POTRAZ awards ZWL 40 m to the best 10 youthful ICT innovators
By Nyashadzashe Ndoro | Nehanda Business |
The Postal and Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (POTRAZ) through the Universal Service Fund, gave a cumulative ZWL 40 million (US$449, 438) to the best 10 proposals aimed at proffering sustainable solutions that make use of Information Communication Technologies (ICTs) to mitigate the disruptions caused by the Covid-19 Pandemic.
POTRAZ last Friday hosted a Hackathon where 155 participants pitched technological solutions to resolve problems caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in agriculture, industry and commercial sectors.
The young participants were also supposed to bring solutions aimed at solving the problem of low average agricultural yields in the country.
Ten successful youths shared ZWL 40 million (US$449, 438) in categories delivered by ICT Postal and Courier Service minister Jenfan Muswere in Kwekwe.
Speaking at the POTRAZ 2021 Hackathon Muswere said Zimbabwe should raise an army of ICT innovators.
“We import ICT products, but if we produce these we can have a balance of trade. Let us raise an army of ICT innovators, ICT is the electricity of the 2020s and we can’t afford to be left behind as a country.
“We should be the number one ICT country in the region with youths championing innovation and development. As a country we want to ensure there is connectivity across the country, our mission is to exploit ICT for economic development,” he said.
Our vision is to ensure that there is ubiquitous connectivity in the country.
Meanwhile, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, this year’s Hackathons were conducted virtually where the POTRAZ ran two back-to-back competitions under the themes #TowardsADigitalEconomyInACovid-19Zim and #TowardsVision2030WithAgric-Tech and these saw 97 and 79 valid proposals, respectively, being received for adjudication.
The first theme focused on ICT applications aimed at minimizing the spread, improving response mechanisms, and promoting public awareness of the COVID-19 pandemic while the second focused on proffering solutions for low average agricultural yields in the country. Nehanda Radio
