SANF 24 no 22 by SARDC Writers
Policymakers and industrialists from southern Africa have called for increased investment in research and development activities by governments and the private sector to contribute towards regional efforts to build a technology-driven industrial base.
This was among several measures proposed in the Harare Declaration issued at the end of the plenary session of the 7th SADC Industrialisation Week held in the Zimbabwean capital from 28 July-2 August.
The policymakers and industrialists said governments of the 16 SADC member states “should support and fund research and development for capacity-building programmes that equip local people with skills for emerging industries.”
“There is need for the creation of centres of excellence in science and technology that enable sound research for modern industrial processes and accelerated industrialisation,” the declaration read.
Research and Development R&D plays a crucial role in the process of industrialisation by generating new ideas, technologies and innovations.
It involves scientific research, experimentation and development of new products, processes or services.
Universities and other research institutions have a major role to play as R&D usually starts in laboratories where ideas are explored and tested.
Innovations resulting from R&D efforts help to transform industries by improving efficiency, quality and competitiveness.
To complement the investment in R&D, participants during the SADC Industrialisation Week also called for a review of the education curricula across the region to ensure the system produces graduates who are adequately equipped to contribute to the industrialisation agenda.
“There is a need to re-purpose our education systems to bridge the technology gap and current global trends and enable the SADC region to be more competitive,” the declaration added.
Zimbabwe has already taken significant steps towards ensuring that its education system responds to the needs of the country.
The Zimbabwean government has adopted a Heritage-Based Education 5.0 Policy, a new education philosophy which aims to promote teaching that focuses on the use of the local environment and locally available materials to develop the economy.
The policy is a five-mission education design that adds innovation and industrialisation to the traditional colonial tripartite missions of education that previously focused on teaching, research and community service.
Through its heritage-based development philosophy, Zimbabwe has established innovation hubs and industrial parks to apply theory to practice and is pursuing measures that promote the optimal use of the country’s natural endowments such as its flora, fauna, water, minerals and people.
Many new products are being developed and patented at these hubs and parks. In addition to saving the country valuable foreign currency, the products are well-suited to local conditions and are, therefore, more durable than imported substitutes.
Participants also called for measures that promote innovative ways to mobilise finance and investment to fast-track the regional drive towards industrialisation.
“The forum noted that the greatest obstacle for businesses and entrepreneurs in expanding their businesses is the lack of affordable and long-term financing,” said Sekai Kuvarika, the chief executive officer of the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries who read the declaration at the close of the weeklong event.
It was agreed that besides relying on foreign investment, SADC member states should target domestic finances from pension and sovereign wealth funds to fund their development agenda.
The urgent implementation of the proposed SADC Regional Development Fund (RDF) was highlighted as imperative for the region to propel the industrialisation agenda.
An agreement on the establishment of the SADC RDF was adopted in 2019 but is yet to get the required ratification by two-thirds of member states to enter into force.
The fund is expected to provide financing for regional infrastructure development, industrialisation and other regional integration projects. Industrialisation has been a top priority for the region over the last decade.
Another proposal from the industrialisation week was to create incentives to enable southern Africans based in the diaspora to contribute to regional programmes, particularly investment in infrastructure projects and industrial development. sardc.net
