Luanar Unveils Agribusiness Enterprise Fund to Empower Young Farmers
In a bold move to boost agribusiness and support Malawi’s economic recovery, the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar) is set to launch its own Agribusiness Enterprise Fund, aimed at empowering students and fresh graduates to venture into farming and agribusiness.
The initiative seeks to close the financing gap that continues to stifle agricultural progress, especially among youth and smallholder farmers. With high costs associated with farmland acquisition, irrigation infrastructure, seedlings, machinery, and labor, access to capital remains a major hurdle.
Speaking after Minister of Agriculture Sam Dalitso Kawale delivered a lecture at the university, Luanar Vice Chancellor Prof. Emmanuel Kaunda said previous efforts to connect students to loan facilities had largely failed, prompting the university to take matters into its own hands.
“This is why, as Luanar, we are starting our own Agribusiness Enterprise Fund. It will be a revolving fund to help our students launch viable agribusiness ventures,” said Prof. Kaunda.
He stressed the crucial role of agricultural finance in modernizing farming, boosting productivity, and enhancing national food security. However, he admitted that many Malawian farmers remain locked out of financial systems due to a lack of access to formal credit and productive assets.
Kaunda commended Minister Kawale for inspiring students through his lecture, which focused on current government efforts to transform the agricultural sector.
“This lecture is not just informative, it’s transformative. It gives our students a clear vision of what awaits them after graduation and how government policy is aligned with their ambitions,” he said.
The Vice Chancellor added that such engagements motivate students to work harder, plan their futures, and align their education with real-world opportunities in agribusiness.
“You could see how engaged they were—asking sharp, relevant questions. This is the kind of energy that will drive innovation and growth in Malawi’s agriculture sector,” Kaunda added.
With the launch of the Agribusiness Enterprise Fund, Luanar is positioning itself not just as a center of academic excellence, but as a launchpad for Malawi’s next generation of agro-entrepreneurs.
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