Green Belt Operationalises Nthola Irrigation Rice Milling Plant

The Karonga Rice Milling and Processing Plant at Nthola Ilola Irrigation Scheme will be operational in two weeks.

The facility is now at 99% only awaiting electricity connection, once the required materials, including its own transformer, are provided by Electricity supply corporation of Malawi (Escom) the Plant will be operational.

According to Infrastructure Development Manager (IDM) for the Greenbelt Authority – Official Synoden Kautsi, the construction works at the milling and processing plant have been completed and ESCOM has provided a list of required materials for electricity connection and GBA has already engaged an electrical consultant.

“We have installed a rice milling machine, a grader, destoner, polisher and packaging machine which will be utilised for processing then packaging at the same plant,” said Kautsi.

Sub Traditional Authority Mwangolera said people in the area have welcomed the project and they are happy with the plant because it will improve their livelihoods.

“We are glad that this is the first project of its kind in the northern region. People from my area will be employed in the factory, farmers around Nthola Ilola Irrigation Scheme will have a place to process their rice and even forex will be earned for the nation through rice sales abroad,” he said.

President of Nthola Ilola Water Users Association (WUA) Oswald Gondwe said for a long time farmers have been processing their rice manually and the coming of the milling plant is a relief.

“Karonga is the headquarters of rice farming in Malawi and since we have been told that 50 tonnes of rice will be milled per day, we have been saving money so that we should buy Kilombero rice from other farmers in order maximise the capacity of this huge mill,” Gondwe said.

He urged government to accelerate works on the Irrigation Scheme in order for the farming households use it to harvest rice two times in a year and keep the milling plant working at full capacity.

In line with the country’s Vision 2063, the K772, 857, 933.13 project which began in May 2022, is expected to process 50 tonnes of rice per day, providing employment opportunities for over 100 workers and benefiting 2,500 anchor and out-grower farmers.