An innovator from Mangochi Luciano Khware has been making waves in the agricultural sector with his company, Crafts and Technology Innovative Solutions Ltd.
With a background in electrical and electronics, project management and sustainable human development, the 40-year-old, started in 2012 as a sole proprietor of Lucitech Electrical and Electronic Services, offering electrical services.
However, he realised the demand for fabrication and welding services, particularly in agricultural processing.
This led him to enroll in online trainings with the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations, focusing on farm mechanisation and agripreneurship.
In 2023, Khware registered Crafts and Technology Innovative Solutions as a limited company, offering various technical products and services.
His innovations have been driven by a passion for technical work and a desire to fill the gap in agricultural processing machines for rural farmers.
To date, Khware’s company has produced over 50 machines, including Nsinjiro machines and peanut butter machines. One of his notable achievements includes receiving an order for 30 articles from a single client, comprising 10 Ovens, 10 Nsinjiro machines, and 10 Peanut butter machines.
“I have a passion for technical work and seeing the expressed need of rural farmers in Agri-processing, I strongly feel that I can fill the gap,” said Khware.
Khware’s company has also built trust with organisations such as the Small and Medium Enterprises Development Institute (SMEDI), which has referred clients to his business.
Currently, he has a team of one full-time employee, five part-time employees hired depending on workload and three consultants.
“My goal is to reach 10 farmers’ cooperatives accessing agricultural processing machines from my company and establish two agricultural processing centres in different communities, equipped with sets of machines to enable smallholder farmers to access communal processing services for value addition,” Khware said, outlining his vision for the future.
Mangochi resident Andrew Chilera said Khware’s innovative approach to agricultural processing has the potential to transform the lives of smallholder farmers in Malawi.
“We have been witnessing his innovation journey and we will be he will go higher am one of the beneficiaries I bought mine in 2022 and am still using it,” added Chilera.
