The National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) on 15 March, 2023 engaged journalists on science and technology reporting.
The one-day meeting drew journalists from a number of media institutions in Lilongwe.
Speaking after the meeting, Acting Director of Planning at NCST Kondwani Victor Gondwe said they observed that many journalists in the country do not write much about science and the industry is being neglected when it comes to reporting hence the need for journalists to be oriented.
Gondwe added that as NCST they believe that empowering journalists is very critical in terms of creating stories that should help Malawians to learn what science and technology is and how they can use products of science in the country’s economy.
“As a commission we are bridging that gap by engaging the media to do investigative journalism, but also to do science journalism. You need to know that science technology and innovation can do, you need also to be able to understand science technology and innovation yourself, because if you can’t understand science then you will not be able to relay that Information to the end users effectively,” said Gondwe.
According to Gondwe, the meeting was also aimed at sharing flagship programs that NCST is running. One of them is the national research dissemination conference program where they would want journalists to capture information that is coming from research activities and how end users like farmers can use that for production.
“We are also being financed by Government to support research activities and by development partners to support research activities at LUANAR and MUST who are doing technology that is aimed at drying of fruits and vegetables because there was a lot of wastages of fruits and vegetables, because farmers do not know the technology they can use to dry fruits and vegetables.
“So if journalists know about technologies which farmers can use, then you will be able to share that information with farmers and then farmers will adopt that kind of technology,” explained Gondwe.
One of the journalists who attended the orientation Meclina Chirwa from Timveni Radio said the orientation was very important and has been very helpful because the area of science is one of the areas that are the most neglected when it comes to reporting
“From today onwards I think we will be writing more stories on what is happening in our country about science,” said Chirwa.
The Government of Malawi established the National Commission for Science and Technology (NCST) as provided for in the Science and Technology Act (No. 16 of 2003) to advance science and technology issues in Malawi.
The NCST principally provides Science and Technology (S&T) advice to the Government and other stakeholders on all matters related to science and technology in order to achieve a science and technology-led development.
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