Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), through a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World’s Agricultural Transformation Initiative (FSFW-ATI), has actually turned over a website for building and construction of the Centre for Agricultural Transformation (CAT) Centre building to specialist SR Nicholas, raising expect the change of farming sector in Malawi.
Construction of the CAT Centre Building, situated 20 kms from Lilongwe City, is approximated to take 18 months and cost preliminary $3 million (MKW3 billion), while extra financial investment will go towards procurement of its equipment and furnishings once it is finished.
The CAT building and construction task’s four-hectare website is at LUANAR’s Natural Resources College (NRC) school surrounding to the CAT Smart Farm which presently showcases several enhanced innovations to support the adoption of varied farming practices and innovations and increase performance.
Presenting the building and construction website to the specialist on Thursday 20th April 2023 at the University’s NRC school, LUANAR Council Chairperson Prof Zachary Kasomekera advised the specialist to do a good job in guaranteeing that the centre does not wear away within the fastest time period as holds true in other building building and constructions.
“We have known SR Nicholas as a contractor that does quality works. We have never heard you constructing a low quality building. I hope it will not start with this centre,” said Kasomekera, while explaining the centre as a video game changer which would drive farming change amongst smallholder farmers.
He said the CAT Centre Building would include worth to LUANAR as it would improve its research study and outreach capability through interaction with farmers who will be purchasing from the building.
“Our students will also benefit from this initiative. Furthermore, this initiative will contribute to Pillar Number 1 of the Malawi 2063 (Agricultural Productivity and Commercialization) which will see farmers being equipped with knowledge and skills for improved agricultural productivity,” included Kasomekera.
On her part, Vice President and Country Director for the FSFW-ATI Dr. Candida Nakhumwa said the CAT Centre would boost the capability of different trainees, scientists, and academic community to perform research study on soil analysis and other focus locations which would eventually benefit the smallholder farmers in the mission for farming change in Malawi.
“The Centre for Agricultural Transformation supports the efforts of farmers and businesses to build long-term resilience by diversifying agricultural production and increasing their levels of productivity in Malawi,” said Nakhumwa.
“We look forward to more collaborations with Malawian businesses, scientists, and innovators whose ideas could be incorporated into helping advance the mission of the CAT,” she included.
Launched in 2019 and supported by a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, the CAT is a science, innovation, and business incubation task that promotes the charitable objective of supporting smallholder Malawian farmers in making financially feasible, data-driven choices for diversifying their earnings and ridding them of their reliance on tobacco farming.
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