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The Greenbelt Authority has dispatched 750 MT of maize produced at Chikwawa Maize Mega Farm in the area of Traditional Authority Khombedza in Salima District.

The maize is expected to be delivered to the National Food Reserve Agency (NFRA) headquarters at Kanengo in Lilongwe.

Among other things, NFRA uses this maize to mitigate hunger situations in the country, and supporting the National Disaster Agency in responding to disasters.

Speaking during the dispatch, Chief Executive Officer for the Greenbelt Authority, Eric Dudley Chidzungu said the 750 MT was only the first part of the dispatch as more maize was being processed for the same.

He also said the Authority donated 300 bags from the same maize to Salima District Hospital which was facing food shortages.

District Commissioner for Salima, James Mwenda said the assistance to Salima District Hospital was critical, further applauding GBA for the gesture.

Present at the dispatch event was NFRA Chief Executive Officer George Macheka who hailed GBA for maintaining its commitment to an agreement signed in 2023 in which the two Agencies committed to work together towards food security in the country.

Macheka said NFRA had been allocated 60 Billion Kwacha to buy maize for reservation, and GBA's maize was going to form part of the tonnage that they are looking for this year.

"We appreciate the commitment on GBA's part and would like to encourage them to continue. Last year they did the same when they cultivated at 100 hectares of land, and now they cultivated at 200 hectares, and here we are to witness the dispatch. We cannot wait to get even more maize from them," said Macheka.

GBA is implementing mega farm projects in several districts of Malawi, including Karonga, Nkhatabay and Mangochi

The Greenbelt Authority(GBA) has unveiled two new contractors to expedite the completion of construction works of Nthola-Ilola Rice processing factory in sub-Traditional Authority Mwangolera in Karonga District.

The authority said it will also complete works on the water intake for the rice irrigation scheme.

in an interview on wednesday, GBA infrastructure development manager Snowden Kautsi said government has allocated K14 billion in the 2025/26 National Budget for the project.

He said: "we intend to construct 357 hectares [ha] in this phase. We have identified China Civil Engineering Limited and Sico civils with whom we have signed contracts for the scheme and the rice processing factory.

"Basically, in this second phase, we have two components with the first component being the construction of additional facilities such as two warehouses, as office block, a drying platform, a perimeter fence and installation of solar power to support the  grid electricity while another component involves the  completion of the scheme's water intake" 

Kautsi further said all things being equal, the two components will take between 18 and 36 months to complete.

"The contractors do not have an excuse because government has committed K14 billion for the phase two projects,"he said.

Nthola-ilola cooperative secretary Alick Nthakomwa said they have the capacity to produce enough rice to feed the nation.

"Therefore, we thank government for engaging new contractors to complete the project,"he said.

Karonga Agriculture Development Division(ADD) chief irrigation officer John Bvutula said the wait was too long for both the ADD and farmers.

"The ADD has potential for irrigation farming with its 21 600ha of irrigable land with karonga having 13 000. Currently, we only use 3 000ha with Karonga using 2 500ha which is just 15 percent of land,"he said.

The Parliamentary Cluster on Agriculture, Irrigation, and Natural Resources has commended the Greenbelt Authority (GBA) for its productive efforts at the Chikwawa Maize Scheme in Salima District.

During a visit to the 200-hectare farm, the committee sought to assess Greenbelt's rainfed maize production in reference to reports the Authority submitted to parliament.

Speaking during the visit, Co-chairperson of the committee, Ulemu Chilapondwa, expressed complete satisfaction with the progress, disclosing that the committee was initially sceptical until it visited the field.

"We are very impressed. Initially, we thought what GBA reported to Parliament was only on paper, but having visited the farm, we are happy with the progress. We commit to lobbying for more support towards such ventures through the Greenbelt Authority," said Chilapondwa.

He further encouraged the Authority to maximize land coverage for quick achievement of its mandate.

GBA’s maize production is earmarked for the Strategic Grain Reserves, reinforcing the government's efforts to enhance national food security.

The Authority’s Chief Executive Officer, Eric Dudley Chidzungu, reaffirmed GBA’s commitment to large-scale production, emphasising it will work hard to fulfil.

Last year, maize cultivated at the Chikwawa Scheme was successfully supplied to the National Food Reserve Agency, further demonstrating the Authority’s capacity to contribute to national food stability.

The Greenbelt Authority is in the process of developing its first Communication Strategy, aimed at enhanced information management and utilization of communication for national development.

Among other things the Strategy is designed to address communication challenges, enhance information management, as well as amplify the Authority's public image with focus on proactive information dissemination.

In the picture, GBA officials pose in a group photograph with a team of Communication Experts drawn from various Public Institutions to work on the Strategy.

The Strategy is expected to be operationalized during the 2025/26 Fiscal Year.

Building a team is one of the most critical steps towards successful implementation of development projects. In a spirit of promoting team work, cooperation and collaboration, the Greenbelt Authority recently underwent a team building exercise which saw its staff members and interns learning how to work together towards common goals.

The Greenbelt Authority (GBA) has pledged commitment to open engagement with communities it serves, as a way of facilitating transparency and accountability.

The Authority recently engaged stakeholders in projects which it is implementing in Karonga, Nkhatabay, Salima, Mangochi and Chikwawa Districts on its compliance to ATIA and how the communities can benefit from the law.

Speaking during one of the sensitization meetings, GBA's Director of Corporate Services Rachel Silungwe said the organisation was trying its best to abide by all applicable laws in its work to serve Malawians better.

Silungwe said GBA takes the ATIA seriously as it realises the dangers of concealing information from the general public.

"Where there's lack of information, there's room for speculations and misunderstandings. GBA aims to build a good relationship with the public, the community we serve and other stakeholders," she said.

