LUANAR express optimism in country’s research absorption

The Lilongwe University of Agriculture Natural Resources (LUANAR) says the country is on the right direction in absorption and implementation of research results from the agricultural sector.

Deputy Vice Chancellor at LUANAR Associate Prof. Agnes Mwangwera made the remarks on Wednesday at the opening of 2025 LUANAR dessemination conference in Lilongwe.

She said the conference will give platform for sharing of ideas among the stakeholders and researchers.

“Over the days we are going to have research that is working on soil fertility because we know we are having challenges with soil fertility, we are also having research on biopestcides as you know we have faced insect damage especially the fall armyworm, so some of our researchers have been working on that and they will be sharing results, including the other one on the use of bio fortitude crops especially beans and orange sweet potato, all those and quiet a number of other research will be shared here,” she said.

Prof. Stein T. Holden from the Norwegian University of Life Sciences in Norway said for the past 20 years his University and LUANAR has been working on research to do with economics and agricultural development policies they have contributed in capacity building helping to impart know among Malawians master program students and also helping each other in conducting joint researches.

“We have done a lot of statistics in Malawi as well as experiments and there was data collected, repeatedly across the districts of Malawi and we hope this has an impact,” he said.

The conference is being held under the theme; Research and Innovations for Resilient and Sustainable Food Systems.