Busitema seeks Shs18b to promote research

Busitema University is seeking more than Shs18b to develop and roll out prototypes and incubation innovations.
The development was announced last Friday by the vice chancellor, Prof Paul Waako, at a ceremony presided over by the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovations, Dr Monica Musenero.

“To ensure continuity, there is need for adequate support to enable the university come up with research and incubation innovations that provide actionable results that speak to national priorities,” Prof Waako said.

He said the funds would ensure construction of the Incubation Innovation Centre, procurement of specialised equipment, facilitate research and dissemination of its outcomes.

Prof Kant Kanyarusoke, the head of research and innovations, said the projects that are ready for rollout are solar crop and food dryers, handwashing sanitiser, cloth making and portable water preparation, among others.

Dr Musenero encouraged researchers to come up with innovations that will eradicate poverty.
“Nations that use or sell their natural resources in their raw form remain poor and development is measured based on how citizens have harnessed knowledge,” she said.

Dr Musenero said her ministry would look into the request.

Some innovations
Ms Doreen Nalumansi, together with four other finalists of agro-process engineering, innovated a day and night solar dryer, which addresses challenges of post-harvest handling and improve the quality of agricultural products.

“After harvesting, our farmers tend to suffer huge losses because of failure to handle their products well, leaving some of it to rot due to lack of enough sunshine,” she said.

Last year Kenya rejected Uganda’s maize over high levels of aflatoxins. Ms Nalumansi claims the solar dryer will improve the quality of the cereal for the international market.

Mr Dunhill Atukwansa, a finalist of mining engineering, who invented a dust collector, says the prototype absorbs dust which is a common challenge in artisanal mining areas. He adds that the collector condenses the dust and releases it either as dropping dust or in liquid form.

Mr Charles Dickens Omara, a student of water resources engineering, who has innovated a sewerage emptier machine, which is appropriate in slums areas, said he was constrained with funds to develop the prototype.

“If we can be supported with funding, we should be able to improve the prototypes we have innovated to a larger scale so that they offer solutions to our communities,” Mr Omara said.