Sub Traditional Authority Mwangolera of Karonga hailed GBA for engaging with the public and its affirmation to be cooperative in the provision of information.

He said, "GBA has always opened up to the public, which is a very good thing because it promotes trust and honesty".

Media personnel across the Greenbelt Authority's project areas recently vowed to support implementation of the projects in order to ensure Malawians' benefits.

The pen pushers based in the project districts of Karonga, Nkhatabay, Mangochi, Salima, Chikwawa and Thyolo made the commitment during orientation sessions that the Authority conducted in the project sites as a way of enlightening the media on GBA work across the country.

The Greenbelt Authority conducted the media orientation meetings as one way of opening up the fulfilment of the Access to Information Law, as well as creating familiarisation of the Authority's work with the general public.

Speaking during one of the sessions in Karonga District, Director of Irrigation Operations Dr. Chisomo Kumbuyo said the GBA fully understands the role that media plays in bridging the gap between institutions and right holders, hence the need for media to play their role positively.

"As members of the media you need to be the first ones to understand projects such as the one that you have here under GBA so that you can be able to write positively about it and civic educate the masses here on how they can support the project as well as benefit from it all together," he said.

He further went on to invite members of the media to play the watch-dog role in protecting government investments, reminding them that they are citizens first, before they identify as media personnel.

"When government invests, it invests our money, all of us. So even before you play your usual role of as media, remember it is your tax money, and if anything wrong is going on, you need to play the good citizen role and report to authorities so that government investments can be protected," he emphasized.

In agreement, President for Karonga Press Club, Jordan Phiri commended the Greenbelt Authority for considering media sensitization a critical part of its projects implementation, adding the meeting was an eye opener.

He said at times media personnel end up reporting negatively or wrongly about issues simply because there was not enough information in their possession, as such the GBA sensitization was a stitch in time.

"On behalf of my colleagues, I would like to reaffirm our commitment to accord you with all the support required for your projects to receive citizen ownership and participation," Phiri said.

In a similar vein, his Salima counterpart, Fostina Kamanga of Malawi News Agency found the orientation session being a key activity that allowed her team to positively interact with the GBA in reportage of its projects.

The Greenbelt Authority is implementing projects at Nthola-Ilola in Karonga, Lweya in Nkhatabay, Chikwawa Scheme in Salima, Mlambe in Mangochi and Nchalo and Mwananjobvu in Chikwawa District.

The Greenbelt Authority (GBA) recently reaffirmed its commitment to refrain indulgence in corrupt practices in the execution of its operations.

GBA's Chief Executive Officer, Eric Dudley Chidzungu made the solid commitment on the sidelines of an orientation session for the organisation's instituted Institutional Integrity Committee (IIC).

According to Chidzungu the Authority understands the critical need to safeguard tax payers' money with which it operates, in order for it to deliver on its goals, hence the establishment and orientation of the committee.

"At GBA we value transparency and accountability that's why we engaged the Anti-Corruption Bureau to orient our IIC which will be working hand in hand with ACB in preventing and fighting corruption internally and externally," explained Chidzungu.

The National Anti-Corruption Strategy II (NACS II) establishes the Institutional Integrity Committees to exist in public institutions with an aim of playing the role of internal controls against the occurrence of corrupt practices as well as assist in dealing with cases of corruption after occurrence.

Speaking in an interview, Anti-Corruption Bureau's Principal Public Relations Officer, Egrita Ndala commended the move by GBA in establishing the committee.

In a stride towards agricultural excellence, Greenbelt Greenhouse Limited (GGL), a subsidiary of the prestigious Greenbelt Authority, has demonstrated its commitment to growth and sustainability.

Since November, 2023, GGL has marked a significant milestone as it has consistently cultivated prosperity, exporting a total of 70 tons of premium Bell pepper to South Africa, valued at over $65,000; reinforcing its position as a leader in the country’s agricultural sector.

This achievement not only showcases GGL's dedication to quality and service but also highlights the company's pivotal role in the economic growth of the country.

Tamandani Chanza, the Sales and Marketing Manager for GGL, emphasizes the dual impact of these exports.

"Our efforts extend beyond mere transactions; they are a testament of our potential in generating foreign exchange and supporting the country's import substitution strategy," says Chanza.

Speaking on GGL’s competitive edge in a market dominated by South Africa; one of the global leaders in food and vegetable exports, Chanza emphasized the company’s stringent quality control measures that it has set on its produce.

“From greenhouse to packaging, we ensure precision and regulation, particularly in water, fertilizer, pesticide usage, and even light exposure for the plants,” she explained.

The project, which began four years ago, has played a crucial role in the domestic market and contributed to the reduction of fruits and vegetable imports in the country.This development also aligns closely with President Lazarus Chakwera’s vision, as articulated in his 4^th State of the Nation Address, where he advocated for agricultural commercialization as a solution to the economic hurdles faced in the country.

Mesiya Moleni, the Agriculture Production Manager for the Greenbelt Authority, echoes this sentiment saying the trajectory that GBA has set for GGL aligns perfectly its overarching goal of national development.

“These exports are not just about revenue; they're about setting a precedent for the future of agriculture in our country,” Moleni asserts.

He further highlighted the initial challenges in market penetration, with a focus on international markets.

“The breakthrough with South Africa has opened doors for expansion. We are currently negotiating with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Botswana, and we are very pleased with GGL’s performance,” Moleni elaborated.

As GGL targets external markets and opens the export door to South Africa, it stands as a beacon of innovation and resilience.

The company's journey is more than an entrepreneurial venture; it is a narrative of empowerment, progress, and unwavering dedication to the betterment of Malawi.