Muswere on ICT and 4th industrial revolution

Government has highlighted the need to come up with cost effective information and communication technologies (ICT) to drive economic growth in the fourth industrial revolution.

This comes as the COVID 19 pandemic is accelerating the shift to digitally enabled economies, in line with global trends.

To exploit the potential of ICTs for national development and transformation, Zimbabwe has developed an all-inclusive, focused and forward-thinking guideline that articulates how the country will develop, deploy and manage ICTs across all sectors.

The Smart Zimbabwe 2030 Master Plan works through key specific sector-focused integrated pillars that act as Smart Solutions.

These include Smart Government, Smart Cities, Smart Agriculture, Smart Education, Smart Transport, Smart Health, Smart Tourism, Smart Mining.

However, the cost of ICT products and services to drive these initiatives are still a challenge, for instance the cost of data and internet services where virtual offices, conferences and e-learning are fast growing.

Speaking at a Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) conference hosted by Global Renaissance Investment (GRI), ICT, Postal and Courier Services Minister Jenfan Muswere said the outbreak of the COVID 19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdowns have shown that data and broadband services are not a luxury but a basic right necessary in the shift towards a fully digital economy.

Minister Muswere who was represented by deputy director in his Ministry, Mr Tapiwa Gumindoga, said technology has ability to transform economies and ICT has been identified as a key enabler to achieving total economic transformation by 2030.

“As the country moves towards becoming an upper middle-income society by 2030, we need to adopt a completely new approach and exploit the potential of ICTs by developing appropriate and cost-effective applications that can improve the country’s productivity and competitiveness.

“Internet of Things and drone technologies are expected to be central to the future of agriculture. 3D printing is expected to transform manufacturing.

“Automation of jobs due to artificial intelligence and robotics will also cause tectonic transformations in the Zimbabwe labour market,” he said.

Zimbabwe is one of the countries with high cost of broadband in the region due to its geographic location.

Experts in ICT have also agreed the cost of data is one of the biggest challenges the country faces in the drive to become a fully digital economy.

The adoption of e-learning for instance is generally excluding students particularly from rural set ups due to affordability challenges.

POSB ICT executive Ms Loice Ngulube acknowledged the high cost data not only for e-learning purposes but for businesses especially the emerging small to medium enterprises.

Apart from costs, Ms Ngulube also highlighted that while companies need to upscale digitalisation in line with current trends, they also need to come up with clear cut agenda and build trust through establishing remote working guidelines such as response time and task tracking among staff working outside the physical office.

“The main challenge is infrastructure barriers, high data costs and skills barriers, there is need for reskilling,” she said.

Speaking at the same platform, regulator – Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority of Zimbabwe (POTRAZ ) director general Dr Gift Machengete who was represented by POTRAZ’s director economic tariffs and competition Mrs Hildah Mutseyekwa said the authority was working on measures to lower the cost of data in the country as part of measures to enhance accessibility by all especially now that the country is implementing COVID 19 induced lockdowns.

“Covid-19 has shown the importance of data and accessibility. It has also exposed the deficiencies we have.

“Without reliable access to broadband, millions will be cut off,” he said. Among the initiatives the authority is working on include enforcing infrastructure sharing which should eventually see cheaper rates and ensure data affordability.

The National Broadband Plan which is being circulated to stakeholders for a critical appreciation is also aimed at making ICT products and services especially broadband and data accessible to all Zimbabweans at affordable rates.

He added POTRAZ’s aim is to keep the price of data as affordable as possible, while ensuring sustainability of the sector and protection of consumers-ebusinessweekly.c.zw