A group of like-minded alumni from the Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources (LUANAR) is making it big through farming.
The group, operating under the name “B’06 Entrepreneurs” has a farming enterprise which specialises in the cultivation of vegetables in green houses.
Based in Nsaru on the outskirts of Lilongwe City, the group has grown into one of the main suppliers of high-quality vegetables in Lilongwe city.
B’06 Entrepreneurs marketing officer, Saulos Kachitsa has indicated that the group decided to venture into entrepreneurship after noticing a huge gap in the supply of quality vegetables in Lilongwe City.
“We are a group of 26 students who graduated in 2006 and immediately decided to apply the knowledge we acquired from school on the ground,” he said.
Kachitsa said the group initially started as a Village Savings and Loan group but later decided to expand into a farm enterprise.
“It was in 2022 when everything we hoped for started to happen as we received a K163 million funding from government through the Agricultural Commercialisation (AGCOM),” said Kachitsa.
He said through the grant, the group invested in larger greenhouses that enabled them to harvest vegetables throughout the year.
“Through the larger greenhouses, we are now capable of planting vegetables every 2 weeks, which means a steady supply of quality vegetables on the market,” added Kachitsa.
B’06 Entrepreneurs is now the main supplier of vegetables in several chain stores, including Chipiku, Sana, M’dede Restaurant, Cocos Restaurant and St John Secondary school.
The group has also managed to employ 12 employees who run the operation of the farm.
“We are, currently harvesting over 35,000 kilogrammes of tomatoes and 15,000 kilogrammes of pepper per year, which is a huge undertaking,” said Kachitsa.
Meanwhile, Minister of Agriculture Sam Kawale has commended the group, calling its achievements “extra-ordinary”.
“I am really happy with what this group has so far achieved and I am hoping to see more from them,” said Kawale.
