Space Age dream takes shape
THE Zimbabwe National Geo-spatial and Space Agency (Zingsa) has signed an agreement South Africa’s Space Advisory Group to assist the Government arm start operations.
Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development Minister Professor Amon Murwira said Government had released $1,6 million for the Zingsa pilot project, and the agreement with the South Africans would give added traction.
“The MoU is a non-financial agreement.
“What Space Advisory Group are bringing is capability because they have satellite manufacturing knowledge and know how to run a space agency,” he said.
Government is also in talks with Geoscan, a Russian space company, for a joint venture in drones manufacturing. Belgian investors are also in talks with the ministry.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa recently met China Space to discuss the possibility of accessing detailed imagery from Chinese satellites.
Prof Murwira said a letter of intent had been sent to Beijing and an MoU was being finalised.
“We will use the technology in speeding up our land demarcation programme to pave way for the issuance of 99-year leases.
“This can be solved via satellite or drone technology which comes through the Zimbabwe National Geospatial and Space Agency,” he said.
Another project focuses on “precision agriculture” to boost yields by using satellites to survey soils and determine specific fertiliser requirements.
Zingsa will also accurately map agro-ecological zones, with Prof Murwira indicating the possibility of these shifting was high as a result of climate change.
Two other projects entails quantification of solar and biomass capability, and unmapped mineral reserves; while another will identify malaria-prone areas and other health concerns via satellite.
New technologies will be used to fight animal poaching, and species with dwindling populations will be tagged with satellite collars for tracing.
The Sunday Mail understands that such technology was created a few years ago by the Geography and Environmental Science department at the University of Zimbabwe.
Although Zimbabwe does not presently have capacity to manufacture all the equipment, Prof Murwira said industrial parks being established at state universities would be the hubs of development of such knowledge and products.
Cabinet has classified the industrial hubs as special economic zones.
President Mnangagwa launched Zingsa in July, and the Higher Education Ministry is using “surrogate institutions” like the Research Council of Zimbabwe and universities to birth it operationally. GOVERNMENT has identified over 107 000 sites across Zimbabwe for construction of houses under the Command Housing programme.
The scheme, which President Emmerson Mnangagwa is expected to officially launch, is targeting 470 000 houses in the next five years. Designs under the programme have been completed with the focus on high-rise modern apartments.
Zimbabwe’s housing backlog is estimated at 1,3 million units, with 500 000 of those needed in Harare.
Plans are underway to build houses in rural areas in line with President Mnangagwa’s drive to modernise the entire country. This will be done under a Human Settlement Policy.
Secretary for Local Government, Public Works and National Housing Mr George Magosvongwe said a pilot Command Housing scheme would be done in Mt Hampden.
He said the programme included revamping of existing infrastructure and residential suburbs such as Mbare in the capital and Makokoba in Bulawayo.
Government has availed US$150 million for the first phase of the programme.
“It’s important to note that we can’t continue dishing out arable land to housing projects. This means that developers have to build vertically rather than horizontally.
“President Mnangagwa has emphasised the need to address rural housing, thus we will work with other Government entities to ensure that title deeds are availed in both urban and rural areas as a way of modernising our communities and stemming rural-urban migration.”
Mr Magosvongwe said local authorities had been tasked to come up with regeneration plans showing how they intended to improve living conditions.
“Meetings have been held with banks, pension funds and other stakeholders since the programme can only be achieved through collective efforts,” he added.
Illegal settlements have mushroomed in and around urban areas over the last 20 years, many of them lacking essential services like potable water and sewer infrastructure.
Rural and urban planning expert Mr Nyasha Mutsindikwa said Command Housing was a noble idea which would spur development.