Professor Kaunda made the remarks when members of the Parliamentary Committee on Education visited LUANAR on 6 February 2026.

He said agriculture must be given priority if Malawi is to achieve its goals of agricultural mechanisation and modernisation.

“What I was trying to inform and plead with the parliamentarians is that priority must be given to agriculture. Within agriculture, if we are going to develop this country, we need science, technology, skilled people, and capacity. LUANAR already has that human capacity,” he said.

He explained that the University has highly trained experts who are ready to address agricultural challenges affecting the country.

“The challenge now is that if LUANAR and the government do not provide these experts with adequate resources, they may end up working on issues that are not directly relevant to Malawi’s needs. Therefore, my plea to the August House and to the government is to carefully consider the budget we presented and the deficit we highlighted,” he said.

Professor Kaunda added that although the government has many competing priorities, increasing support to LUANAR would help the country respond to emerging agricultural challenges.
“Agriculture faces problems that require immediate solutions, including pests, diseases, seed development, and other emerging issues,” he said.

Vice Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Professor Golden Chizimba Msilimba, supported the Vice Chancellor’s call, stressing the importance of adequately funding LUANAR to improve agricultural productivity in the country.

“If you look at what LUANAR is doing for the country in terms of agricultural productivity, and our national goals of achieving agricultural mechanisation, modernisation of agriculture, and food security, it is clear that we need to lobby for more funding,” he said.

He noted that the University is currently operating with a significant funding deficit, which could affect its ability to deliver on its mandate.

“When you move around LUANAR and observe the work being done, you will see that the University is doing a commendable job. There is work in smart agriculture, aquaculture, and seed production for various companies. However, if these efforts are not adequately supported, we may not achieve what we want as a nation,” he said.

During the visit, members of the committee toured several facilities, including the Bunda Fish Farm, the Smart Farm, and the Main Farm, where they appreciated the research and production activities taking place at the University.