RUFORUM AGM: UNIMA Strengthens Continental Partnerships and Showcases Innovations

The University of Malawi (UNIMA), under the leadership of its Vice-Chancellor, Professor Samson Sajidu, is participating in the 21^st Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Regional Universities Forum for Capacity Building in Agriculture (RUFORUM), taking place from 1st to 5th December 2025 at the Gaborone International Convention Centre (GICC) in Botswana.

The prestigious continental gathering is being jointly hosted by the Government of Botswana and RUFORUM member universities. It brings together vice-chancellors, researchers, policymakers, development partners, and industry leaders to share knowledge, foster partnerships, and shape Africa’s innovation, agricultural and food systems transformation agenda.

Through its engagement at the AGM, UNIMA is positioning itself to benefit from enhanced academic and research collaborations, increased access to competitive research funding, staff and student exchange programmes, and stronger linkages with industry and development partners. These opportunities are expected to significantly contribute to the University’s strategic priorities in research excellence, innovation, and socio-economic development.

It also marks a significant milestone on UNIMA’s internationalisation strategic drive in strengthening its regional and international engagement and expanding opportunities for collaborative research, innovation, and capacity building.

A major highlight of UNIMA’s presence at the AGM is its exhibition showcasing the University of Malawi Centre for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS) and the Food Innovation and Technology Hub (FIT-HUB) exhibition which features cutting-edge innovations with a wide range of agri-food value-added products and innovative technologies, demonstrating how UNIMA’s research is being translated into practical solutions that enhance food security, nutrition, climate resilience, and sustainable livelihoods.

Speaking on the significance of the exhibition, ahead of the AGM, the FIT-HUB Lead, Associate Professor Victoria Uchizi Ndolo, said the innovations to be showcased reflect UNIMA’s commitment to applied research, use of local food ingredients in food product development and industrial relevance.

“Our participation at the RUFORUM AGM provides a unique opportunity to demonstrate how UNIMA is translating research into tangible products and technologies that respond to real challenges facing our agri-food systems. Through CRAFS and the FIT-HUB, we are not only supporting farmers and agro-processors but also nurturing innovation, entrepreneurship, and value addition across the food value chain,” said Dr. Ndolo.

She further noted that exposure at the continental platform will open doors for strategic partnerships and collaborations with universities within the region,  technology transfer, and investment in agri-food innovation.

“Engagement with fellow African universities and development partners at RUFORUM enhances our prospects for collaborative research, infrastructure development, and scaling up our innovations for wider impact in Malawi and beyond,” she added.

On the sidelines of the AGM, UNIMA leadership at the AGM, which also includes Professor Cosmo Ngongondo and Director of Research, Innovation and Postgraduate Studies, Associate Professor Maurice Monjerezi, will be holding high-level engagements with potential partners to explore new areas of collaboration in research, innovation, training, and commercialisation of technologies. These engagements are expected to yield long-term institutional benefits and further strengthen Malawi’s visibility in regional and continental research networks.

Themed “Positioning Africa’s Universities and the Higher Education Sector to effectively impact development processes on the continent”, the AGM will bring together over 500 participants including university leaders, policymakers, development partners, private sector actors, young innovators, students and researchers from across Africa and around the world.

RUFORUM was created in 2004 by ten Vice Chancellors of African universities. The network has since grown to 175 universities across 40 countries in the five regions of eastern, southern, central, west, and north Africa.