Department of Agricultural Research and Technical Services (DARTS)

DARTS collaborates with the other research institutions in the National Agricultural Research System (NARS) such as: Bunda College of Agriculture, Agricultural Policy Research Unit (APRU), Center for Social Research (CSR), National Aquaculture Centre (NAC), The Polytechnic, Chancellor College, National Herbarium and Botanical gardens (NHBG), Malawi Industrial Research and Technology Development Centre (MIRTDC), Tea Research Foundation (TRF), Forestry Research Institute of Malawi (FRIM), Agricultural Research and Extension Trust (ARET), National Research Council of Malawi (NRCM), and ILLOVO Sugar Company.

In addition, DARTS is involved in collaborative research programmes with a large number of regional, sub-regional and international organizations. One of the strongest areas of collaboration is  between DARTS and the International Agricultural Research Centres (IARCs). This collaboration has been strengthened following the setting up of several regional and sub-regional centers at various DARTS research stations. The IARCs include, the International Crops research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) at Chitedze in 1982, the International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) at Chitedze in 1987 and later at Makoka in 1995, the International Centre for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT)/DFID at Chitedze in 1994, the Southern Africa Root Crops Research Network (SARRNET) under the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA), and the German Agency for Technical Development (GTZ) at Lunyangwa in 1987 and later at Chitedze in 1996.

DARTS also collaborates with the International Potato Centre (CIP), the Asian Vegetables Research and Development Centre (AVRDC), the International Livestock Research Institute (IRLI), The International Institute for bananas and Plantains (INIBAP), the International Seed Testing Association (ISTA), CIMMYT, the SADC Plant Genetic Resources Centre (SPGRC), the International Plant Genetic Resources Institute (IPGRI), the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), SADC/SACCAR Southern Africa Agricultural Information Network (SAAINET), the World Agricultural Libraries Network (AGLINET), the Rockefeller Foundation, the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and the Food and Agricultural Organisation of the United Nations (FAO).

The specific areas of collaboration are outlined in the table below: