The Eastern and Southern Africa Centres of Excellence (ACE II) Project focuses on developing regional centres of excellence in science and technology to address skill gaps. Many African countries face limitations in faculty and resources, making it difficult to achieve excellence across all scientific fields.
In Malawi, the African Centre of Excellence in Neglected and Underutilised Biodiversity (ACENUB) was established at Mzuzu University (MZUNI) to provide a platform for advanced research and postgraduate training, including postdoctoral studies, for Malawi and the broader region.
ACENUB is committed to strengthening partnerships and fostering research excellence. Our main objective is to enhance linkages with local, regional, and international institutions, agriculture knowledge hubs, and agro-based industries to drive agri-food system skills development in Africa.
Focused on advancing sustainable agricultural solutions!
Conservation of neglected crops
Processing and commercialization of indigenous foods
Smart agriculture and bio-entrepreneurship
Agricultural education and knowledge transfer
ACENUB is directly aligned with Malawi2063, which challenges universities to shift from poverty reduction efforts toward spearheading national wealth creation. Additionally, the Malawi Growth and Development Strategy (MGDS) III identifies skills shortages as a critical weakness in the economy. ACENUB actively contributes to bridging this gap through skills development and innovation.
With ACENUB’s support, I developed MundaX, an IoT agriculture app, and Madzi App, a smart water solution. MundaX gained industry recognition, and Madzi App is moving toward deployment. Their sponsorship turned my ideas into real impact.
Timothy Hara
Attending the Customer Care and Communication Skills training at ESAMI in Mbeya, Tanzania, was a valuable experience. I gained practical skills in communication, professionalism, and customer engagement to enhance service delivery. Highly recommended for anyone seeking to improve customer service!
Macloud Kaunda ACENUB Ambassador