Cash Crops in Malawi

Cash crops are any crops planted for the purpose of selling for profit. But who grows cash crops in Malawi? What are the best cash crops for the climate and soil? Which are most profitable? We interviewed Orant’s Agriculture Extension Officer Gracious Msimuko for expert insight.
Anyone can grow cash crops. However, due to scarcity of land, certified seeds, etc., cash crops are mostly grown by big-scale commercial farmers. Small-scale farmers mostly grow food crops. Small-scale farmers do grow cash crops, too, but on small scales.
The best cash crops are soya beans and groundnuts. They do well in many weather conditions in our country. They also have readily available markets for both small-scale and big-scale farmers. These crops can be cultivated without chemical fertilizers. They can also easily be processed into nutritious food in villages without complicated processes.
More on cash crop options here.
Groundnuts are probably the most profitable crops since they can be processed into other products like peanut butter, cooking oil, and groundnut flour. People even like eating groundnuts unprocessed or roasted, which is also highly nutritious.
Soya beans are easier to grow than groundnuts. They have fewer processes in production.
For someone to make a profit, they need to start with good agricultural practices. These include crop rotation, good choice of seed varieties, early planting, early weeding, pest control, scouting the field, and harvesting in good time to minimize post harvest losses. Farmers also need to practice budgeting and work plans. This will help them know whether they will make a profit or loss. Due to the small quantities that smallholder farmers produce, we encourage them to start or join a farming group/cooperative. Cooperatives help them market their produce in groups. In groups, collective bargaining ensures better prices.
Orant supports small-scale farmers. We search for good markets, identify good seed varieties, and teach best practices through demonstrations and field days.
At Orant Charities, collaboration is one of the values we take seriously. We believe that there is no better way to learn, explore, make an impact, and utilize resources than collaborating with communities, individuals, and organizations. Last week, we took a major step in collaboration by signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Opulence Malawi, an organization making a difference in the lives of people in Traditional Authority Chakhaza, Dowa district. This partnership is a significant milestone for us, and we are excited to share what this means to us and the communities we serve. To learn more about what this partnership means to us and what we envision from it, read our latest blog article.
Our Agroecology Farm is more than just a place to grow crops, it is a classroom to learn more about sustainable, regenerative agriculture as well as gain farming skills. See what we’re harvesting this season
We are overjoyed to announce that 12 of our 29 students who sat for the Malawi School Certificate of Examinations have been selected to various universities! As we celebrate this milestone, we would like to share biographies of some of the students.