By Maltiti Sayida Sadick
The Enactus Team from the C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS) continues to make waves on the global stage, proudly representing Ghana at the Enactus Global Championship held in Astana, Kazakhstan, from October 2-4, 2024. Competing against 33 other countries, the CKT-UTAS Enactus Team showcased two groundbreaking projects: Cocofert and ECOHUSK, aimed at creating sustainable solutions to global environmental challenges.
Having emerged as the National Champion at the Enactus Ghana National Competition out of 24 universities earlier this year, the CKT-UTAS Enactus Team earned the honor of representing the country for the fourth consecutive time at the prestigious global event. Abdul Majeed Yussif, assistant registrar appearing on GTV Breakfast show after the feat said the team’s innovation and entrepreneurship skills have consistently placed them among the top competitors on the world stage, advancing to the round of 16 in previous competitions held in Puerto Rico, the Netherlands, and now Kazakhstan.
He added that this year, the team presented two eco-friendly projects: Cocofert and ECOHUSK. Cocofert focuses on converting coconut waste into organic fertilizer, offering farmers a sustainable alternative to inorganic fertilizers. The aim of the project he said is to not only restore soil fertility but also improve the livelihoods of farmers by reducing their dependency on costly, environmentally damaging inputs. Peter Ademba a student of CK Tedam and contestant in the Enactus competition who also appeared on GTV Breakfast show, said they come up with an idea which falls in line with the SDGSs and then an execution plan.
He said the second project, ECOHUSK, addresses waste management through the conversion of rice husks and straw into particleboards. These particleboards are designed to serve as a replacement for plywood, offering sustainable options for acoustic, roofing, and interior design applications. This initiative provides an eco-friendly solution to the increasing problem of agricultural waste, promoting circular economy practices. Peter added that Since its first appearance at the global competition in 2021, the CKT-UTAS Enactus Team has grown from strength to strength. Though their debut year saw the team eliminated in the preliminary stages during the virtual competition, they have consistently advanced to the round of 16 in subsequent competitions held in Puerto Rico (2022) and the Netherlands (2023).
The university, established in August 2019 and based in Navrongo, Ghana, has rapidly gained recognition for fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among its students. Majeed Yussif further added that as part of its mission, the Enactus team exemplifies the university’s commitment to developing practical, sustainable solutions to pressing global issues. The success of Cocofert and ECOHUSK at the global level highlights the potential of these projects to impact both local and international markets.
The team from CK Tedam made a clarion call on government and private sector stakeholders to support these innovative ventures, enabling the production of these sustainable solutions on a larger scale at affordable prices especially as transitioning from a campus to a full-fledged university has been difficult, together with the lack of an ultra-modern laboratory among others.
Peter Ademba said the current projects the team is working on is turning Spoilt fridges into poultry incubators, a project on converting dry grass into feed for cattle during dry season, in addition to the making of coconut husks into fertilizers, and turning the local rice husks into ply wood for acoustics for which they need the support of government and private sector to get good machines, scale up and reach the world market.
