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Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS) under Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in Malawi is a public institution. It was established in 1960's to conduct research in all the eight agro-ecological zones of Malawi. DARS headquarters is situated at Chitedze Research Station along the Mchiji Road in Lilongwe the capital city of Malawi. It has ten Research Station stratrgically positioned to conduct on-station and on-farm trials to address the challenges faced by smallholder farmers. The stations are as follows: Chitedze Agricultural Research, Bvumbwe Agricultural Research, Lunyangwa Agricultural Research, Makoka Experimental Research, Kasunthula Experimental Research, Mbawa Experimental Research Station, Mkondezi Experimental Research Station and Baka Experimental Research.
DARS was mandated to conduct research on all crops and livestock production except for Tobacco and TEA which were assigned to Agricultural Extension and Research Trust (ARET) and Tea Research Foundation of Central Africa (TRFCA). It also provide regulatory and special services to stakeholders in agriculture. These special services includes Technology Dissemination, Social-Economic Studies, Statistics and Seed technology Services.
If you are looking for more information on Released Technologies in Malawi, DARS is a secretariate for a special committee called Agricultural Technology Clearing Committee (ATCC). The committee is mandated to pass agricultural technologies which have been tested in Malawi's condition and have scientifically proven to viable and demand-driven to increase productivity and drugary to both smallholder farmers as well as commercial farmers to improve livelihoods and economic develeopment in the country. They have the powers to withdraw underperfoming technologies released in the past.
The department has serveral on going donor funded projects which are cordinated by its scientists. These include Agicultural Sector Wide Approach Secial Project (ASWAp-SP), AGRA, McNight, CIP, SIMLESA and grants for various research work.
For more information contact:
Alfred Mtukuso, PhD
The Director of Agricultural Research Services
P.O. Box 30779,
Lilongwe 3. Malawi.
Tel.: +265 1 707 011 or +265 01 707 273
Email: pamtukuso@gmail.com or agric.research@sdnp.org.mw
or
Patrick Mviha, PhD
Assistant Director of Agricultural Research Services
Email: patrickmviha@gmail.com
or
Benjamin F. Chisama
Technology Transfer officer
Email: benchisama@gmail.com or benchisama@yahoo.com
Skype: bfranklinchisama
or
Frank Tchuwa
Technology Transfer Officer