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| ZERO EMISSIONS RESEARCH INITIATIVE (ZERI) |
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Opportunities From Africa's Bioresources
The two professors, indeed, 'stilled my tongue' (if I may be allowed to borrow from The Bible, New International version, Marriage Edition). One rarely encounters accomplished scientists quoting from The Bible. As I was contemplating on the subject, they quickly took me again to ancient Greece. And they quoted from the great philosopher and mathematician, Pythagoras, who once said, "...Learn to be silent. Let your quiet mind listen, and absorb." I saw something new, something interesting, something arousing curiosity: some important message. Therefore I allowed myself ample time to listen, and to absorb. Then the professors began to tell their story. They elaborated to me what the ZERI vision is striving to achieve. They gave an outline of its genesis, its relevance to Tanzania, to Africa, and to the world as a whole. They presented examples of its potential application towards promoting socio-economic advancement of our people, with special reference to poverty alleviation, economic development, and sustainable livelihoods, focusing attention to the world's poorest of the poor. They introduced, in absentia, Mr Gunter Pauli, an industrial entrepreneur, in whose creative mind the concept of ZERI was born; and they gave due credit to Professor Heitor Gurgulino de Souza, formerly Rector of the United Nations University (UNU), who, in 1994, had invited Mr Pauli to serve as a special advisor at the UNU, to help crystallise the ZERI vision, and to develop strategies on its implementation. From the professors' elaboration I learnt that ZERI was already enjoying immense support from UNESCO, which, together with the UNU, was co-sponsoring a joint UNESCO/UNU Chair for promoting ZERI in Africa: a Chair currently occupied by Professor Keto Mshigeni, based at the University of Namibia. I learnt also that ZERI was already enjoying immense support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), from Governments of Japan, Namibia, Fiji, Colombia, etc., and also from a growing number of entrepreneurs in the private sector (e.g., Namibia Breweries, Taurus Atlantic Seaweeds, etc.). I was particularly gratified to learn that the Founder and Director of ZERl, Mr Gunter Pauli, had taken a keen interest towards promoting ZERI in Africa, and that he had already visited Tanzania, during which period he had had a good dialogue with various Heads of Tanzania's Research and Development Institutions, as well as with senior academics at the University of Dar es Salaam and Sokoine University of Agriculture. During his visit, promising ZERI projects for Tanzania had been discussed, under the co-ordinating role of the Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH). During the meeting I learnt also that since the birth of ZERI at the United Nations University in 1994, a ZERI network of scientists and technologists had been established, and that the ZERl idea had grown into a Foundation, The ZERI Foundation, based in Geneva, which is charged with the responsibility of disseminating the ZERI vision, and assisting with the implementation of selected high priority ZERI projects around the world. Since then a series of ZERI World Congresses and ZERI Training Workshops have also been organised and implemented, with a view to promoting the sharing of knowledge, experience, and success stories on ZERI. Through the briefing by Prof Mshigeni and Prof Chan, and from follow-up discussions with the Director General of COSTECH, Col. Dr. Yadon Kohi and his team, I was convinced, beyond any shadow of a doubt, that the ZERI approach is something new, and something unique. It is a vision which requires an immediate follow-action, and an initiative which, if taken seriously, will generate winds of positive and dynamic change amongst the world's unreached, poverty-stricken rural and pen-urban communities. What was even more appealing to me was the Integrated Biosystem (IBS) approach of ZERI, after a detailed elaboration by Prof George Chan. According to the Professor, lBS involves interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary application of knowledge towards the solution of the common problems confronting humanity; an approach which considers knowledge as a continuum; and an enlightenment which fosters optimum utilisation of the rich biodiversity Africa and the world is blessed to possess. With the huge tonnage of agricultural wastes produced by our farmers every year, currently discarded; with the huge tonnage of potentially usable biota around us, but whose uses are still locked under chains of ignorance; and with the power that lies within the framework of ZERl, I see this new vision becoming a powerful catalyst for creating many new marketable value-added products, for generating more income, for empowering our impoverished communities with new skills, and for alleviating poverty. The ZERI vision has, in essence, unfolded before me many new horizons. Never before had I dreamed of earthworms as a potential new cash crop, from which we can produce commercial enzymes for detergent industry. All I knew was that earthworms are a delicacy for our traditional chicken. Never before had I realised that bamboo wood could be used as building material for multi-storey buildings, even though I grew knowing that