Malawi developing largest greenhouse vegetable farm in SADC 

A multibillion kwacha greenhouse-based vegetable farm is being developed at Kamuzu International Airport in Lilongwe to provide a wide range of high quality vegetables to Malawi and will reduce the country’s heavy reliance on imported horticultural produce from South Africa.

Michael Gorelik, standing and gesturing amid the construction
Dr Henrie Njoloma, addressing stakeholders during the tour

There will be 16 hectors of green houses on 30 hectors of land which has been leased out on long-term by Airport Development Limited (ADL).

Each greenhouse is actually one hector.

The greenhouse farm will utilize state of the art technology and advanced farm management systems including having deep boreholes that will pump out underground water which will be used to irrigate the crops.

The project is a joint venture between an agency of the government of Malawi known as Green Belt Authority and Inosselia Agro, an international company.

According to officials from the two agencies, the greenhouse farm is “probably the biggest” in the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) region and will cultivate and market a wide range of superior produce at high quality, quantity and consistency to high-scale retailers in Malawi and to neighbouring regional markets.

So far, ten boreholes have been sunk, first four greenhouses are being built and all earthworks have been done.

Speaking during a tour of the farm on Thursday, Country Director for Inosselia Agro, Michael Gorelik, expressed satisfaction with the progress made, saying the project will have significant positives for Malawi and her economy.

“The impact will be huge. We intend to substitute imports from South Africa. Everything that comes from South Africa regarding fresh produce, we will be able to produce here at a better quality, at a better quantity and at a much better consistency.

“Anything from South Africa which finds its way in Malawian shops, 25% is added for transport. And a lot of forex is lost in the process. We will save all that for the country,” said Gorelik.

He then disclosed that the first planting of the horticultural crops will be done in June and that the first picking and harvesting of the crops–including tomatoes, cabbages, cucumbers, lettuce and others–would be done around August and be delivered to supper markets who will place requests.

Gorelik further said construction of all the 16 greenhouses – including a packing house, cold storage, pumping house, nursery and classroom for training -will be completed by the end of this year.

In his remarks, Green Belt Authority Chief Executive Officer, Dr Henrie Njoloma, concurred with Gorelik, stressing that the greenhouse farm will revolutionalize the horticulture sector in Malawi.

“This is a once off project that brings everybody to a certain international platform of standards which is a very huge change for Malawi.

“This is indeed the biggest project in SADC. Even in South Africa, there are never companies who run greenhouses of such magnitude,” he said.

The greenhouse farm, which has 180 employees including local people, will also be a training center, drawing together farmers, neighbouring communities and agricultural entrepreneurs to benefit from professional farm management lessons.

According to Airport Development Limited Chief Executive Officer, Rodah Gadama Misomali, ADL’s agreement with Green Belt Authority and Inosselia Agro is run under the build, operate and transfer arrangement, which, she said, is very beneficial to ADL.

She said the arrangement means that once the two agencies recover their investiments, the greenhouse farm infrastructure will be handed over to ADL and become part of the company’s assets.

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Patricial Mauluka
Patricial Mauluka
3 years ago

This is an excellent investment which will provide many benefits to country. The international company has invested millions in this farm and will bring first class technologies and management. They are very good. The produce will substitute imports from South Africa and also save the country precious foreign currency. It will teach our Malawian entrepreneurs and farmers how to produce good crops and how to store, pack and market them correcty.
We should thank them for putting faith in investment in our country

Sam Mwamadi
Sam Mwamadi
4 years ago

I thought it was some manufacturing company otherwise nothing worth celebrating here. It should have been some funds to modernise existing farm holders and then creating a market for those people where their produce would be packed and processed for exports.

Joloza
3 years ago
Reply to  Sam Mwamadi

Kumayamika a Mwamadi. Osakhala NDI mzimu wa ex-reverend Chakwera osayamikira

Joseph Banda
Joseph Banda
4 years ago

From what I know, this is a PPP project between Goverment of Malawi and Inosselia agro an international company. The land is leased from ADL and they have no ownership or management. This is the way to develop our Malawi. High level international professionalism. We can pray for more of this.

Nasingwe
Nasingwe
4 years ago

CEO is chaponda family,
caponda anakabisa intertainment cente ukooooo kwa a Keni kuseli uko near the katolika church

mimi
mimi
4 years ago

this is good development komano kwathu kuno anthu tilibe sense of ownership and accountability ma project amatentha koyamba kenako obwelesawo akapita basi zimathera pomwepo tinazolowela ma short cut popeza ndalama

Jonas
Jonas
4 years ago

Stop there Jew, what ??? ADL running a greenhouse farm project and shifting their expertise from management of airports to agriculture ??? this is a non starter unless I stand to be schooled properly on the job description of ADL….why can’t they give it to competent Malawi commercial farmers to run…a sinking ship already….

Mtete
Mtete
4 years ago

I hope someone will not personally benefit from this venture. Some shadowy figure is always lurking in the background whenever there are multimillion projects like this one.

Chilipa Thako
4 years ago

SKC NDIYE KUTI CHIYANI ? chili chonse kumangotchukitsa ndi dzitsiru dzomwe, masamba omwewa mpaka kuchita kubwera mzungu ana ambuzi okulira ku mpanda ife talima masamba mtundu uli onse ndipo palibe chachilendo apa,

Ken Phiri
Ken Phiri
4 years ago

There is need for more such farms. Otherwise 16 hectares is too little to make a difference.

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
4 years ago

Look at those masks, kikikikiiiiiiii. What for? I think nzunguyo angoseka.

KotiMan
KotiMan
4 years ago

Iweyo your the one who is ignorant. Ikafika coronavirus kumalawiko pamene mudziwe kuti it is real

Mangochi Kabwafu
Mangochi Kabwafu
4 years ago
Reply to  KotiMan

Where is it now nanunso a kotiman? Why hasn’t nzunguzi got one? Opusa nde ndani pamenepo? Si ndiwe ndi anzakowo.

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