Five innovators from Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences (MUBAS), University of Malawi and Unicaf have been awarded K7 million and K12 million grants to develop their innovations.
These grants are part of the Unipod Malawi Faculty-Student Programme supported by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) to nurture groundbreaking technologies that can address pressing challenges in Malawi.
The initiative aims at providing recipients with resources to transform their research into products with tangible benefits, focused on sectors such as education, agriculture and energy, the programme encourages innovations that have the potential to impact the country’s social and economic development.
Professor Nancy Chitera, Vice Chancellor of MUBAS, emphasised the significance of turning academic research into real-world applications, which can drive meaningful change in Malawi.
“Research should not remain confined to academic papers. It must lead to practical solutions that can address the challenges we face in Malawi. This programme exemplifies how academic innovation can directly benefit society.”
Mangani Katundu, Principal Secretary of the Ministry of Education, expressed his support for the Unipod initiative, saying it has potential to groom innovations that will contribute to Malawi’s development.
“I am impressed by the scope of innovations coming from this initiative. These technologies have the power to make a significant difference in key sectors like education, agriculture, and energy, and they could be a driving force for Malawi’s growth.”
Among the innovations include an AI-powered personalised app that is aimed at promoting education and a localized passive smart drip irrigation system aimed to revolutise irrigation for smallholder farmers.
The programme is set to not only empower the innovators but also to make lasting contributions to the development of Malawi’s economy and society.
