African Journals Online
The Zimbabwe Science News

ABSTRACTS Volume 33(1)

Science-based Economic Development: Eureka Factor

Stephen Chandiwana1 and Clive Shiff2

¹Blair Research Institute, P O Box CY 573, Causeway,Harare, Zimbabwe. Email: chandiwana@ blair.co.zw and ²Dept. of Molecular Biology & Immunology, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, North Wolf St., Baltimore, MD 21205, USA. Email:[email protected]

This article examines the eureka factor in science based development and underscores the increasing concern that Africa lags behind in science and technology (S&T) due to political and social instability coupled by low investments in technologies. ('Eureka!' is an exclamation of triumph on discovering something or solving a scientific problem.) The articles emphasizes that African science should come up with a decisive policy for investment in new style education and capacity building for S&T that is relevant to the African experience and addresses problems of real concern to the community.

The Rich Heritage and Great Value of Geological Research in Zimbabwe -A Personal Perspective

Tom G. Blenkinsop

Dept. of Geology, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box MP 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe has some of the geological wonders of the world, including the Victoria Falls and the Great Dyke. The Limpopo Belt, the Zambezi Rift Zone, and the granite-greenstone terrain of the central part of the country are also known throughout the geological community. It is no surprise, therefore, that geological research has flourished in Zimbabwe, arguably from the very earliest history of human occupation here. The San must have been highly conscious of the geology of the Zimbabwe: they chose to occupy granite country where they could find dwelling places in numerous caves, and where they had natural and enduring canvases for their exquisite paintings. Settlement patterns of the Bantu people were clearly influenced by geological factors, both in terms of mineral resources and construction materials (Blenkinsop and Walker, 1994; Walsh 1997). Cecil Rhodes's interest in the country, and its subsequent colonization, were driven by the promise of gold and diamonds.

Technological developments in Zimbabwe's Rural Water Supply and Sanitation programme

Peter Morgan

P.O. Box MP 1162, Mount Pleasant, Harare

Zimbabwe has made great strides in providing improved water supplies and sanitation facilities (Government of Zimbabwe, 1998) throughout the rural areas of the country, and has earned an international reputation for its efforts. About half of Zimbabwe's rural population of nearly seven million have access to a "primary water supply" fitted with a hand pump. A further million have access to some form of standpipe fitted with a tap. A quarter million people take their water from about 35 000 family owned "upgraded" wells, with some 55 000 people taking water from springs. All these sources are relatively safe and impose a minimal health risk.

An Overview of Solar and Solar-Related Technologiesin Zimbabwe

Jeremy Ascough

P O Box MP 162,Mt Pleasant, Harare

The sun is the source of virtually all our energy forms that we use in Zimbabwe, as illustrated in Fig. 1., so people depend on this solar energy for their existence (Cawood, 1977). Solar energy can be collected, transformed and used in three ways :

• as direct thermal heat e.g. in water heating and crop drying,
• or chemically e.g. in photosynthesis in plants, and,
• by means of the photo-voltaic (PV) effect to create electricity (Hankins, 1995).

Zimbabwe, being away from the screening effect of tropical humidity, desert dust, and the clouds of temperate areas receives more sunshine or solar radiation, also known as insolation, than almost any other country in the world (Johnston, 1977).