A million words could be used to describe the journey of the ninth congregation of the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR), but those which will stand out will be persistence, courage, and discipline.

About 4000 smiles filled the PIL Multipurpose Hall at LUANAR on Wednesday and Thursday as they got awarded diplomas and degrees in different disciplines, a testament that their endurance in this academic marathon had finally reached the finish line.

Vice Chancellor Professor Emmanuel Kaunda who presided over the ceremony, said this was a celebration of persistence and self-discipline, and the university is proud of what it has become over the years in ensuring academic quality and excellence.

“We have once again demonstrated our dominance in the academic industry, producing skilled graduates capable of responding to the challenges that the country is currently facing. Be assured that these fresh graduates will provide solutions to food insecurity and climate change challenges among others,” Prof. Kaunda said.

Prof. Kaunda further highlighted that the university continues to get international recognition as this was evidenced by a number of graduates from other countries like Uganda and Zambia who have completed their studies at LUANAR with Masters and Doctorate degrees.

“You have seen for yourself that even students from abroad are coming to LUANAR to further their studies, this should be enough motivation for students completing their secondary education to choose LUANAR because this is the hub of innovation, knowledge and excellence which is attracting recognition in Malawi and across the boarders,” he added.

To the graduating students, Prof. Kaunda said they should be the seeds that the country needs and strive to be the thinkers, communicators and problem solvers, ready to take on challenges and demonstrate impact that will move the national development forward.

The ninth congregation had its own wonders as Blessings Chinkuyu became the first student in 20 years to graduate with a distinction in Bachelor of Science in Forestry programme under the faculty of Natural Resources.

Chinkuyu attributed his rare academic prowess to proper time management, undivided attention to course work and dedication to his studies.

“It’s all about effort and knowing what you came to school for. I always planned my course work very carefully and dedicated most of my time to things that mattered, things that would make me triumph, and I am happy to report that I am bringing a degree with a distinction home,” Chinkuyu said with a smile on his face.

One would think a career in forestry was what Chinkuyu dreamt of when growing up in the outskirts of Blantyre.

“I was redirected to pursue this course, I really wanted ICT-related programmes, but fate had other ideas. I was sad at first but after finding out what forestry was all about, I accepted and took it head on, and the rest is history.”

Caroline Chiphinga Mwale, Deputy Director of Higher Education said government is always committed to support institutions of higher learning to ensure their continued contribution to human capital development.

“Having gone through the entire higher education system training, we believe that this pool of graduates will contribute to the 2063 agenda as we are moving towards increasing the agriculture productivity. Most of the programmes at LUANAR are hands-on and they fully prepare students to take up challenging roles in the agriculture sector and as government we are excited that we are part of this momentous occasion,” she said.

The ninth congregation had six sessions, with two sessions already conducted in November 2025. In total, about 5000 students from Bunda Campus, Natural Resources College, City Campus and Open and Distance Learning have graduated with diplomas, degrees and PhDs, combining all the six sessions....