Story by Tendai Munengwa
GOVERNMENT has intensified efforts to reposition Zimbabwe’s higher and tertiary education sector as a central driver of industrialisation, innovation and job creation under the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2).
Building on reforms introduced under NDS1, the country has deliberately shifted away from a colonial-era, job-seeking education model towards a production-oriented, heritage-based and innovation-driven framework popularly known as Chimurenga Chepfungwa.
It is within this policy context that seven government-mandated agencies responsible for research, innovation and commercialisation convened to harmonise their 2026 operational plans in line with NDS2 priorities.
The agencies outlined progress made under NDS1 while unveiling new projects aimed at accelerating rural agro-industrialisation, value addition and technology-led development.
National Biotechnology Authority Chief Executive Officer, Mr Dexter Sawadye, said the authority was scaling up heritage-based industrial projects with clear commercial outcomes.
“We have presented our plan, which is a transition from NDS1 where we established a marula plant in Rutenga. This time, we are directing our focus to masawu in Muzarabani, where we are building a plant to produce wine from masawu. We are happy to announce that marula wine is now penetrating the export market,” Mr Sawadye said.
The Zimbabwe Centre for High Performance Computing (ZCHPC), one of the newer institutions under the ministry, is positioning itself as a key enabler of emerging technologies.
“We are a new baby of higher and tertiary mandated to commercialise high-performance computing, artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain services to support government, academia and industry. We are building a hub centre of technology that will host an AI centre of excellence in line with global technological advancement,” Acting CEO of ZCHPC, Dr Electdom Matandirotya
Government says the integration of research, innovation and industrial production is central to the success of NDS2. Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Innovation, Science and Technology Development, Ambassador Fredrick Shava, said the focus was on translating research outputs into tangible economic value.
“We have achieved a lot of success in transforming research into products like the Oxygen Gas by Verify Engineering and Marula, which are now finding their way into export markets. We want these agencies to up their game in line with Vision 2030,” Ambassador Shava noted.
Among the sector’s achievements to date are the establishment of Bioeconomy Industrial Parks in Mutoko, Chiweshe and Gokwe, the commercialisation of sunflower oil and soap production, and direct support to more than 1 000 farmers nationwide.
Government says these initiatives demonstrate the growing role of higher and tertiary education as a catalyst for inclusive industrialisation, rural development and economic transformation under NDS2.
