The Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria has commissioned a table water factory.
In a statement from the Public Affairs Directorate Office of the VC said the event took place at the institute’s premises.
Commissioning the project, the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Adamu Ahmed, said it took vision to look beyond the traditional boundaries of agricultural research and see an opportunity to build a viable business.
Prof Ahmed, who was represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Administration, Prof Bello Sabo, also said it took discipline to carry that vision through to a finished, branded product that met the standards required to reach the market.
The Vice-Chancellor said that the IAR Director and his team had done both, and the university remained grateful to them.
According to him, the project mattered for reasons that went beyond the water itself.
He said every sachet and every bottle that leaves the facility will carry the name and logo of Ahmadu Bello University into homes, offices and shops across Zaria and beyond.
The Vice-Chancellor also said the factory would create jobs, both within the institute and in the wider community that would support its distribution and sale.
This is in addition to generating income that the institute could reinvest in its core mandate of research.
He stressed every unit of the university sits on knowledge, skills and, in many cases, land and equipment that can be turned into income-generating ventures.
Prof Ahmed encouraged institute to look at what they already had and ask what value it could create beyond the classroom and the laboratory.
He further stressed that a university that generates its own income is a university that can better support its staff, its students and its research.
He urged every institute and centre within the university to be innovative, creative, and to pursue projects that will strengthen the institution and the communities it serves.
Ahmed assured the IAR Director of the university’s continuous support for the growth of the project.
Earlier in a welcome address, the Director, Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR), Prof Ado Yusuf, appreciated the Vice-Chancellor and other members of the university management for gracing the occasion.
The Director said the commissioning of the table water factory was more than the unveiling of a new product.
It also represented another important efforts to transform the institute’s ideas, expertise and resources into practical ventures that could provide value to the University community and society at large, he further said.
Yusuf explained that as an institution committed to research, innovation and development, IAR recognised the importance of complementing its core mandate with initiatives that could generate internally generated revenue, create employment opportunities and strengthen institutional capacity.
The Director reiterated that the establishment of the table water was a welcome development and a reflection of their determination to embrace sustainable and innovative solutions.
He expressed optimism that the project would grow into a reputable brand known for quality, affordability, reliability and excellent service.
Prof Yusuf thanked the Vice-Chancellor and the University Management for their unwavering support towards the success of the initiative.
