Green Belt Authority to boost Malawi economy
Green Belt Authority (GBA) has described its $5.5 million (about K4 billion) project as a boost to the country’s economy through the production of quality vegetables.
Speaking during a media tour at GBI site in Lilongwe recently, GBI chief executive officer (CEO) Henrie Njoloma said for a long time Malawi has been depending on imported vegetables and fruits from its neighbouring countries.
He said with GBA, Malawi will be able to generate income on its own.
Njoloma said: “Not only will GBA boost the economy but also as a country, we will be able to compete with Southern African Development Community [Sadc] or international markets because we will have standardised products of high quality.
“If you go into shops such as Shoprite, Chipiku most of the vegetables you find there are imported. It’s not because we don’t have those things in our various farms, but because we don’t adhere to international standards of production. With this project, farmers will be taught how they can take care of their produce.”
Malawi Inosselia country director Michael Gorelik said their firm partenered GBI so that they can add value to the country’s horticulture sector.
He said since the project started, there has been tremendous progress. He assured the public that first ever product from this initiave will be in July.
Airport Development Limited (ADL) CEO Rhonda Gadam Misomali said the project will benefit the airport’s day to day oparations.
She said ADL and GBI signed an agreement that after three years of production, the land and the structures will be given back to the airport; hence, the huge benefit for the country.
