The National Planning Commission (NPC) in collaboration with National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) will launch the National Research Agenda (NRA) as one of the strategic catalysts for the implementation of Malawi 2063’s first 10 year plan (MIP-1).
The launch will be held on Wednesday in Lilongwe.
Speaking during a press conference on Monday in Lilongwe ahead of NRA launch, NPC Research Manager, Dr Andrew Jamali, said the document will provide guidance to researchers, academic institutions, local and international researchers and policy makers in generating knowledge, technologies and innovations that will build a knowledge-based economy for Malawi.
“This is a key resource material which will guide us as the nation to look on how we should implement, mobilize resources on specific
interventions in the vision,” he said.
Jamali said NRA will also help to create order in the research space as it has provided contents and priorities, which will be followed to
address the needs of the country.
NCST Chief Research Service Officer Mike Kachedwa said NRA is holistic and its research pillars within it are aligned with the Malawi 2063.
“It contains specific research pillars and topical themes under which research studies will be drawn for implementation,” he said.
Kachedwa added that the implementation of the Malawi 2063 is very critical inorder for the country to transform.
With support from Unicef, NRA is there to operationalize the Malawi 2063.
Research and Evaluation Specialist at Unicef, Dr Abiba Longwe Ngwira, said the agency supported the entire development of the NRA
technically and financially.
“We expect that the document will promote the use of evidence in decision making,” she said.
Ngwira said NRA will further promote the use of evidence to inform various types of development goals or interventions which need the
multi-sectoral approach.
