DODOMA: SOKOINE University of Agriculture (SUA) has developed artificial cat-urine scent systems to repel rats from farms, alongside research using barn owls as a natural method of controlling rodents that destroy rice and other crops. SUA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Raphael Chibunda, said in Dodoma on Monday that the university was promoting environmentally friendly solutions by introducing … The post Scent technology, owls to curb crop pests appeared first on Daily News .
DODOMA: SOKOINE University of Agriculture (SUA) has developed artificial cat-urine scent systems to repel rats from farms, alongside research using barn owls as a natural method of controlling rodents that destroy rice and other crops.
SUA Vice-Chancellor, Prof Raphael Chibunda, said in Dodoma on Monday that the university was promoting environmentally friendly solutions by introducing specially designed nesting sites for barn owls to encourage them to prey on rats, thereby reducing reliance on chemical pesticides.
The university is also developing artificial lion urine and faeces scents to deter wildlife and livestock from invading large farms and damaging crops, a move expected to help reduce human-wildlife conflicts.
“These are among the research initiatives the university is pursuing to significantly reduce human-wildlife conflicts,” Prof Chibunda said.
He noted that SUA has secured 16 international patents from its research, covering drought-tolerant crop varieties, fruit seedling production through tissue culture, nutrition technologies, as well as vaccines and treatments for crop and livestock pests and diseases.
The Vice-Chancellor said the university is now seeking partners to commercialise the innovations and scale up production to address community challenges while generating revenue.
Prof Chibunda further said SUA has expanded practical training in key areas, including beekeeping, where students are trained in production, management and processing of bee products, alongside ongoing research on vaccines for various animal diseases.
He said the university is also establishing an industrial training park to equip students with hands-on experience in food processing, manufacturing and agricultural value chains. According to him, four training industries are being set up for fruit juice and syrup processing, milk processing and packaging, fish-feed production and modern brick manufacturing.
“We have started an industrial park for training. The industries have already arrived and we are now completing the building where they will be installed,” he said.
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He added that the fish-feed plant will help address shortages of affordable and quality feed facing the country’s growing aquaculture sector. SUA is also upgrading its bakery into a larger training and production facility and setting up a printing press to serve both the university and the wider community.
Prof Chibunda said practical training is being strengthened in veterinary medicine, beekeeping, aquaculture and food processing, with students required to demonstrate competence in operating farm machinery, including tractors, before graduation.
“If you study agriculture, you must go to the farm. You must learn how to operate agricultural machinery, including a tractor,” he emphasised.
He said SUA has reviewed 111 curricula following consultations with employers, graduates and other stakeholders to align programmes with labour market needs. Some outdated programmes have been dropped, others merged and new ones introduced, with the revised curricula set to be implemented for students joining in the next academic year.
“Sokoine is not a place where you simply come to obtain a degree. You come to Sokoine to acquire a degree together with practical skills that you can use in life,” he said.
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