Professor Luo said she was concerned that scientists had not taken a keen interest in the insects that had affected a number of countries on the African continent as a result of climate change.
Prof Luo said this at the International Council for Science (ICSU) seminar under a theme ‘role of science and meteorology in sustainable development’ in Lusaka yesterday.
“We have become victims of climate change which is going to affect the agriculture sector, which we have not developed and the impact is going to be serious.
“For example, we had armyworms from here to South Africa; where were scientist to face the armyworms and now we have red locust. Where is the scientific preparedness to face the red locust?” she said.
Prof Luo said the climate change also affected the energy sector, which if not developed, would leave the country perpetually dependent on expensive imports.
Prof Luo said science was the driver in the national development of nations and the reason some countries were not developing at the pace they should be was their failure to put science at the centre of the analysis.
She said the Zambian scientists did not see the importance of investing in research as one of the daily activities.
Prof Luo said there was need not only to employ lectures in science, but for scientists who specialised in research.
She said there was need to put science as first priority. Science could be used to innovate issues such as water and mineral resources in terms of development.
Prof called on Zambian scientists to learn from other scientists and not wait for foreign directive investments because Zambia does did not have capacity.
Addressing the same forum, Ministry of Higher Education Permanent Secretary Owen Mgemezulu said Zambia faced critical challenges of inadequate specialised sciences and lack of laboratories in key institutions.
Mr Mgemezulu said Zambia wished to benefit from some of the proposed projects in the ICSU science plans.
ICSU regional director Daniel Nyanganyura said the mission of ICSU was to strengthen international science for the benefit of society.
When is the final ruling on her election case? ConCourt is failing us. Just delayed……..
THE ONLY SCIENTIST SERIOUS IN ZAMBIA ARE MEDICAL DOCTORS WHILE THE REST ARE JUST PLAYBOYS.
How can she say scientists are not serious, before casting her stones on her friends, if she is serious she wouldn’t have joined politics herself, she would have concentrate on her tansinta and research on AIDS, but her lack of seriousness has driven her to become a political cadre.
This minister is a tax money munching armyworm illegally in office during elections still posing as minister when her seat was nullified what a bunch of un principled people.She has no shame.
We are concerned about your continued illegal occupation of ministrial and mp position. It seems under lungu anything goes . This country has gone to dogs.
What is you budget for scientific reasurch in zambia Mrs luo ?
Exactly the same question I wanted to ask. How can this b1tch start accusing scientists of not being serious when they have not invested anything in research and development in the sector. Science research is not like law, economics or any other social sciences, sciences and Engineering are very expensive investments but very beneficial to the development of any country. If you want Zambia to ever develop, invest in sciences. If you want Zambia to be static or even go backwards, keep investing all the money in Roads and social sciences. Organisations like PMRC will eat your money while doing things that don’t need any serious investment. The most advanced equipment a lawyer or economist needs to do his work is a laptop plus a few ngwees for fuel. But building a ship, jet, developing a…
The budget for scientific research in Zambia is ZERO!
All monies have either been used to pay for Lungus worldwide tourism, Ministers illegal stay in office, or simply stolen through contracts awarded to crooked politicians. This is reality under Lungu and his PF.
So f**k you common man, and you scientists. global warming is coming so just suffer. Lungu and co will have retired on the proceeds of stealing the Eurobonds and enjoy life thereafter!
“…the Zambian scientists did not see the importance of investing in research as one of the daily activities…”
Very wrong premise upon which the Professor has based her warped conclusion.
It’s not scientists who invest in research, it’s governments (of which she is part here in Zed) and institutions who do. Scientists will then play their part in conducting the research.
Real scientific research is expensive…
The army worms come with the seed planted, how come we never have such when we plant winter maize?
