By Wezzie Gausi
President Lazarus Chakwera has said the country is facing challenges because of weak systems.
He said this in Lilongwe Thursday, when he presided over the 8th graduation of Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (Luanar).
The President said the country could only achieve self-reliance if it finished restoring broken systems.
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“And I am proud to see that here, at Luanar, the thinking that prevails about our agriculture sector is systemic thinking, not subsistence thinking. This effectively means that Luanar is a leader and trailblazer in the mindset change that we aspire to in the Malawi (MW) 2063 vision—for a systems mindset is not what prevails in this country.
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“For the longest time, what has prevailed in this country is a subsistence mindset that focuses only on individual survival and personal sustenance of our most pressing appetites of the day,’” Chakwera said.
The President urged graduands to refuse to participate in any activity that destroys or harms a system that is meant to keep the economy strong, healthy and beneficial for everyone.
“If you can leave this place and contribute not just to your own success but to the creation and running of systems that make our country better as a whole, then you will prove yourself worthy of the Luanar graduate accolade we are bestowing on you today,” he said.
On his part, Luanar Council Chairperson Zachary Kasomekera thanked the government for continued support to the university.
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He said through the support, the university had managed to establish Luanar Holding Company, which was opened by Chakwera Thursday.
Kasomekera said the company would be a source of revenue as well as a platform for research on issues related to agriculture and innovation.
“This graduation should be a reflection to all graduands that we have a vision, the MW2063, that hinges much on agriculture. For the nation to achieve this blueprint, we need the skills that have been acquired here to bear fruit.
“Agriculture is still the backbone of our country’s economy. We, as the university, will continue to play our role in upgrading the issues of agriculture,” Kasomekera said.
The graduation was held under the theme ‘Investing in Agricultural and Natural Resources Resource Human Capital Development: Paving The Way for Malawi’s Social and Economic Transformation’.
Six hundred and eighty nine students graduated with diplomas, bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.
