IMSU Launches Ukwa De-Husking Machine to Enhance Food Production

Vice Chancellor, IMSU, Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze (middle), Dr. Chima Ibeneche of Chima Ibeneche Education Foundation (3rd left) in a group photograph with members of IMSU management board at the launch of the Ukwa De-husking Machine produced by the Faculty of Engineering of the university, held in Owerri recently.

Imo State University, IMSU, Owerri has launched an Ukwa (Treculia africana) de-husking Machine and a Food Research Center to enhance the availability and affordability of Ukwa as food for public consumption.

This machine is the result of research work sponsored at the university by Chima Ibeneche Education Foundation – a philanthropic organization founded by Dr. Chima Ibeneche.

The sponsor of the research, Dr. Chima Ibeneche, said that the vison for the research is to increase the use of ukwa in our food basket, because doing this will improve environmental and climate sustainability and the food security of Nigeria.

In their speeches, Engr. Augustine Iwuoha, Dean, Faculty of Engineering, and Prof. Ferdinand Mbagwu, Director, Centre for Entrepreneurial Studies, IMSU stressed that the innovation would help to mitigate the challenges in Ukwa production and increase its availability in food value chain.

They also solicited support to enable mass production of the de-husking machine and to facilitate further research on how to make Imo, South East and Nigeria in general a rallying point in Ukwa production and agronomy across the world.

Speaking on the Ukwa research, Ibeneche said that aside removal of production and marketing hurdles in the Ukwa value chain, the research would also help to increase local production of food, develop better methods of preserving ukwa products, in addition to the development of new ukwa products.

He said, “One core contribution of the Ukwa research will be to improve production and processing efficiency by eliminating manual processes that constrain production. Achieving this will enable upscaling of Ukwa production, making the foodstuff more affordable and price competitive against imported alternatives.

“It will also make food supply chain more resilient to international or external crisis, increase the use of Ukwa for food which will result in food security and environmental sustainability as well as afford students the means to acquire practical and usable knowledge in food production and preservation.”

The vice Chancelor of the university Prof. Uchefula Chukwumaeze commended the research team and the sponsor for the progress made. He said that the university will fully support the research so it can deliver on its mission. He promised to buy one improved ukwa dehusking machine which will be donated to the state government.

Highlights of the event included the demonstrations of the de-husking machine, presentation and tasting of ukwa food products. The products were chin-chin, cake, meat-pie, bread, donut among other food items.

May 25, 2023