some bamboo varieties exude a juice which is used for local beer production. Never before had I received thorough exposure on the power of microbial labour force in industries such as beer brewing, cheese production, biogas energy generation, etc. I was particularly thrilled when it was eloquently elaborated that provided we supply to the microbial organisms an enabling environment (e.g., the right substrates, the optimum temperature regime, the appropriate light conditions, the right pH, etc.) these biota will work faithfully, reliably, and efficiently: all the time, with no lunch breaks, no sleep, no labour union meetings, and no strikes! We must, therefore, double our efforts towards training more microbiologists, to help promote Africa's utilisation of the microbial and other categories of labour force, and towards enhanced economic production. It is, indeed, most gratifying that within only a few months following my induction to the ZERI philosophy, the UNESCO/UNU ZERI Africa Chair at the University of Namibia, together with COSTECH in Tanzania, and the ZERI Foundation in Geneva, managed to secure a grant from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) office in Dares Salaam, Tanzania, through which the hosting of the Second International Training Workshop on ZERI in Africa, was made possible. The Workshop in Tanzania enabled many senior scientists, technologists, and senior managers from Government and the UN system to meet, and to benefit from the experience and expertise of leading world scholars and entrepreneurs on the ZERI vision. These contributions are contained in these Proceedings. The Workshop also enabled the participating scientists, technologists and senior managers from Tanzania and a few other countries in Africa, to have some reflection on their own research experiences, and to present for consideration and discussion, ZERI project proposals based on Africa's rich biodiversity. These were amongst the many ZERI projects in Africa which show greatest promise as vehicles for socio-economic development, and as new marketable business opportunities. The various contributions contained in this volume, indeed, constitute good food for thought, and very nutritious food for that matter. Entrepreneurs who will seize the most viable business opportunities first, are likely to make good money, and to make history. The beautiful seashells on the cover of this book indeed remind us that during the dark days of the slave trade in Africa, Cypraea moneta, the money cowrie shell, a beautiful marine gastropod, was developed into a form of a currency. This, in itself, is a reflection of their economic potential. The beautiful plant also shown on the cover, is a common hygrophyte in Africa's freshwater bodies, which is currently conceived as a weed. But under the ZERI vision, even the water plant which is commonly labelled as the most noxious, the most notorious, and the most widely cursed bioresource of our time, Eichhornia crassipes (the water hyacinth weed), can also be developed into a vital engine for socio-economic growth, for sustainable livelihoods, and for transforming a regional, continental, and global problem into a great business opportunity, as these Proceedings abundantly depict. I have one strong appeal to readers of this book. Please read it with eyes keen to see, with ears ready to hear, and with a mind which is fully open. Remember: birds which are getting ready to fly must first have their wings fully open. Yes indeed, read these Proceedings with an open mind! Having been exposed to the ZERI vision, I now see that our ancestors in Africa had made astonishing attempts towards implementing a philosophy similar to that of ZERI, even though they did not know that their traditional practices involved the application of principles of microbiology, biochemistry, or inorganic chemistry. Indeed, from cashew nut fruits, bananas, bamboo, sugar cane, coconuts, maize, cassava, honey, etc., our ancestors made alcohol, which was variously known as ulaka/uraka, mbege, ulanzi, dengelua, tembo, kangara, nkorogo, etc. From iron ores, they made arrow heads, spearheads, hoes, pangas, etc. From clays, they made water storage jars, cooking pots, etc. From granite rocks, and various types of hardwoods, they made beautiful carvings. From tree barks, palm leaves, and various reeds, they produced cloth, mats, winnowing trays, baskets, ropes, etc. From some seeds and fruits, they made necklaces and various categories of decorations. Again from barks, roots, leaves, flowers, and seeds of various plants, they also harvested products for use as food, as fodder, and as medicine. These are just a few examples of value-addition, based on Africa's bioresources, which tally with the ZERI vision. It is of critical importance, therefore, that the ZERl network of scientists and technologists, in collaboration with our various Governments, the UN system, our many Universities, and the school system, develop strategies on reaching out to the unreached rural masses, to learn from the wealth of Africa's indigenous knowledge still in the villagers' possession, and to incorporate some of the traditional practices into global ZERI agenda. I believe the reader will find the message contained in this book to be illuminating, interesting, inspiring, and characterised by tantalising novelty. |
"...Is there anything of which one can say, 'LOOK! THIS IS SOMETHING NEW'?". (Ecclesiastes 1:10)