TWO Lupane State University (LSU) students have won US$10 000 to further develop their innovation that seeks to reduce post-harvest losses affecting Zimbabwe’s fresh-produce value chain.
The students, Mark Rukanda and Leona Nyoni, emerged winners in the emerging technology category of the Old Mutual Value Creation Challenge after competing against more than 1 100 entries.
Their start-up, NanoPath, operates under Nannovoe Private Limited and is developing FreshGuard, a nano-enabled, spray-applied edible coating designed to extend the shelf life of fresh produce.
The technology is being developed for fresh farm roduce such as tomatoes, potatoes, bananas and selected vegetables, with the aim of reducing spoilage while maintaining the quality and marketability of the produce.
Rukanda said the prize money would provide an opportunity to further develop and commercialise the technology.
“This recognition also provides us with an opportunity to further develop and commercialise the technology as it works towards addressing post-harvest losses and improving the efficiency of Zimbabwe’s fresh-produce value chain,” he said.
LSU spokesperson Cliff Chiduku said the achievement reflected the university’s focus on developing solutions to challenges affecting mosy farming communities.
“LSU is on a deliberate path to providing innovative solutions to the challenges that communities around us are facing,” Chiduku said.
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He said the university was creating an environment where students and researchers could turn ideas and knowledge into practical solutions.
“This is what Education 5.0 is about — ensuring that our students do not only acquire knowledge, but are also able to apply that knowledge to solve real-world problems and create value,” he said.
Chiduku said the university was also investing in infrastructure to support innovation and entrepreneurship, including the construction of a Technovation Centre.
“The university is constructing a sprawling Technovation Centre which, upon completion, will become a hub for innovation, incubation and the development of solutions that respond to the needs of our communities and industry,” he said.
The project uses nanotechnology to develop a coating that can be applied to fresh produce, with the potential to slow spoilage and extend the period in which produce remains marketable.
