Empowering research and innovation in Malawi

A collaborative research project was conducted in Malawi under the Science Granting Councils Initiative (SGCI). The initiative focused on strengthening the management of research competitions and research on emerging technologies and development. It aimed to enhance the capacity of Malawi’s National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST).

The project, implemented from 2021 to 2023, aimed to support NCST in managing collaborative research. It focused specifically on agricultural biotechnology and renewable energy. The objective was to strengthen NCST’s capacity to manage collaborative research projects within and beyond Malawi. Panels from partnering countries thoroughly reviewed the research proposals. This included Zimbabwe for agricultural biotechnology and Mozambique and Zambia for renewable energy.

The collaborative efforts culminated in groundbreaking outcomes across several key areas. The project delivered far-reaching benefits in capacity building, knowledge dissemination and policy impact. This is despite challenges such as the COVID-19 pandemic. In this blog, we look at some of the key achievements of this three-year project.

Empowering students, promoting gender inclusivity

A major focus of the project was training the next generation of researchers. Eight undergraduate students completed their dissertations in agricultural biotechnology and renewable energy. The group comprised three women and five men. Within the group, one MSc student completed his dissertation and graduated. One PhD student completed his dissertation. To enhance and sharpen their skills, three MSc students completed a one-year internship. This took place at a fish farm supporting the Coptodon Rendalli experiment at Mzuzu University. Of these, one was female, and two were males.

Gender equality was a cornerstone of the initiative. NCST joined workshops to promote gender inclusivity in research. This led to the organization creating its own gender policy. Importantly, five out of the nine researchers in the funded projects were women, including one lead researcher.

Achievement in individual and organizational capacity

NCST also supported researchers in different research institutions using government funding. They helped them to undertake training in research proposal writing and writing for publishing. Currently, Malawian researchers in various organizations are writing better proposals. They are obtaining successful funding from other donors and displaying stronger leadership skills in research. Moreover, the researchers are making connections with other stakeholders more effectively. They are also making more impactful interventions in global debates. Accumulatively, over the course of the project’s implementation period, 46 researchers have been trained in research proposal writing and writing for publishing. Some training workshop facilitators are researchers who received grants under the SGCI.

Boosting research funding for Malawi

In this regard, five institutions secured an estimated total of two hundred million Malawi Kwacha. This funding was secured under NCST’s institutional grant scheme. It was financed by the government of Malawi under the Science and Technology Fund, with each grant being forty million Malawi Kwacha. These institutions include:

Mzuzu University

Centre for Social Research of the University of Malawi

St John of God College of Health Sciences

Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital

Malawi Assemblies of God University

Strengthening policy and practice

The project brought significant advancements in institutional policies and practices. This included an Online Grants Management System. The new automated system replaced the manual grant management process. Subsequently, operations were streamlined which increased efficiency.

Another area of improvement in policy was capacity building in research management. The Association of African Universities facilitated a ‘Research Quality Plus’ workshop. This event helped Science Granting Councils (SGCs) to develop research excellence frameworks in their respective countries.

A third area of improved policy was Translating Research into Policy. This is where NCST staff, researchers and policymakers acquired critical knowledge in translating research results into policy and interventions. This was done through training organized by the African Centre for Technology Studies.

Laying the foundations for research and innovation in Malawi 

Despite challenges, including disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the project has been a success. Extension periods and adaptive measures helped to mitigate the impact of the pandemic, and most of the project objectives were met. A consortium of funders supported this three-year research project. The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) led the project. It has laid a strong foundation for future research and innovation in Malawi. 

The project showed how working together and building skills can improve a country’s research. Malawi is now better prepared to address important challenges in agriculture, energy and other areas. Ongoing support from the government and teamwork with international partners have brought positive results. The strides made by NCST serve as a model for fostering research excellence across Africa. 

Learn more about the SGCI here. 
Learn more about the project here