By Nellie Nyirenda

Blantyre, April 19, Mana: Tehilah Enterprise, in collaboration with the Centre for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS) at the University of Malawi encouraged small and medium-scale entrepreneurs and post graduate students from across the country to embrace value addition of local farm produce as a means to drive industrial growth and strengthen Malawi’s economy.

Held under the theme: Food Processing and Value Addition, the three-day training took place in the week at Tehilah Bakery in Lunzu, where Tehilah Bakery, Director, Jean Pankuku, called on small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to embrace value addition on their products.

She said food value addition plays a critical role in addressing the challenges many Malawian SMEs face in the market.

“SMEs are key to the country's development. We need to give our local farm produce value by establishing local processing units and companies that produce items like peanut butter, yoghurt, among others.

“Small foundations we build from the ground will help us dominate our industrial sector, rather than relying on outsiders to do it for us while we watch,” Pankuku added.

The training at Lunzu was meant to equip 50 small and medium entrepreneurs from districts in the southern regions and university students with practical skills and knowledge necessary for value addition on local agricultural food products.

CRAFS representative, Associate Professor at the University of Malawi, Placid Mpeketula, challenged the small and medium entrepreneurs to utilize business and marketing skills to broaden their businesses beyond Malawi’s borders.

“It’s possible for these SMEs to expand internationally if we apply proper marketing strategies. We need to realize that our local farm products hold great value that can contribute significantly to our national growth,” Mpeketula added.

Owner of a small peanut butter making enterprise in Mulanje, Faith Kamchaka expressed optimism to grow big and become innovative following the training, which had both theory and practical.

“This training will empower me to take the next good step. The SME’s are committed to applying newly acquired skills and knowledge to improve our products. Our enterprises are registered with the Malawi Bureau of Standards as startup industries,” she said.

The training involved theory and practical sessions. Participants learned how to bake biscuits, bread, and other food products from sweet potatoes.