Unilorin researchers, others win over N788 million Innovate UK award
Prof. Joshua Olaoye and Dr. Musliu Sunmonu, two academics in the Department of Food Engineering at the University of Ilorin (Unilorin), have been awarded a grant from Innovate UK for over N788 million.
The 2022/2023 Africa AgriFood Knowledge Transfer Partnership grant was awarded to the two researchers from the Faculty of Engineering and Technology (AAKTP)
In collaboration with Microscale Embedded Ltd, Abuja, and De Montfort University, UK, the prize was given to Unilorin.
Mr. Olaoye, the academic lead for the project, stated in a statement to the Unilorin Bulletin published on Monday that the grant award is based on agriculture.
He claimed that the three groups had previously submitted a joint proposal through their representatives, with Mr. Sunmonu of Unilorin serving as the Academic Supervisor and doing the bulk of the work.
“The lead supervisor’s job is to foster a supportive environment, and the academic supervisor, under the lead supervisor’s direction, is in charge of the project’s strategic planning. We should commend Dr. Sunmonu for his perseverance in receiving this specific prize, he remarked.
He claims that the project must be carried out in Nigeria and that the only university authorized to do so under the direction of “Innovate UK” is Unilorin.
This is to make sure that we are following the requirements of the organization that is awarding the prize.
“The corporation must return because it is more than simply paperwork; it goes beyond that. The main concern is reducing agricultural loss.
“To do so, we need to develop a model that unites all parties involved in the agricultural value chain of numerous commodities, so that we have producers.
“This particular research work will help the farmers do the right thing at the appropriate time to obtain the best productivity from the task they are carrying out,” he claimed.
According to Mr. Olaoye, this achievement will raise the university’s Webometric ranking and provide a chance for former students of Unilorin to get employment on the project.
When it begins, we intend to have a lab where we can instruct students on using global information services, he said.
(NAN)
