NAM science indaba begins today

THE second Non-Aligned Movement Science and Technology technical meeting on industrial biotechnology kicks off today in Harare with focus on ways to promote value addition and beneficiation among member states.

More than 40 technical experts drawn from within the NAM member grouping are expected to participate at the three-day event which is jointly being organized by the NAM S& T Centre, the National Biotechnology and the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.

The meeting which will run from today till Thursday will be held under the theme “Driving Value Addition and Beneficiation”

The director general of the Centre for Science and Technology of the NAM S& T Centre Professor Arun Prakash Kulshreshtha and other delegates arrived yesterday ahead of the opening of the science indaba.

Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development permanent secretary Prof Francis Gudyanga was quoted saying the technical meeting was expected to set the tone and shape the implementation of the new NAM agenda to promote value addition and beneficiation through the transfer and application of biotechnology.

“We are pleased to host the technical meeting here. It is a testimony of the recognition that Zimbabwe enjoys when it comes to south -south cooperation,” he said.

“As a country we are spearheading biotechnology industrialisation.

“We are committed in promoting leadership in this field. Our scientists will interact with some of the best experts in the field of biotechnology in the world.”

The meeting is also aimed at strengthening networking and collaboration in the field of biotechnology to enhance technology transfer and business opportunities.

Experts are expected to discuss how the application of industrial biotechnology can drive value addition and beneficiation as well as how national and regional centres for development and transfer of technology can be established.