In 2011, Government approved the National Research Priorities. The Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ) played a major role in developing these priorities. The national research priorities are a set of theme areas towards which financial and other resources will be deliberately directed. This document provides a concise summary of the National Research Priorities to inform the various research stakeholders.
Selecting national research priorities began with a preliminary desk research of the processes carried out by other countries. Ideally, the study of other countries should have involved visits to the respective countries. However, due to limited financial resources, this was not done. Following the desk study and an in-depth analysis of the national policies and plans, a set of proposed priorities was developed. A two-day stakeholders’ workshop was then held where Participants from academia, Government research institutions, industrialists and parastatals worked out the priorities using internationally recognised tools. Four (4) priority theme areas and twenty-two (22) associated goals were identified.
Social Sciences and Humanities
- Fiscal Reform Measures
- Public Administration, Governance and Performance Management
- Strengthening social and economic fabric
- Strengthening policy-making processes
- Regional and world cultures
- Social Services and Poverty Eradication
Sustainable Environmental and Resource Management
- Food Security and Nutrition
- Land
- Water
- Minerals
- Aerospace and other sensing technologies
- Energy
- Transforming Agriculture
- Value addition and Beneficiation to Natural Resources
- Impact of new technologies (Biotechnology, Information Communication Technology, Nanotechnology) to sustainability and/or resource management.
Promoting and Maintaining Good Health
- Revitalising Health Delivery Systems
- Increasing access to health facilities
- Preventive Health Care
- Food Security and Nutrition
- Social Services and Poverty Eradication
National Security
- Geo-Information Sciences
- Terrorism and crime
- Transformational defence technologies
- Invasive species, diseases and pests
- Food Security and Nutrition
- Infrastructure and Utilities