NEWS:

6 Oct, 2016


One Masters Student, Zione Makawa, Presenting her Research Findings.
For a long time Science has been used in various aspects to address challenges being faced by human beings and improve livelihoods. Under the CABMACC Programme, LUANAR has taken the same initiative to promote science in addressing the challenges brought about by the effects of climate change by providing research grants to research teams from LUNANAR, Mzuzu University, TAPP and Malawi University of Sciences and Technology. Currently more than 8 grants addressing climate change challenges in Livestock, Soil fertility, Forestry, Renewable energy, gender, Indigenous crops, Fisheries, and Biomass have been implemented across the country in specific climate change hotspots including Nkhotakota, Rumphi, Dedza, Balaka, Mzimba, and Phalombe.

In light of this development, LUANARs Programme Coordinating Office organized a Research Project preliminary findings Dissemination conference under the theme “Science as a Pathway to Address Climate Change Challenges in Malawi” to allow the researchers to present their initial findings to relevant stakeholders present at the event.

In the opening remarks by LUANARs Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Emmanuel Kaunda, encouraged the participations to critically identify gaps in the research process. He said that constrictive criticisms and profound feedback would motivate and inspire the researchers. He further applauded the projects for incorporating PhD, Masters and Bachelors students in their projects, a thing he referred to as “Breeding a generation of innovative researchers”. Professor Kaunda shared the university’s hopes on the research outcomes as a way of providing solutions to several challenges brought about by climate change and weather variation.

Professor Kaunda further assured the audience that LUANAR would continue to develop new technologies and systems that will improve the delivery of climate change related services. He further said that by promoting research, LUANAR has positioned itself in exploring its full potential in enhancing agriculture production, management and use of natural resources while contributing to the country’s economic growth.

Upon addressing the researchers, Keynote speaker and LEAD Regional Director Professor Sostein Chiotha advised the researchers to seriously consider megatrends in the Malawian context. He said that these megatrends especially population growth has resulted to reduced land holdings for cultivation and increased demand for natural resources. He said that research is a driving factor in meeting the challenges brought about by these megatrends and should help in filling the gaps in understanding and solving associated challenges. Professor Chiotha called on government to make use of the research findings in policy development and planning for the future gains.

Ziona Makawa, a Master’s student from LUANAR, is researching on Climate Smart Fish Processing Technologies. She said she found the conference to be of fundamental importance in shaping the direction which her research will take. She further said that the conference has allowed her to interact with researchers from various disciplines and gave her a whole new perspective on her research and how it could be linked to climate change.

The Capacity Building for Managing Climate Change (CABMACC) Programme is a five year programme, being implemented since 2013 with funding from the government of Royal Kingdom of Norway. The programme is aimed at promoting the adaptation and mitigation against the effects of climate change in Malawi through capacity building, research, outreach and advocacy.



Written By Christie Kang’ombe