By Suleman Chitera

PressCane Limited has supported this year’s Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST) Engineering Symposium as part of efforts to strengthen collaboration between industry and academia in advancing engineering innovation and skills development.

The company said its participation aligns with national priorities under Malawi Vision 2063, particularly around value addition, sustainability, and job creation.

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Speaking in an interview after the event, PressCane Limited Sales and Marketing Manager Mercy Kamanga said the contribution was a deliberate investment in future engineers and a natural extension of the company’s work in the industrial sector.

“Our support to this symposium is not just financial; it is aligned with what we are already doing as a company in driving industrialisation, innovation, and sustainable solutions. We see these students as future partners in that journey.”

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“At PressCane, we see industrialisation not as a distant ambition, but as a responsibility we are already delivering on. We have diversified our operations by investing in a plant that will produce fertilizer from waste, while our CO₂ recovery project will help generate foreign exchange and reduce fuel imports. These initiatives are designed to create jobs and strengthen Malawi’s economic resilience,” she said.

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Kamanga added that the company is also advancing clean energy solutions as part of its long-term strategy.

“Our Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD) plant will enable us to generate electricity from biogas, while our investment in a syrup mill will help stabilise ethanol production and contribute to cleaner energy through regulated blending. In addition, our ethanol cooking initiative is promoting a shift from charcoal to cleaner fuel alternatives. Over 500 stoves have already been distributed under our pilot phase,” she added.

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Speaking at the symposium, Head of the Engineering Department at MUST, Lovemore Nkukuma commended PressCane and described the event as an important bridge between academic training and industry expectations.

“We are grateful to PressCane and other stakeholders for supporting this initiative. Their involvement motivates our students and provides a vital link between academia and industry, which is key to transforming student innovations into practical solutions,” he said.

The Symposium Organising Chairperson and student representative, Precious Sikwese said the event offered students critical exposure to industry realities.

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“This symposium is very crucial because it connects us to industry experts and gives us access to networks we have been looking for,” he said.

Chairperson of the Malawi Engineering Institution – Southern Chapter, Engineer Dalitso Godiya, also present at the event, emphasised the need to align student creativity with practical industry demands.

“Our students have innovative ideas, but implementation remains a challenge. We need to align these ideas with industry experience so that they become practical solutions that can drive Malawi’s industrialisation,” he said.

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The MUST Engineering Symposium brought together students, academia, and industry players to explore solutions to Malawi’s development challenges, with a shared focus on innovation, collaboration, and industrial growth