VISION

… To be centre of excellence in agricultural research leading to the generation of cutting edge technologies and promotion of high quality regulatory & advisory services.

MISSION

To conduct strategic demand driven research which is socially acceptable and to generate environmentally friendly technologies and information including provision of quality technical services to meet the needs of stakeholders thereby alleviating poverty of the majority of Malawians.

MANDATE

To provide guidance on To conduct research on crops and livestock production and processing and provide regulatory and advisory services.

Purpose

The purpose of the Department of Agricultural Research Services (DARS) is to conduct research for agricultural technology development and providing regulatory, regulatory dissemination and specialist services on all livestock and crops, except tobacco, tea and sugarcane.

Functions

The Department is responsible in carrying out the following functions:

¨     Providing the following regulatory services

o   Seed certification and quality control

o   Phyto-sanitary services

o   Fertilizer quality control and monitoring

¨     Providing the following technology transfer and dissemination services:

o   Formalization of research-extension farmer linkage

o   Dissemination of approved agricultural technologies to users

o   Management of a digital library and photo archive for each technology

o   Production and distribution of breeder seed

o   Production and distribution of mushroom spawn

o   Establishment and maintenance of fruit mother blocks for scions to support commercial nurseries

o   Conducting training, field days and demonstrations on new technologies

o   Production of station guides, newsletters, catalogues, extension circulars, fliers, journals, and commodity groups annual technical reports 

¨     Providing the following  technical and advisory services

o   Conservation of plant genetic resources

o   Soil and plant analytical and advisory services

o   Plant clinical and advisory services

¨     Providing management information services through

o   Library services through a network of four libraries at Chitedze (Central),  Bvumbwe and Makoka (South), and Lunyangwa (North)

o   Circulation of publications like departmental newsletter, Journal, Annual technical reports, extension circulars etc

o   Stocking of non-book materials such as Compact disks (CDs), online facilities, etc

Organisational Structure

DARS as a centre of excellence in agricultural research was framed into four main divisions:

o   Technology Development

o     Technology Management

o   Management Information, and 

o  Administration

Contact: Director of Agricultural Planning Services (DAPS)

Address: Department of Agricultural Planning Services, Ministry of Agriculture Hdqtrs,

 P.O. Box 30134, Lilongwe 3

Phone: +265 (0) 1 788 904 / Direct line +265 (0) 1 798 204

Fax: +265 (0) 1 789 045

Email: .................................................

 Physical Location: Ministry of Agriculture Headquarters Building, Capital Hill, Lilongwe

VISION

A well planned and coordinated agricultural sector

 MISSION

To ensure coherent planning and execution of agricultural policies and programmes

 MANDATE

·        To provide guidance on preparation and implementation of agricultural policies

·        To identify and prepare projects and programme proposals for the Ministry

·        To monitor and evaluate agricultural sector projects and programmes

·        To coordinate agricultural marketing issues

·        To collect, analyze and maintain agricultural statistics databank

·        To coordinate the implementation of food security programmes

·        To analyze and advise the Ministry on sectoral policies.

 Purpose

 The purpose of the Planning Department is to coordinate and provide advice and guidance to the Ministry on matters of agricultural policy formulation, legislation and programmes, to monitor and evaluate the performance of the Ministry, and its implementation of policies and programmes.

Functions

¨     Coordination of the development of programmes, policies and projects in the agricultural sector. 

¨     Provision of advance information on food situation at regional, national and sub national levels. However, its implementation can be done through public-public relationship (e.g. with the National Statistics Office (NSO).

¨     Provision of accurate, reliable and timely agricultural statistics but to be implemented through public-public relationship with NSO in future.

¨     Monitoring and evaluation of implementation of programmes, policies and projects in the Ministry and the sector.

¨     Promotion of the development of agricultural markets and trade and that it could be implemented through public-public and public-private relationships in the future.

Organisational Structure

The Department is divided into six units:

 Food Security Unit

 Monitoring and Evaluation Unit

 Statistics Unit

Contact: Director of Agriculture Extension Services (DAES)

Address: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security

P.O. Box 594 Lilongwe 3

Phone: +265 (0)1 755 522

Fax: +265 (0)1 750 384