The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) has embarked on strategic plan review in order to align the document with emerging priorities under Malawi 2063 (MW2063) development blueprint.
NCST Vice Board Chairperson, Dr. Cecilia Maliwichi Nyirenda, said the exercise will help the Commission fulfil its mandate of promoting, supporting, coordinating and regulating the development and application of science, technology and innovation in Malawi.
Furthermore, the Commission is mandated to advise government and other stakeholders on all science, technology and innovation matters in order to achieve a science and technology led development.
Speaking on Tuesday at the fifth National Research Dissemination Conference currently underway at the Bingu International Convention Centre (BICC) in Lilongwe, Nyirenda expressed the Commission’s satisfaction with the levels of entrepreneurship and innovation among public universities and growth of community innovation hubs.
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She, however, lamented weak commercialization of research due to limited financing, fearing this would lead to stunted economic growth as it prevents innovations from becoming products and services, hindering job creation, wealth generation, and the development of new industries.
“To fulfill its mandate, the Commission is updating its strategic plan in order to align it with emerging priorities under Malawi 2063. It is undertaking a nationwide survey of nearly 600 enterprises to assess innovation capabilities in Malawi’s private sector; and with support from the Malawi Government and partners, NCST has been disbursing funds through the Science and Technology Fund. In 2024/25 fiscal year, the Commission disbursed MK500 million; consequently, awarding 33 small grants, initiating field trials of organo-mineral fertilizer, and supporting renewable energy innovations through a national hackathon,” she said.
To strengthen research governance, Dr. Nyirenda, narrated, the Commission is establishing Research Ethics Committees in five institutions to enhance research integrity and oversight. Three of these institutions are awaiting induction, which include Catholic University of Malawi Research Ethics Committee, Domasi College of Education REC and Exploits University REC. Two RECs are in the pipeline at the Malawi College of Accountancy (MCA) REC and Seventh Day Adventist University – Malamulo College of Health Sciences REC.
“On Technology Transfer Support, we’re supporting the creation of Technology Transfer Offices at public universities. To date, these Technology Transfer Offices have been established at Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences and Mzuzu University. These offices aim at identifying, protecting and commercializing intellectual property,” she explained.
In her remarks, the Minister of Higher Education and Innovation, Dr. Jessie Kabwila, commended NCST for the strides it is making in complementing national efforts to achieve a self-reliant, inclusive, and industrialised upper-middle-income economy by the year 2063.
Kabwila noted that countries cannot achieve meaningful development without embracing evidence-based planning, local innovation, industrialisation, and a strong entrepreneurial culture.
“As a government, we firmly believe that development must be informed by data, evidence, and scientific inquiry. Through platforms like this conference, we ensure that research is not conducted in isolation, but shared, discussed, and translated into real-world solutions. Institutions like public and private universities, innovation hubs, research institutions and non-governmental organisations, continue to make strides in areas such as public health, agriculture, energy, climate resilience, and artificial intelligence,” she said.
“We are proud of our local researchers and remain committed to supporting their work through initiatives like the Science and Technology Fund and several others. Let me emphasize: Research must not end in the academic journals, it must begin to live in the lives of our people,” added Kabwila.
NCST Director General Gift Kadzamira thanked the government for operationalising the Science and Technology Fund, a funding vehicle that has benefitted dozens of innovators countrywide.
Kadzamira said in their pursuit of promoting, supporting, coordinating, and regulating the development and application of science, technology, and innovation, the Commission is striving to address our challenges by conducting research according to the priorities outlined in the National Research Agenda.
“This is why during the Conference, NCST and NPC will be making a presentation on tracking the implementation of the NRA which was a developed in alignment to the MW 2063 through the MIP 1,” she explained.
