Dowa fertiliser plant is anticipated to deliver wide-ranging economic benefits.

A landmark fertiliser manufacturing project rising in Dowa District is poised to redefine Malawi’s agricultural landscape, promising to boost food security, reduce import dependence and stimulate industrial growth.

The state-of-the-art fertiliser plant, owned by entrepreneur Napoleon Dzombe, is designed to produce an impressive 40 metric tonnes of fertiliser per hour enough to meet Malawi’s national demand in just 150 days.

Construction of the facility is progressing steadily, with installation of key manufacturing machinery already completed. According to project timelines, the plant is expected to begin production by April next year, while remaining construction works are scheduled for completion by January 2026. Once operational, the Dowa fertiliser factory will stand as one of the most significant private-sector investments in Malawi’s agricultural value chain.

Dzombe, founder and Managing Director of Mtalimanja Holdings Limited, says the plant’s production capacity will address long-standing fertiliser shortages that have often disrupted farming seasons across the country. "At that production rate, the factory can make enough fertiliser to serve the whole country within 150 days," Dzombe was quoted.

The project is widely seen as a strategic intervention at a time when Malawi continues to grapple with rising fertiliser costs, foreign exchange shortages and climate-related food insecurity. By manufacturing fertiliser locally, the plant is expected to stabilise supply chains, improve affordability for smallholder farmers and enhance agricultural productivity.

Dzombe explained that the decision to invest in local fertiliser production was motivated by the need to strengthen economic resilience and support farmers more sustainably. "For years, Malawi has been importing fertiliser at huge cost. This factory will significantly cut those expenses and ensure farmers access fertiliser on time and at more affordable prices," he said.

Beyond agriculture, the Dowa fertiliser plant is anticipated to deliver wide-ranging economic benefits. These include job creation, reduced pressure on foreign currency reserves, growth of local industries and improved national food security. Analysts believe the investment aligns with Malawi’s broader development goals of industrialisation, import substitution and private-sector-led growth.

As anticipation builds ahead of production commencement, Dzombe’s Dowa fertiliser project is increasingly being hailed as a game-changing milestone one that could reshape Malawi’s farming sector and position the country for a more self-sufficient and resilient agricultural future.

Plateau can support multiple planting cycles.

The Plateau State Government has taken a decisive step towards transforming its agricultural sector with the launch of a seed potato programme in Butura, Bokkos Local Government Area, under Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s “Time Is Now” development agenda.

Speaking at the launch, Governor Mutfwang described the initiative as far more than a routine farming exercise, explaining that it represents the foundation of a long-term economic transformation for the state. According to him, the planting symbolises the birth of a new idea that connects Plateau’s rich farming heritage with a future focused on productivity, innovation and value addition.

Reflecting on his upbringing in a farming community, the Governor recalled his early involvement in potato cultivation and admitted that for many years local farmers believed they had perfected the crop. He explained that exposure to modern agricultural practices later revealed that only a small fraction of the crop’s true potential had been realised in Plateau.

This realisation, he said, informed the government’s decision to invest strategically in seed potato development and improved production systems. Governor Mutfwang noted that current yields of about seven tonnes per hectare are significantly below global standards, stressing the administration’s determination to raise productivity and profitability. The ultimate goal, he added, is to position Plateau as a competitive player in the international potato market.

The Governor explained that the Butura project marks the first phase of a broader agricultural strategy that includes processing, storage and export. He emphasised that ambitions of factories and foreign markets must begin with quality seed production and strong organisation at the farm level.

Highlighting Plateau’s climatic advantage, he observed that while many European farmers grow potatoes only once a year, Plateau can support multiple planting cycles. With proper management, even two cycles annually could substantially increase farmers’ incomes and boost the state’s economy.

However, he cautioned that achieving prosperity would require a change in mindset. Subsistence farming, he said, is no longer sustainable, urging farmers to embrace cooperatives, mechanisation and continuous training to attract investment.

The Governor assured traditional rulers and community leaders of government-backed security for the project and announced progress on complementary infrastructure. He revealed that the abandoned potato tissue culture laboratory in Mangu is nearing completion and should be ready by February next year, alongside planned improvements to rural roads.

He added that the Plateau Commodity Marketing Company would protect farmers from exploitation and unfair pricing.

Also present, Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Naanlong Daniel, praised the initiative and reaffirmed legislative support, while Bokkos Local Government Chairman, Hon Samuel Amalau, described the programme as a turning point for local farmers and food security across the region.

With growing economic pressures and food insecurity, stakeholders expressed optimism that AMFSI’s digital framework.

Nigeria’s House of Representatives has thrown its support behind the Automated MATAN Food Security Initiative (AMFSI), describing it as a transformative, technology-driven solution capable of addressing up to 90 per cent of the country’s food security challenges if implemented nationwide.

The endorsement was announced at the closing session of a three-day national forum organised by the MATAN Food Bank Professionals Association of Nigeria. The event brought together lawmakers, policy experts and industry stakeholders to discuss practical and innovative responses to Nigeria’s worsening hunger crisis, driven by rising food prices, insecurity and supply chain disruptions.

