“It’s always a wonderful experience to go into the field, meet our grantees, and see the innovative projects they are working on,” said Malone.
The visit included a climate change project in Malawi’s Mulanje district funded by IDRC and the UK Department for International Development. The project is helping farmers diversify their crops and use drought-tolerant varieties to deal with climate risks. Malawi’s Office of the President and Cabinet also hosted a roundtable forum that explored the effects of climate change on the country’s food security.
IDRC staff were accompanied by Alain Latulippe, Canadian High Commissioner designate for Malawi and Mozambique, and met with Malawi’s Minister of Finance, Ken Kandodo.
In Rwanda, Malone gave a public lecture at the National University of Rwanda, where he contrasted China and India’s development and how these approaches influenced development trends in Africa. He also met with Rwandan Prime Minister Bernard Makuza and Rwanda’s State Minister for Agriculture, Agnes Kalibata.
IDRC has supported research in Rwanda and Malawi since the late 1970s.
“We are proud of the relationships we have in the region and are excited about future research opportunities that will make a difference in the lives of Rwandans and Malawians,” said Malone.