F00lish b1tch. Science research is an expensive undertaking in which you, as a government have invested nothing. You think finding a solution to army worms is cheap? You think making a motor vehicle building plant is cheap? You think sending a rocket to the moon is cheap? You think finding a cure for a disease is cheap? For God’s sake, this is your background and you’re supposed to know how much investment is needed to do all this. Find out how much it costs to build just one smelter for copper processing and you’ll realize that you won’t have any money left to steal for you politicians. Stop behaving like you’re ignorant about the cost of research and development in sciences. The country is backward because there’s no investment in this sector and we keep importing everything from…
Truth be told there is no money in doing scientific research in this country, ask Dr sondashi, that’s why she left the AIDS stuff to join the only lucrative business in Zambia, Politics.
Why should she advise people to do what she’s not willing to do herself…Let her quit politics and get back to “The Labs” if she’s serious with what she’s talking about.
The minister should even be ashamed of herself for uttering such words. One would think that these politicians have an interest of the education sector or least the scientific world. Please Miss Minister put your records and books straight. There are many scientists in Zambia willing and able to handle many of these calamities befalling this country but your lack of respect and selfishness has kept us lagging behind every time. You want to be seen working just for uttering rhetoric and yet you do nothing just to make people feel more desperate. Let the institutions in this country operate work without your interference and you will see very good results.
No need to insult Nkandu Luo for expressing her concerns as not all research requires colossal amounts of money or sophisticated equipment! Its true that there is lack of seriousness for research all round as Zambian scientists and others understand that the product of research in any field is an informative solution conclusive or inconclusive in form of a written paper which if not placed in a journal even the media can bring to the attention of the citizenry! Researchers are sleeping!
You research (if you have money) in your area of interest. Who is interested in army worms? Its GRZ and as such must fund such research. I am researching, but not in locusts – not interested.
why do u still her professor luo? professor is a position in university or research institute which peiple serving in those jobs are refered by. once you leave academia or rather relinguish your position in university why continue being addressed as professor ? unless u r emeritus prof, u could caryy the title otherwise for now its only because of ignorance on the part of the journalists. to put it in context we can call her Dr Nkandu Luo. when u r perm sec and retire, do we continue calling perm sec, you left your job. its wrong for her to castigate scientists when she is a ‘professor’ whi is supposed to lead researches, how many papers has she published in the past 5 years herself? it means theres no money in research thats why she left but want other people who are not professors to…
This lady is very dull. Calling on scientists to “invest”? Do scientists generate their own funding and “invest” it? Perhaps it’s Madam who is not serious
Did she really say that!!! I am amazed – and she is supposed to be a prof. That is what politics can do to some.
let her tell the universe where she raised her money for research. Dr. Luo where did the micro biology bucks and Tasintha bucks come from? Pray do tell. Then you should shut fvck up and either show up with cash or go get hit in the ugly face by a an uglier bus, maybe it can change your face for the better.
If all the engineers out there could only retain their professional degrees if they produced scietific research papers each year based on actual research and development, Zambia wold have 3 qualified engineers.
Ms. Minister, do ourself a favour and head over to UNZA’s TDAU, that place is like a sixth grade science class and JETS fair for the third world. The size of the TDAU is reflective of the investment that your ministry and GRZ has put into Zambia.
First show that you have invested sh1t in R&D in Zambian education, then start farting about people not accessing research funds. I wonder how many PF cadres would get research grants?
Research is built for and around industry. We have no industry that requires research in Zambia. The president is all excited about fish farming and agriculture. Would he kindly go over to Mwekera or any ZARI institute and check what his PS’s and ministers have invested? If not, then he and his team should quit balbbering about sh1t that they are supposed to be dealing with. Buidling empty shells of universities that are staffed by “lecturers” that have no practical, industry, nor theoretical experience is an act of madness. Madness is doing the same thing over and over with the same inputs and expecting different results each time. You build more uni’s and have no budget for R&D and you think you’ll develop? Madness
I thought I told you about this woman. She is finished. Appoint some one with a fresh brain. Efficiency levels in her have drastically dropped. Dropping her will be part of Job creation for a young technocrat.