Expression of Interest for Ulimi ndi Chilengedwe m’Malawi (UCHI) Strengthening Agriculture Commercialisation Project in Malawi - Off taking and Mentorship

Through close collaboration with private sector entities building on relevant past experiences, UNDP Malawi is implementing the UCHI Strengthening Agricultural Commercialization Project to provide technical expertise, resources, and networks required to effectively tackle challenges related to agricultural commercialization and generate market opportunities for smallholder farmers (SHF). The project advocates for market-oriented business practices and stimulates market and financial opportunities within the project’s priority value chains of soybean, rice, banana, aquaculture and apiculture.

The five-year project is targeting farmer organisations (FOs) and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) ensuring that their technical and business capacities are enhanced (productivity and competitiveness); their market access and value addition are strengthened; their financial access is empowered; and that the enabling environment is strengthened including development of ICT based market-oriented services for them. The project will be implemented in the districts of Thyolo, Chiladzulu, Mulanje, Salima, Nkhotakota, Kasungu, Mzimba, Nkhatabay, Karonga and Chitipa. Some of the targeted and supported FOs and MSEs are in production while others are into both production and processing/value addition. 

It is with the above background information that the UCHI project management unit (PMU) invites eligible growth-oriented firms or businesses to express interest in partnering with Farmer Organizations as Mentors, Off-takers, or both. Individuals are also eligible to express interest as mentors and not off takers. Shortlisted firms and individuals will be contacted for further engagement.