Nust embarks on high impact projects

Source: Nust embarks on high impact projects | The Sunday News

NUST

Raymond Jaravaza, Sunday News Reporter

THE National University of Science and Technology (Nust) has set its sights on establishing three high-impact projects ranging from blueberry farming for exports to cannabis cultivation and oil extraction as well as tomato powder as part of the institution’s efforts to achieve for self-sustainability and full human resource utilisation.

By venturing into growing cannabis, Nust will become the second player to venture into commercial cannabis after Thathokuhle Farm located in Douglasdale, Bulawayo.

The farm has been transformed into a prosperous cannabis farming project and is an initiative spearheaded by experienced farmers — Mr Mike Querl, his wife, Ms Kerrie Mitchell and their business partner, Mr Graeme Jansen Van Vuuren.

Following Government’s decision to legalise the cultivation of cannabis for medicinal and industrial purposes in April 2018, the trio decided to venture into commercial cannabis farming in 2021.
Government legalised the production of cannabis for medicinal or scientific purposes under Statutory Instrument 18 (Dangerous Drugs — Production of Cannabis for Medicinal and Scientific Use Regulations).

Under this legal instrument, producers of cannabis must be licensed by the Ministry of Health and Child Care.

The three high impact projects will create over 250 jobs and rake-in over US$13,5 million in annual earnings in critical revenue to fund the completion of projects such as the university’s long-awaited library that stands at 22 percent.

Nust Vice Chancellor, Professor Mqhele Dlodlo, told delegates during a recent tour led by Minister of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science, Innovation and Technology Development, Dr Frederick Shava, in Bulawayo on Wednesday that 20 hectares of land have been identified and reserved for the blueberry farming for export project.

“The cost of the blueberry farming for export project stands at US$1,1 million and it will be a greenhouse-based project with an expected harvest of five kilogrammes per plant,” he said. “We expect in excess of US$7,5 million revenue per year from the project that will also create over 120 jobs.
“Due diligence on equipment has been completed and the land has been identified and reserved,” said Prof Dlodlo.

He said the equipment procurement process is underway and added that additional funding of US$1,5 million will be required in future to fully utilise the 20 hectares of land earmarked for the blueberry farming for export project.

Another high impact project that is in the pipeline is a cannabis cultivation and oil extraction for export venture that will be established on a two hectare greenhouse facility.

“The cannabis cultivation and oil extraction for export venture requires US$350 000 in capital expenditure inclusive of licensing fees required and a cannabis research facility will be embedded in the project,” said Prof Dlodlo.

“Nust expects in excess of US$6 million per year in export revenue and will create jobs for over 100 employees seasonally and an additional 25 on a permanent basis.

An additional US$0,5 million will be needed for full utilisation of the project.”

A tomato powder undertaking has also been added to the three high impact projects earmarked for establishment by the university with Prof Dlodlo saying due diligence on equipment to be used for the project has been completed.

The project site has been identified and reserved and clients for the tomato powder have been secured.
The tomato powder project is a student driven initiative and will be rolled out in Bulawayo Province at the end of this month in partnership with the National Venture Capital Company of Zimbabwe.

“Since the birth of the Second Republic, Nust has experienced significant transformation in academic and infrastructural development. Never in the history of Nust have we enjoyed so much infrastructure development, thanks to our ministry for the support and guidance,” said Prof Dlodlo.

Since its establishment in 1991 as the country’s second university with a national mandate to lead in human capital development for industrial and socio-economic transformation, Nust has always had a bias towards STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics)-based solutions.

“Nust has grown from three faculties in 1991 to nine faculties, seven of them being STEM. We presently have an enrolment of 11 500 students with a target of 12 000 by the end of the year of which 43 percent are female and 57 percent are male,” said Prof Dlodlo.