Speaking at the forum, Hon. Haruna Gowon, who represents the Bassa/Dekina Federal Constituency, stressed that food security must be treated as a national priority requiring deliberate legislative action. He noted that access to adequate food underpins public health, economic productivity, poverty reduction and social stability, while food scarcity fuels insecurity across the country.

“Food security is more vital than any other form of security. A hungry man is an angry man, and ensuring food availability will strengthen national security, stabilise the naira and reduce pressure on the foreign exchange market,” Gowon said.

He assured participants that the National Assembly would provide the necessary legislative backing and oversight to support the nationwide rollout of the AMFSI. According to him, ensuring food access is a shared national responsibility, with lawmakers committed to addressing the needs of their constituents at the grassroots.

Reinforcing this position, Mr. Chrisland Onyemechara, Senior Consultant to the House Committee on Nutrition and Food Security, said the AMFSI aligns with four key pillars of food security: environment, partnership, advocacy and innovation. He explained that well-coordinated, technology-based interventions supported by strong institutions could significantly improve food production and access.

“Strengthening systems from the grassroots, backed by good governance and proper coordination, will significantly improve productivity and access to food nationwide,” Onyemechara said.

Earlier, the National President of the MATAN Food Bank Professionals Association of Nigeria, Ambassador Olakunle Johnson, described the AMFSI as a privately driven, digitally powered initiative designed to provide food access to more than 40 million Nigerians. He said the programme is built around a Virtual Digital Identity (VDI) platform that registers individuals digitally and connects them to local food banks and community kitchens, ensuring transparency and equity.

“This is not another political promise. It is a fully operational system built on digitalisation, community participation and nationwide collaboration,” Johnson said.

With growing economic pressures and food insecurity, stakeholders expressed optimism that AMFSI’s digital framework could mark a turning point in Nigeria’s journey towards sustainable food access, economic stability and community resilience.

The reforms aim to eliminate duplication, simplify compliance and improve efficiency and competitiveness across the agricultural value chain.

Zimbabwe’s agricultural sector is poised for renewed growth following sweeping regulatory reforms that will see several statutory fees scrapped or significantly reduced from the coming year.

The government-led initiative is expected to ease the cost of doing business for farmers, boost productivity and strengthen the country’s food security and export potential.

The reform programme, coordinated by the Office of the President and Cabinet with support from the Treasury and technical assistance from the World Bank, targets more than 20 permits and levies across the livestock, dairy and stockfeed industries. Treasury officials confirmed that once the measures are gazetted, agriculture will be the first sector to benefit before similar reforms are extended to other areas of the economy.

Deputy Minister of Lands, Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Rural Development Davis Marapira said the new adjustments would begin to take effect with the implementation of the national budget, typically in January.

“The fee adjustment policy takes effect when the budget is implemented, which is usually in January. The impact of that policy must be felt through lower prices for customers,” he said.

According to a Treasury press statement, Zimbabwe’s agriculture sector has long been burdened by excessive regulations, high compliance costs and overlapping institutional mandates. Dairy farmers, for instance, previously required up to 25 permits from 12 agencies, while feed manufacturers needed 23 permits from 10 departments. Beef cattle farmers faced 18 requirements, abattoirs 20, dairy processors 21 and feed processors 23.

The reforms aim to eliminate duplication, simplify compliance and improve efficiency and competitiveness across the agricultural value chain. Among the key changes is the removal of the Agricultural Marketing Authority livestock and cattle levy, the biosafety permit, as well as borehole water abstraction charges and user fees.

Additional reforms include the abolition of farm registration certificates for small and medium-scale farmers, a sharp reduction in dairy processor registration fees from an annual US$350 to a once-off US$50, and a cut in feed manufacturing registration fees to a flat US$20. Livestock movement clearance fees have been halved, while import permits for livestock genetics such as heifers and bulls have dropped from US$100 to US$20.

Export-related costs have also been reduced, with dairy export permits falling from US$900 to US$10, and meat export permit fees lowered to US$100 annually. Environmental impact assessment licence fees have been slashed from 1,5% to 0,05% of project value, capped at US$100 000, and are now payable during operations rather than upfront.

“The government is elevating efforts to retain agriculture as the mainstay and engine of the economy, [and is] cognisant of its crucial role in job creation, particularly for the rural population, supporting 65% of livelihoods and the bulk of the country’s exports,” the Treasury said.

Meanwhile, Marapira cautioned that fee reductions alone would not automatically translate into lower consumer prices.

“The question is whether we have discipline at every level – from the farmer to the middlemen, abattoir, processor, and butcher. Otherwise, someone will take advantage of the government’s fee reductions to make bigger profits. It needs a holistic approach from all of us.

“Some want profit margins of as much as 200%, [or even] 50% in a US dollar environment where the currency is stable. But the government will have heard your concerns as farmers, as retailers,” he added.