ZAMBIA BEGINS THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENE-EDITING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY

ZAMBIA BEGINS THE DEVELOPMENT OF GENE-EDITING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY  


By Alfonso Kasongo 

Zambia has joined the other five African countries to develop and draft the Genome Editing (GEd ) Communication Strategy with the help of the Science, Technology and Innovation Centre of Excellence of the African Union Development Agency of the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (AUDA-NEPAD).

The communication strategy aims at creating awareness on the importance of the Genome Editing technology and other emerging technological innovations in the country's agriculture sector. 

Genome Editing also called Gene Editing is the utilisation of pecision technologies to get the best genetic material of the same plant or animal to develop traits which enhance productivity. 

The strategy was developed during a five-day consultative meeting with stakeholders drawn from government line departments, research and higher learning  institutions, the media, faith-based organisations, traditional healers association and the private sector.

Speaking during the consultative meeting ,Supervisor of the African Union Development Agency– NEPAD Centre of Excellence in Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr Olalekan Akinbo stressed the need for Africa to embrace new emerging scientific innovations if the continent is to achieve the 'Africa We Want' Agenda 2063.
Dr. Akinbo added that Zambia and other five countries were picked for support on basis of increased political will on the utilisation of science,technology and innovation in the developmental agenda. 

Dr. Akinbo further explained that the Genemo editing technology does not use any foreign gene to enhance crop or animal production as done in genetically modified organisms, (GMOs) saying the importance of the new technology to enhance productivity can not be overemphasised. 

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