The Africa Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Policy Analysis (APA) at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) recently hosted the 5th National Steering Committee meeting of the Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE II) Project. The meeting, held at Sunbird Livingstonia Beach in Salima on 12th February 2025, focused on reviewing and approving the 2025/2026 Annual Work Plans and Budgets for the six Africa Centres of Excellence in Malawi. In addition, participants discussed key achievements, identified challenges in project implementation, and made recommendations to ensure the achievement of the Performance-Based Conditions (PBCs).

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Deputy Director of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education, Dr Valentino Zimpita, highlighted the importance of the meeting in tracking the progress of the centres and ensuring their sustainability as the ACE II project nears completion.
"It is crucial that all centres establish sustainability mechanisms. As the ACE II project comes close to an end, we have urged the centres to intensify resource mobilisation to ensure their continued success beyond World Bank funding," said Dr Zimpita.

On behalf of the Vice Chancellors, LUANAR Vice Chancellor, Professor Emmanuel Kaunda stressed the importance of infrastructure investments tailored to the specific needs of each centre as a key part of their sustainability strategies.
"I have urged the centres to invest in infrastructure based on their unique needs. This approach is essential to support their long-term sustainability," explained Professor Kaunda.
Dr Ruth Magreta Jambo, Deputy Director of LUANAR- APA, shared that her team is actively seeking external funding through project proposals to secure the centre’s future

"At LUANAR- APA, we have already begun securing funding through the proposals we recently submitted. We are committed to maintaining this momentum to mobilise sufficient resources for the centre's sustainability," said Dr Magreta Jambo.
The workshop brought together a diverse group of participants from across the education sector, including officials from the Ministry of Education and representatives from various Centres of Excellence hosted by public universities in the country. These centres include the Africa Centre of Excellence in Agricultural Policy Analysis (APA), the Africa Centre of Excellence in Transformative Agricultural Commercialisation and Entrepreneurship (TACE), and the Africa Centre of Excellence in Aquaculture and Fisheries (AQUAFISH) from LUANAR; the Africa Centre of Excellence in Neglected and Underutilised Biodiversity (ACENUB) from Mzuzu University; the Africa Centre of Excellence in Resilient Agri-food Systems (CRAFS) from the University of Malawi; and the Africa Centre of Excellence in Public Health and Herbal Medicine (ACEPHEM) from Kamuzu University of Health Sciences.