As part of ongoing efforts to partner with research communities and stakeholders across the country through PBC 4.1 “Partnerships” of the ACE II WB project, UNIMA CRAFS PiT conducted additional consultative meetings with local farmers, SMEs, and cooperatives affiliated with the Small and Medium Enterprise Development (SMED) Institute in various districts, including Phalombe. The team also engaged SMEs and cooperatives operating under the COMESA Federation of Women in Business (COMFWB) in Lilongwe, Malawi, as well as those working with Tehilah Enterprises Ltd.

The meetings also included researchers promoting greenhouse farming under the Shelter on the Rock (SOTR) organization in Lunzu, Blantyre. Among the CRAFS members who attended were Dr. Mwakilama and Dr. Dalitso Kafumbata. These meetings took place from 31st March to 4th April 2025 and aimed to conduct further needs assessments on agri-food systems’ community action research projects for enterprise development in Malawi.

With over five registered cooperatives, COMFWB runs programmes that integrate women into trade and development activities across all sectors of entrepreneurship in various districts, including Mzuzu, Mzimba, Nkhata Bay, Mangochi, Lilongwe, Zomba, Kasungu, Mwanza, Dedza, Blantyre, Ntcheu, Salima, Dowa, Mulanje, Mchinji, and Karonga. SOTR empowers youth and women in agri-food systems by promoting the use of greenhouses to maximize food productivity.