CDH Investment Bank (CDHIB) donated K10, 559, 047.14 to Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) on Thursday 14th December 2023. The funds will be used to support talented needy students with scholarships and will be presented at the 2023 student innovator awards student innovator awards, by awarding five first year students with money amounting to K1.7million each.
The support is the banks’ fulfillment of the third commitment, under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) the bank signed with LUANAR earlier this year, worth USD$57, 901.65 (K60million) that will support three strategic initiatives at LUANAR namely, the annual tree-planting, inaugural agri-innovation challenge and provision of scholarships to talented needy students. These funds will be used.
The donation will assist national efforts to support the development of education and skills and will help to sustain various talents, innovations and unique explorations that the students have that will later provide agri-innovative solutions to the society.
CDH Investment Bank Relationship Manager (Corporate and Public Sector), Mrs Jennie Madinga, speaking at the 2023 student innovator awards during the cheque presentation, shared that the LUANAR Innovative Scholarship Programme is highlighting a variety of innovative solutions that if adopted, can transform agriculture in the country.
“CDH Bank is committed to supporting education which is the cornerstone of growth and development for any nation. The investment in education through the scholarships programme will assist our country to adapt and thrive in all aspects of agri-business and improve the economy on top of all the efforts that are being done,” she said.
In his remarks, LUANAR Vice Chancellor, Prof. Emmanuel Kaunda said their school realizes that it has a crucial role in the implementation of pillar number one of MW2063 hence it became creative by introducing the awards.
“We need to get students who really have passion for agriculture and that passion can only be seen if they select it as number one during the circulation process”, he said.
Prof. Kaunda has further told us those passionate about agriculture should as well be able to perform well in the discipline for them to be successful and consequently be awarded scholarships of this kind.
“If this country is to grow, we must enhance agricultural productivity and commercialization. If production is high, we end up commercializing that”, he added.
He has since applauded the successful students for their outstanding innovations in the sector and also thanked CDH Investment Bank for supporting the awards.
One of the students, Will Harvey who is studying Bachelor of Science in animal science, has pledged to sustain what she presented and the award will act as a motivation.
“My idea was based on farmyard manure production on agriculture. The problem I saw in my community was poor crop production due to the high cost of fertilizer. So, I thought that instead of us depending on organic fertilizer, we should just invest in production of local manure that can work as a replacement in future’< she said.
Harvey believes by upholding and sustaining her idea, the country will migrate from food insecurity issues that arise almost every year.
The ceremony, held at LUANAR’s Bunda Campus in Lilongwe was attended by various academic and CDH bank staff members, among others.
External source: https://news.mijmw.com/luanar-innovative-students-earn-support-from-cdh-bank/
