Story by Yolanda Moyo
THE National University of Science and Technology (NUST) is embarking on a pilot project to develop bio-fertiliser in a development poised to revolutionise the agricultural sector.
The first phase of the project, the proof of concept, yielded positive results as NUST conducted a joint research project in 2022 to develop bio-fertilisers with the University of Lilongwe in Malawi.
The second phase, the piloting of the prototype, running up to July 2025 is set to mark a significant step towards a more sustainable agricultural approach in Zimbabwe, addressing high costs of fertiliser and ensuring food security.
“We have gone through the first phase that is the proof of concept. the whole idea is to realise nutrients from the soil using natural systems and in this case, micro-organisms are natural. We are going environmentally friendly and releasing nutrients that will ensure that we are food secure within the country.
“The fertiliser also has organisms that are able to mitigate the effects of drought stress. The results from the joint study with the University of Lilongwe yielded results that added value to the second phase that we are piloting we are developing the product, so the piloting stage is expected to last until next year July 2025 and thereafter we can then talk about commercialisation practices. We have worked with Matobo Research Centre.
“By developing a locally produced, eco-friendly fertiliser alternative, the project has the potential to improve crop yields while reducing reliance on chemical fertilisers. This not only benefits the environment but also empowers local farmers with a cost-effective and sustainable solution. Health-wise we are ensuring that we produce food that is organic and produce micro-organisms that are not pathogenic in nature,” said the Project Principal Investigator, Dr Thembinkosi Ncube.
Housed at the Technovation Centre, the project speaks to the Second Republic’s efforts to ensure that universities add value to the country’s aggressive development agenda.
“Now the researchers are ready to do live prototyping where they will be taking the project to the next level accommodated at Prof Makurane Technovation Centre. The project will benefit the university, community and nation at large as a number of students have come through as research assistants thereby gaining experience from the seasoned team,” said NUST Pro Vice-Chancellor, Innovation and Business Development, Dr William Goriwondo.
The project is being funded by the Research Council of Zimbabwe (RCZ).
Manager of Research Prioritisation, Control and Coordination at the Research Council of Zimbabwe, Dr Timothy Marango said, “We are here for the monitoring and evaluation of a project we are funding at NUST. The first phase was funded with US$30 000 and the second phase is being funded with US$50 000. As a council, we are funding various innovation projects across universities that seek to transform our communities as they are high-impact projects set to bring our employment and lead to main power development thereby bringing the gap of human capital deficit in the country. We are also funding an enzyme project here at NUST.”
The project is expected to pave the way for large-scale production and distribution of the bio-fertiliser, empowering local farmers and promoting sustainable agricultural practices.
