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From Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri
The University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (UAES), Umuagwo, Imo State has unveiled a locally built crop drying machine, with Vice Chancellor Professor Christopher Eze saying the innovation proves the young institution can translate research into products that serve farmers.
Speaking at the university’s maiden convocation, at the weekend, Eze said the institution was selected in 2025 as one of only 11 nationwide, and the only university from the South East, to participate in the TETFund Alliance for Innovative Research, TETFAIR.
“Our entry, a Hybrid Solar-Battery Powered Multi-Crop Drying System with programmable PTC Heater, Thermal storage, and Cloud based Monitoring, which the team named the AgroNova Dryer, did not merely participate,” Eze said. “It emerged as the overall TETFAIR 2025 champion and, also, won the TETFAIR 2025 Pitch Deck champion award.”
He added that the innovation was formally registered and patented on November 21, 2025 under the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment in Abuja.
“Research achieves its broadest value when rigorous scholarship is translated into practical solutions, improved policies, useful technologies, and better lives,” Eze told the graduating students. “Research that becomes a product serves the nation, and I’m proud to report that UAES has begun to produce the latter. Somewhere in Nigeria, today, a farmer’s harvest can dry evenly and cheaply because a team from this young university decided a problem was worth solving.”
Eze credited staff and students for the feat, noting that UAES has achieved it despite being only a few years old. He urged the graduates to be good ambassadors of the university.
Pro-Chancellor, Professor Uzoechi Alino, in his address at the ceremony, said the university has recorded significant improvements since the inauguration of the second governing council in areas of academic quality, institutional stability, physical development, and external partnerships.
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On security, Alino said the school has been working with relevant security agencies and community-based arrangements. “This has improved vigilance and helped preserve the peaceful character of our campus,” he said.
Representing Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, the Commissioner for Tertiary Education, Victor Nwachukwu, commended UAES for its focus on agriculture and environmental sustainability.
Nwachukwu recalled that the governor established the university to close gaps in tertiary education, with the appointments of Patrick Egbulie and Christopher Eze to drive its take-off. He said all current courses now have full accreditation.
“Agriculture remains vital to humanity and creates millions of jobs,” he said. “Unfortunately, there’s not enough resources to improve on this. Universities established in the past like Michael Okpara University focused on agriculture. There is also a need to preserve our environment, combat climate change for future generations, address deforestation and plastic waste, and reduce the impact on agriculture.”
He urged the university to embark on tree planting to check deforestation. He also disclosed that the state government has approved funds for the renovation of classrooms and worked to enlist UAES as a beneficiary of TETFund.
Nwachukwu commended the institution for its emphasis on discipline and charged the graduates to uphold the name of their alma mater. “Avoid ‘Yahoo Yahoo,’ advance fee fraud,” he warned. “Be good ambassadors and do not bring shame to the school.”
Prizes were given to 20 First class students at the event.
