HARARE, ZIMBABWE – Proffessor Dame Angela McLean, DBE, FRS, a leading British professor and scientific adviser, has lavished praise on Zimbabwe’s innovative agricultural programs, singling out the Pfumvudza initiative as “tremendously impressive” during a recent visit. The academic also championed the exceptional quality of Zimbabwean scientists and called for a significant strengthening of collaborative partnerships between the United Kingdom and Zimbabwe.
Proffessor Dame Angela, who engaged with local stakeholders, expressed profound admiration for the country’s focus on climate-smart agriculture, which is designed to boost yields and enhance resilience against climate change.
She particularly highlighted the community-focused and efficient nature of Pfumvudza, a conservation agriculture technique that promotes sustainable farming on small plots of land.
“The first focus is to feed a family,” Dame Angela stated, applauding the program’s practical approach. She noted its effectiveness in making “very, very good use of a small part of the land that you might expect a farmer to have.”
Looking ahead, the professor expressed strong optimism for the future of bilateral relations. She envisioned a “very, very strong collaboration” with UK government funding acting as a key catalyst. However, she emphasized that the partnership should extend beyond financial aid to become a two-way exchange of knowledge.
“Obviously there’s also things to learn about ways of farming, ways of teaching,” she explained, suggesting that Zimbabwe’s homegrown solutions hold valuable lessons for a wide range of audiences internationally.
Dame Angela further bolstered her argument for closer ties by praising the calibre of Zimbabwean scientists, drawing from her direct experience in British academia. She revealed that she has worked alongside Zimbabwean colleagues who have settled in the UK.
“My experience is of very, very strong Zimbabwean scientists who I’ve known working in biology departments in the UK,” she shared. “They are absolutely fantastic scientists.”
She concluded by underscoring the critical importance of nurturing these existing intellectual connections, stating a collective keenness to “continue those sorts of relationships and build more of them.” The remarks from a scientist of Dame Angela McLean’s stature signal a positive shift in academic and developmental discourse between the two nations, pointing towards a future built on mutual respect and shared learning.
Breeze FM