AGRICOS helping Malawian farmers in making farming valuable

One of Malawi’s horticultural consultancy company which, among other things, aims at promotion of the agriculture sector and job creation for the youths, is turning local farmers into millionaires through farming.

The company which started two years ago has hit the ground running in helping farmers make the most out of horticulture, more especially watermelons, red cabbages, onions and pepper.

AGRICOS helps its member farmers through farm consultancy, mentoring farmers to produce more regardless of the size of the farm, stress management in horticulture crops and acting as intermediaries in the whole farming process.

Dickson Kilowe is AGRICOS’ business developing manager, and says the organisation is keen on enticing more Malawians, particularly youths, into horticulture farming and job creation.

“You know watermelons and capsicum (green pepper) are one of the horticulture crops that their demand is very high and at an affordable price, such that we would like to train 600 farmers for the following reasons: to meet the already existing market and to create jobs for 60,000 youths by March next year, if all trainees will at least employ 10 youths,” he said.

Most farmers, who are under the mentorship of AGRICOS, are making millions through horticulture farming.

Justin Kaliwo is one of the beneficiaries of the organisation, and this year he has already grown three kinds of horticultural crops; capsicum, onions, and he is currently on red cabbage farming, and says above all onion is proving to be a hit.

“My farms are under management by AGRICOS, and I have done 4 seasons so far this year. The biggest achievement is the harvest of red onion of about 18 tonnes which I harvested last month, and I am expecting to make K5 million out of the 1.5 million I invested. Apart from onion, I am one of very few suppliers of red cabbage in most super markets in Malawi.”

“Currently, I am on red cabbage, since it fetches very good money because locally the selling price ranges from K1, 500 to K2, 500. My onion harvest will soon be sold at supermarkets and those companies which can use onions as ingredients, while some will be exported to already established markets in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.”

“I have also done Capsicum (green pepper) which I supplied at one of the supermarkets here in Malawi,” the beneficially explained.

AGRICOS has already established markets for its members’ farm produce, for example in local supermarkets like Chipiku, and international markets in Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The company has organised trainings in all three major cities in Malawi in which participants are supposed to pay K30, 000, and get some free benefits like free drip irrigation system and free startup seed, in the process.

The following are the places for the trainings; Malawi Sun Hotel in Blantyre, Simama Hotel in Lilongwe and Gland Palace Hotel in Mzuzu, on 11^th, 25^th and 9^th November, respectively. The trainings are scheduled at 9 am at all venues.