A Lilongwe-based youth-run cooperative, Kafumbata Model Garden Youth Cooperative is on course to dominate the supply of agricultural products particularly in Lilongwe city.
The cooperative, based in Mande village in the area of Traditional Authority Masumbankhunda primarily grows horticultural crops such as cabbage, onions, tomatoes and green peppers.
The group’s communication officer Mphatso Banda has indicated that the cooperative, comprising of 50 members, launched it’s operations in 2021 after noticing a huge market potential in the food sector.
“Back in 2021, we started by acquiring 2 hectares of land which we used to cultivate cabbages,” he said.
Banda said the group managed to earn over k2 million in profit after selling it’s harvests.
“We used part of the profit for reinvestment and we acquired additional land and farm equipment,” said Banda.
Earlier this year, the cooperative applied for a grant of k80 million from the Malawi Agricultural Commercialisation (AGCOM), a proposal which received a green light.
“So, AGCOM gave us k40 million first which we used to purchase extra land bringing our total land to 8 hectares,” he added.
The cooperative also installed a solar-powered drip irrigation system, a development that has greatly improved yields.
Kafumbata Model Garden Youth Cooperative is the current supplier of agricultural products to some notable stores and hotels including the Crossroads Hotel.
AGCOM country director Dr Ted Nankhumwa has since hailed the group, calling it progressive.
