RESEARCH COUNCIL OF ZIMBABWE National Research Priorities Themes

1. Social Sciences and Humanities Understanding who we are as a nation, what we want, need and where we want to be in the future. Directing research to deliberately shape our future Goals  Strengthening Zimbabwe social and economic fabric  Strengthening national policy making processes  Understanding our region and the world  Intellectual property rights in Zimbabwe

2. Sustainable Environmental and Resource Management Improving the way we utilize our land, water, mineral and energy resources through a better understanding of human and environmental systems and the use of new production technologies, as well as aerospace and other sensing technologies Goals  Bringing together Zimbabwe’s System of Science, Technology and Innovation  Transforming Agriculture  Value addition to Zimbabwe’s Natural Resources  Water as a critical resource (availability and utilisation)  Overcoming land degradation  Sustainable use of Zimbabwe’s ecosystem including forests and biodiversity  Understanding and developing deep earth resources  Responding to climate change and variability  Developing sustainable energy resources

3. Promote and Maintain Good Health Promote good health and wellbeing for all Zimbabweans Goals  A Healthy start to life: countering impacts of genetic, maternal, social and environmental factors which expose infants to ill-health and reduce their wellbeing and life potential  Preventive health care  Increase access to health facilities  Revitalise Zimbabwe’s National health delivery system

4. National Security of Zimbabwe Safeguard Zimbabwe from terrorism, crime, invasive diseases and pests, strengthen the understanding of Zimbabwe’s place in the region and the world, guard proper exploitation of natural resources and securing the infrastructure Goals  Protect Zimbabwe from terrorism and crime  Protect Zimbabwe from invasive diseases and pests  Guard the beneficial utilisation of Zimbabwe’s resources  Safeguard critical infrastructure  Promote transformational defence technologies