nazare, head of Centres of Excellence Management and Coordination at AUDA – NEPAD stressed the importance of coordination and collaboration to successful harnessing of gene editing potential in Zimbabwe.

“Forging alliances and identifying the needs and capacities of research institution is very important in addressing capacity gaps and promoting the adoption of gene editing,” she said.

“Working in silos and in a disjointed way among our local institutions will not help promote the harnessing of genome editing in Zimbabwe. We want our local universities and colleges to build partnerships and alliances to tap the full potential of genome editing.”
National University of Science and Technology dean of Applied Sciences Prof Philimon Nyamugure said it was important to forge partnerships given limited laboratory resources that existed in local institutions.

“lt’s something that we should do at all cost because that way we are able to share the limited laboratory resources that each institution has,” he said.

“We can’t do without collaboration and partnerships. This enables our researchers to move and work from one institution to the other. It’s a must do.”

Advances in gene editing technologies have generated a great amount of interest within the scientific community in Zimbabwe over the past few years.

Scientists, here, all agree that new breeding technologies, such as genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 have the potential to improve agricultural productivity in the country.

Under the Second Republic, biotechnology is no longer seen as an option but as a necessity that should be deployed alongside other conventional methods to improve genetic gains for enhanced crop productivity and agriculture value chain transformation.

Zimbabwe is now home to one of the most established innovation ecosystems in Africa with technology and innovation hubs, agro-industrial parks and incubators, giving space to developers, designers, researchers and entrepreneurs to work on new technological solutions.

Zimbabwe is among other selected countries such as Burkina Faso, Ghana, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Mozambique, Kenya and Malawi that were chosen to pilot the application of genome editing research towards product development.