Govt funds MSU indigenous fruits research
GOVERNMENT is funding Midlands State University (MSU) indigenous fruits and herbs research and 14 students are conducting the research.
The outcome of the research is expected to impact on the production of medicine, pharmaceuticals and beverages among other products.
The 14 postgraduate students undertaking the research are all on full Government scholarships.
In readiness, the university is constructing a factory shell at the Industrial Park to commercialise the research results.
Briefing the Minister of State for Presidential Affairs in charge of Implementation and Monitoring of Government programmes, Dr Joram Gumbo last Friday, MSU Vice Chancellor Professor Victor Muzvidziwa said the university projects and programmes that have received financial support from Government are both entrepreneurial and academic in nature.
He said some of the programmes, such as the Incubation Hub project, fall into the Government’s 100 day cycle of impactful priority projects. “The outcomes of the research are expected to impact medicine, pharmaceuticals and beverages production among other products. In readiness, the university is constructing a factory shell at the Industrial Park to commercialise the research results,” said Prof Muzvidziwa.
He said the university was privileged to have received tremendous financial support from Government to construct the Incubation Hub, the Incubation Hub Laboratory, a factory shell at its industrial park as well as the sanitiser production plant.
“The Incubation Hub, where we are today, is rooted in the culture of research and innovation. Government funded the construction of the hub and its laboratory. The funding also catered for the lab fittings,” he said.
Prof Muzvidziwa said through that , the country’s researchers can generate intellectual property, which can then be translated into goods and services.
He said the commercialisation of research and innovations will support the nation’s industrialisation drive.
Prof Muzvidziwa said the Incubation Hub Laboratory is temporarily housing the sanitiser production plant.
The plant, he said was set up as a response to the Covid-19 pandemic and was funded by Government.
“The plant has so far produced 92 500 litres of sanitisers and 6 500 litres of disinfectants. Our hand sanitiser is a SAZ certified product,” he said.
Prof Muzvidziwa said they are working towards automation of the sanitiser production plant, which they are going to move to the Industrial Park.
“Once the filling, labelling and packaging sections have been automated, production capacity will increase considerably from the current capacity of 5000 litres per day.
e establishment of the Industrial Park is in line with the Education 5.0 philosophy, which will see us achieving our objectives and mandate as a University.
“The Industrial Park is already home to the garment production enterprise. In response to the Covid-19 contagion and the attendant acute need for PPE, the MSU garment production unit is currently seized with producing masks. Again, the mask production project was bank rolled by Government,” he said.
Dr Gumbo commended MSU leadership for the rapid growth of the institution.
He said such growth was an indicator of a united and committed workforce.
Dr Gumbo said he was pleased by the projects being undertaken by the university. “I am here to witness the successful implementation of the Incubation Hub despite the negative effects of the Covid- 19 pandemic. The rapid results approach that the university has adopted is yielding positive results and the Incubation Hub is heavily involved in the fight against the Covid- 19 through the production of hand sanitiser,” said Dr Gumbo.
He said the hub should grow to a level of selfsustenance.
Midlands Provincial Affairs and Devolution Minister Larry Mavima said monitoring is also key to accountability and ensuring results.