THE EDITORIAL NEWS

BLOCKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY KEY FOR ZAMBIA'S PRIVATE SECTOR -SC BLKCHAIN TECHNOLOGY KFORZAMBIA'S PR   By Alfonso Kasongo  The Zambian government has reiterated the need for the country to quicken its steps toward embracing technology and innovations citing  Blockchain Technology as one which has great potential to trigger financial inclusion globally. Officiating at a two-day Blockchain Summit in Lusaka,Zambia's Secretary to  Cabinet Patrick Kangwa says the Blockchain Technology Summit remains crucial for Zambia as Blockchain global market is estimated to  generate US$20 Billion of revenue by 2024. "Blockchain Technology, an advanced database mechanism that allows transparent information sharing within a business network." Mr Kangwa notes that Blockchain Technology is the second artificial intelligence and Machine  learning with the most effective Technology which can be utilized by the private sector. Patrick Kangwa -Secretary He adds that Blockchain is set to e...

  ZAMBIA 2022 SCIENCE CONFERENCE ON TOMORROW   ....with focus on climate-smart energy, agriculture technologies and green energy potentials for the country.  By Alfonso Kasongo   Zambia through the  National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) and the Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL)  is tomorrow hosting the 2022 Zambia Science Conference and SASSCAL Energy and Climate Change Dialogue in Lusaka. The 3 day conference which is expected to take place from November 22nd – 24th, 2022, at Mulungushi International Conference Center, will focus on Climate-Smart Energy and Agriculture Technologies. Meanwhile the Energy and Climate Change Dialogue will focus on SASSCAL’s core activities with a special emphasis on Green Energy potentials in Zambia. The conference will bring together researchers, academia, civil society, policy makers, private sector players and students among others. Kenneth Kaunda Int...

BILL GATES DATES KENYA FOR VARIOUS SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASSIGNMENTS   By Alfonso Kasongo   LUSAKA  :Bill Gates, a Co-Chair of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, is scheduled to be in Nairobi, Kenya  for various  engagements among them visiting national and local leaders, partners, and grantees as well as meeting regional scientists and innovators.  Mr. Gates is also scheduled to announce the foundation’s forward-looking commitment to supporting new innovations and ingenuity aimed at improving health, food security, and gender equality in African countries. The Foundation announced the Gates visit to the East African nation in a statement made available to The  Editorial News by  Dineo Moerane, the foundation media manager.  Mr. Gates is accompanied by other foundation leaders with the aim to learn from farmers who are using digital tools to help with climate adaptation, see how primary health care clinics have delivered care during the pandem...

KENYA TURNS TO GMO CROPS AS A WAY TO IMPROVE YIELDS  By Alfonso Kasongo  LUSAKA: Kenya has government has authorised the cultivation and importation of genetically modified crops and animal feeds to improve crop yields, ending a decade-long ban that had been imposed due to health fears. The authorisation comes at a time when the East African country is experiencing a devastating drought,the worst drought in 40 years has left millions facing hunger. The country under the new Head of State,President William Ruto has turned to genetically modified crops as a way of helping boost yields. The government convinced the masses that the country needs seeds that are resistant to drought, pests and diseases. A decade ago the production and importation of biotechnology crops was banned due to concerns over possible health risks.

GMO DEBATE IN ZAMBIA EXPOSES BIOTECHNOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE GAPS Veronica Mwaba-Director DSaT  By Alfonso Kasongo  A Zambian non-governmental organisation championing the use of science and technology DSaT says the debate on the national Biosafety and Biotechnology policy in the country has exposed some knowledge gaps on the issues surrounding the use and growing Modified Organisms (GMOs). Dziwa Science and Technology Trust (DSaT) is therefore imploring Zambian government to make deliberate efforts and build capacity in journalists as key communicators to interrogate scientific papers.  Organisation Executive Director Veronica Mwaba,who is a 2018 Alliance for Science Global Leadership Fellow and founder the DSaT, observes that journalists  should be equipped with knowledge  especially on complex matters surrounding the GMOs. It is the desire of DSaT to have journalists skilled in science communication so that they can effectively communicate more  on the subjec...

FRAGMENTED EFFORTS HINDERING DRIVING FORCE TO END HUNGER IN ZAMBIA  By Alfonso Kasongo  National Food and Nutrition Commission (NFNC) says Zambia risks failing to achieve its goal of ending hunger by 2030 if nothing is being done to bring together key sectors to accelerate the efforts towards the set target. The Commission has observed with concern the slow pace at which Zambia is accelerating efforts to reduce hunger in the country.  The Commission Acting Director Musonda Mofi says levels of hunger in the country are widely spread because the food balance sheet is about 1,700 kilos of calories adding the efforts to end hunger in Zambia by 2030 face huge challenges due to fragmented efforts among six key sectors.  Mr. Mofi adds that the national food consumption survey coupled with enhanced collaboration between ministry of agriculture, livestock and fisheries, Ministry of Health ,water and sanitation as well as social protection sector remain crucial in addressing a...

  NEPAD USING SCIENCE,TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION TO HIGHLIGHT THE IMPORTANCE OF GMOs AGENDA IN ZAMBIA AMIDST CONTROVERSY   By Alfonso Kasongo  Attempts to make Zambia as a 'GMO' country   have continued to spark debate among key stakeholders since 2002. However, the country is once again faced with controversy as it is on the verge of enacting a new national biotechnology and biosafety policy, barely 20 years after Second Republican President Levy Mwanawasa refused to accept the International food aid when the southern African region faced famine because it contained GMOs. The answers to who is behind the GMO agenda for Zambia remain unknown, however, the participation of the African Union Development Agency AUDA-NEPAD in the amendment process has the potential to give direction to who is responsible for the agenda.  And participating at the National Validation meeting of the new draft policy on September, 7 this year, AUDA-NEPAD representative, Dr. Silas Ob...

A FARMERS ASSOCIATION CALLS FOR  COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS TO PROTECT INDIGENOUS SEEDS VARIETIES AGAINST EXTINCTION.   By Alfonso Kasongo  A farmers association in Zambia has expressed concern over the rate at which the local seed is facing extinction in the country because of the increased use and supply of hybrid seeds. Farmers Association of Zambia (FAZam) has observed the increased promotion of hybrid seed and supply of such seeds under Farmers Input Support Programme-FISP among others continue to threaten the preservation of local seed varieties. FAZam President Judy Ng'umbi ovserves that working in isolation among key  agriculture stakeholders to protect indigenous seeds especially those of strategic value continues to derail the fight to counter increased use of hybrid seeds in the country.  The Association President,therefore, has challenged the agriculture stakeholders in the country to work in collaboration in orders to counter offer the hybrid seeds in an...

ACT2025 CALLS FOR ENHANCED IMPLEMENTATION OF ADAPTATION ACTION  By Alfonso Kasongo   A consortium of think-tanks and experts based in Kenya,Nigeria, Caribbean,Bangladesh and Colombia among other countries has develope d and published a detailed plan that aims at helping decision makers at the forthcoming COP27 negotiations to address the needs of developing countries.  The   Allied for Climate Transformation (ACT) 2025 says that  the   United Nations  Conference on Climate ,  COP27, climate summit next week provides an opportunity for developing countries with a call for enhanced implementation of adaptation action.  Picture for illustrations. It notes that the COP27 is taking place against a backdrop of global crises and people all around the world, and especially in vulnerable developing countries, are facing a set of unprecedented adverse climate impacts to soaring energy and food prices.  The Consortium further notes that C...