By 1965, a year later after achieving our independence, the Government of Malawi decided to bring Bunda College under the University of Malawi. By 1966, Bunda College had been established. Initially, there were two parallel programmes: a 3-year Diploma and a 4-year Degree (first year at Chancellor College and the last the three years at Bunda College). In 1975, a 5-year Degree programme was introduced (the first 3-years for a Diploma and the final 2 years to complete a degree).

The Malawi Government’s Policy Statement on Development (1971-1980) as it related to Bunda College was designed to raise the productivity of small farmers by making more efficient use of labour while optimizing the use of scarce capital and technical skills. The expansion of Diploma and the Degree programmes was aimed at a greater percentage of small holder farmers having access to knowledge and skills, to facilitate the development of the rural economy.

Bunda graduates were to be employed into extension services, Agricultural Research Stations, Area Development Projects, Secondary Schools, Agricultural Development and Marketing Cooperation(ADMARC), Government Schemes, and the Private Sector. Women graduates were to work at Agricultural Research Stations, Secondary Schools as Teachers, Farm Training Centres as Instructors, and Extension Schemes as Supervisors. Over the years, the total Bunda College student enrolment grew from 209 in 1975, to 365 in 1980 and 550 in 1999. TOP