KNUST Unveils Ambitious Plan to Boost Local Manufacturing in Ghana

The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has announced plans to partner with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to develop locally produced farming equipment and technologies. The move aims to reduce Ghana's dependence on imports.

KNUST Unveils Ambitious Plan to Boost Local Manufacturing

Vice-Chancellor of KNUST, Professor Christian Agyare, gave the assurance when he received the Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture and MP for Ayawaso West Wuogon, Hon. John Dumelo, at his office. Professor Agyare described the proposal as "a laudable initiative" that aligns with his vision of positioning KNUST at the centre of national development.

Locally Developed Technologies to Lead Government Projects

The long-term objective is to increase the use of locally developed technologies in government projects, particularly in agriculture where equipment and mechanisation remain a major challenge. Deputy Minister Hon. John Dumelo proposed that KNUST's engineering departments lead the design and manufacturing of agricultural machines and tools that can be deployed to farmers nationwide.

The Deputy Minister said the Ministry undertakes significant procurement annually and believes more of such contracts should go to solutions developed by Ghanaian universities. "We should be able to change the norm to allow most of our university students to come up with designs that we can expand on to reduce importation," he said.

Smart Traffic Lights and Local Manufacturing

Beyond agriculture, the meeting also explored a second collaboration, that is, the development of locally manufactured traffic-light systems for Hon. Dumelo's Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency. The project will require collaboration between the College of Engineering and the College of Science, with university experts providing technical support to address traffic challenges.

Leading the KNUST delegation, Professor Eric Tutu Tchao, Scientific Director of the DIPPER Lab in the College of Engineering, said discussions at the Lab had focused on a proposed project to improve traffic-light systems in the constituency. Mr Dumelo recalled that as a student at KNUST, traffic lights had previously been developed by students, and he expressed interest in reviving that model.

KNUST's Full Support for the Projects

The Vice-Chancellor assured the Deputy Minister of KNUST's full support and technical capacity to deliver on both projects. The DIPPER Lab will lead the technical implementation of the traffic-light project, in collaboration with experts from the College of Engineering and the College of Science.

The partnership is set to have a significant impact on the country's economic development, particularly in the areas of agriculture and manufacturing. With KNUST's expertise and the Ministry's support, the potential for locally developed technologies to lead government projects is vast. As the partnership moves forward, it will be interesting to see the impact of these collaborations on the country's economic landscape.

Source: JOY