LUANAR gets over $3 million agricultural transformation centre to boost research and development
Nkhoma: It ensures the CAT legacy lives on as it continues to serve farmers, students, and researchers
The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) has received a state-of-the-art Agricultural Transformation Centre worth over $3 million (approximately K5.1 billion) from the Global Action to End Smoking.
This marks a major milestone in Malawi’s agricultural innovation drive.
The new facility, to be known as The Global Action Agricultural Transformation Centre, is located at LUANAR’s Natural Resources College (NRC) Campus Smart Farm in Lilongwe.
The official handover ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, October 8, 2025.
Designed by ORG Urbanism and Architecture and constructed by SR Nicholas Construction Company, the Centre is part of the six-year Centre for Agricultural Transformation (CAT) project, implemented in Malawi by Land O’Lakes Venture37 with funding from the Global Action to End Smoking.
CAT Executive Director Macleod Nkhoma described the development as a “game-changer” in Malawi’s quest for agricultural transformation.
“After six years of working directly with over 100,000 and indirectly with 860,000 smallholder farmers, we are proud to see this Centre come to life. It ensures the CAT legacy lives on as it continues to serve farmers, students, and researchers,” said Nkhoma.
LUANAR Vice Chancellor Professor Emmanuel Kaunda hailed the initiative as a milestone that aligns with the university’s mission and long-term strategic goals.
“This Centre positions LUANAR as a regional hub for agricultural research, teaching, and outreach. It will enhance our academic capacity and directly support surrounding farming communities,” Kaunda said.
Global Action to End Smoking Vice President and Country Director for Agricultural Transformation Initiative (ATI), Dr Candida Nakhumwa, said the fully equipped and furnished facility will drive sustainable agricultural research in response to the global decline in tobacco demand.
“It will promote sustainable agricultural and nutritional alternatives and serve as a hub for farmers, students, researchers, and other stakeholders. The soil analysis laboratory, in particular, will help address soil health challenges that limit productivity,” she added.
The Centre stems from a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between LUANAR and Global Action to End Smoking, through which LUANAR provided land for construction and Smart Farms at its Bunda and NRC campuses.
Once operational, the Centre is expected to expand LUANAR’s research and outreach capacity, provide hands-on training to students, and strengthen collaborations with government, private sector, and development partners in advancing Malawi’s agricultural transformation.
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