LUANAR Partners with Media to Revolutionise Agriculture Through E-Extension

The Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) has launched e-Extension Accelerated Scaling Initiative, aimed at transforming agriculture through technology-driven solutions.

The launch marked by signing Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) between LUANAR and 26 media houses in the country seeks to connect more than 1.5 million farmers across Malawi with advisory services through digital platforms.

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Sam Dalitso Kawale, said at the launch in Lilongwe, that e-Extension Scaling is a powerful tool by LUANAR to modernise Malawi’s agriculture sector by bridging the gap left by limited extension workers in the country.

By signing the MOUs, the Minister emphasised the pivotal role of the media in modernising agriculture. “Turning Malawi into a food-secure nation cannot happen if a farmer does not have access to adequate agricultural information,” Hon Kawale stated saying that e-Extension will be a powerful tool to ensuring that many farmers have access to essential information, from land preparation to accessing markets.Under the e-Scaling Acceleration project, LUANAR will place 300 undergraduate students annually in internships to media houses to learn media skills on how to prepare and disseminate agricultural information to reach out to farmers.

Vice Chancellor of LUANAR, Professor Emmanuel Kaunda said that the current ratio of extension workers to farmers in Malawi is very low. Said Professor Kaunda:
“As we're talking now, the figures are hovering around 3,000 farmers to one extension worker, and yet, we're supposed to be having 750 to one extension worker,” he explained

Partnering with the media offers a transformative solution to bridge this gap, providing farmers with real-time information to address issues such as pests, diseases, and low productivity, Professor Kaunda added

He emphasised that the initiative is not merely about communication but about transforming agriculture into a highly productive, export-driven sector by minimising post-harvest losses and increasing forex earnings through surplus exports.

LUANAR is one of the nine Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) under the Skills for a Vibrant Economy (SAVE) Project. The SAVE Project is funded by the World Bank for US$100 million and was rolled out in 2021 to to increase access to labour market-relevant skills. Seven National Technical Colleges (NTCs) and 15 Community Technical Colleges (CTCs) are also beneficiaries of the SAVE Project.