By Loveness Lega:
Stakeholders in the coffee value chain have said there is a need for reforms that would create a conducive environment for growers and other actors to thrive.
This was raised during the first-ever national symposium on coffee held in Mzuzu City, which brought together coffee farmers, cooperatives, government officials, financiers and development partners.
United Nations Industrial Development Organisation National Agriculture Expert Henry Mloza Banda called for the inclusion of coffee production in Malawi’s school curricula.
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Mloza Banda said early exposure would help build a knowledgeable and skilled generation to drive the industry forward.
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“Introducing coffee farming in the syllabus will ensure learners grow up understanding the crop, its value chain and economic importance, which is key to the long-term growth of the sector,” he said.
One of the coffee growers, Caroline Kaluwa from Nkhata Bay Highlands Cooperative, said producers faced challenges due to climate change pushing them to face prolonged dry seasons.
Kaluwa said they were also failing to embrace mechanisation because of the geographical setting of their farms, most of which are in highlands.
“We also find challenges in finding markets for the coffee, hence vendors from other countries are the ones that buy [it] from us.
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“We are also asking for consideration to extend the loan repaying period because most times we are expected to start repaying the same year we borrow. This is not practical considering that the crop takes years,” she said.
Assistant Director in the Ministry of Industrialisation, Business, Trade and Tourism, Lusungu Mwaungulu, said low domestic consumption remained a concern, adding that the government was promoting the Buy Malawi Strategy to boost local coffee uptake alongside exports.
“The global supply for coffee is low. So, this is an opportunity for Malawi to grow and supply more coffee to the market,” Mwaungulu said.
In his remarks, The National Coordinator of the Investment Symposium, Seth Tembo, said the platform was organised to build a stronger coffee value chain.
“We understand that challenges are there but, by bringing together financiers and NGOs [non-governmental organisations], we will be able to create solutions and address issues of mechanisation and improve production,” Tembo said.
Some of the cooperatives that participated in the two-day symposium are Phoka Coffee Growers, Ntchisi East and Nkhata Bay Highlands Cooperative.
