Document and establish an open access online database for analysis and dissemination obtained from technologies/ innovations from LUANAR and development of a mobile application for knowledge sharing on emerging issues in food systems
"FoodMa through the dissemination and outreach impact pathway is strengthening extension and
research linkages, this is being pursued to avail existing technologies and approaches to end-users.
The technologies and innovations are those from previous investments in ARDEP, CABMACC,
DARS, CGIAR and NGOs including those participating in the TRANSFORM Programme and
emerging research products and innovations through FoodMa. The main objective of this project
is to document, design and develop an online open access database for analysis and dissemination
obtained from technologies/innovations from LUANAR. To achieve this, the following specific
objectives will be addressed; (i)Design and develop a web-based open access database, (ii) Design
and develop a mobile application for knowledge sharing, (iii) Design user support strategy to
ensure smooth user experience, (iv) Develop and implement project visibility strategic plan.
FoodMa has its own defined outputs and observed effects of the outputs. One key result of the
programme is to ensure that its impact has reached areas far and beyond the project implementation
areas (EPA’s) to transform the food system and address the inherent weaknesses, thereby ensuring
national relevance in the Malawi’s 2063 vision and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at
the global level. Dissemination of outputs and impacts realised through various project research,
innovations and technologies involved is one way to make the impact reach far and beyond.
Currently FoodMa does not have a dedicated web page and media platforms, it relies on the
Programmes Coordinating Office (PCO) webpage which is part of the main LUANAR website to
basically share public information. The university does not have any custom designed online
repository that could carter for the problem at hand. Again, continuous documentation and sharing
of project progress information is currently a challenge, this therefore calls for a need to design
and develop an online platform that could serve as a project website and house a well-designed
online open access repository. Beneficiaries of this project include staff members, students, project
donors and the public in general who might be interested in publications, innovations and
technologies realized from FoodMa. The university will also benefit in terms of ICT infrastructure
enhancement since this project will be designed with scalability in mind to support publication
from LUANAR staff and students. In terms of social inclusion considerations, we have applied it
to project team selection where we have opted to include female members who are regarded to be
part of the minority group in Malawi. Our team composition is done with consideration to
FoodMa’s strong component of mentorship to early career researchers. Despite this being a system
development project unlike the other research-based calls, we managed to take on board three
interns from the ICT to enhance their capacity in project management and system development."