“Rumphi Ascending: Gateway to the North — Innovating Agriculture, Education & Smart Living.”
Context & Challenges
Rumphi is a unique Northern Malawi district—spanning from Lake Malawi to Nyika Plateau, including Rumphi Boma, Bolero, Bwengu, Ntchena Chena, Mlowe, and Chiweta. It hosts higher learning institutions like the University of Livingstonia and benefits from tourism assets such as Nyika National Park, Vwaza Marsh Wildlife Reserve, and Rukuru Rivers.
However, growth is throttled by outdated infrastructure, underfunded education facilities, fragmented agriculture, and weak local governance. Youth unemployment remains high, the university needs upgrades to drive research and community innovation, and rural areas lack access to markets, finance, and information.
UTM will reposition Rumphi into a modern northern hub, powered by smart cities, connected villages, agro-industry, tourism, aquaculture, energy generation, and university-led innovation.
Context & Challenges
Rumphi’s highlands and valleys support maize and tobacco farming, but are limited by dependence on seasonal rains and low market value. Coffee is already grown in Bolero and Ntchena Chena, but both areas lack sufficient scale, coordinated outgrower schemes, and local processing capability for export-grade roasting and packaging.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 120 Billion
Jobs: 10,000
Output: 300,000 MT + branded coffee exports
Impact: Diversified income, rural industry, export revenue
Context & Challenges
Rumphi Boma lacks urban planning, safe roads, and digital public services. Rural growth centres in Bolero, Bwengu, Ntchena Chena, Mlowe, and Chiweta lack cohesive planning and connectivity.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 90 Billion
Jobs: 6,000
Impact: Urban innovation, digitally connected rural zones, public service access
Context & Challenges
The University of Livingstonia (Khondowe campus) has limited capacity to meet district-wide education needs. Technical and vocational skills are underrepresented.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 80 Billion
Jobs: 4,000
Impact: Skilled workforce, research output, education access
Context & Challenges
Rumphi hosts some of Malawi’s top conservation areas but lacks accommodation, guided trail access, and cultural tourism programming. Cultural heritage (Phoka/Tumbuka traditions) is under-leveraged.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 50 Billion
Jobs: 4,000
Visitors: 100,000/year
Revenue: MK 25 Billion/year
Impact: Tourism jobs, heritage preservation, regional attraction
Context & Challenges
Rural areas are disconnected by poor roads and unreliable telecoms. The main Rumphi–Mzuzu highway is functional, but feeder roads to Bolero, Bwengu, and Ntchena Chena are underdeveloped.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 100 Billion
Jobs: 6,000
Impact: Better tourism access, digital inclusion, farming supply chain
Context & Challenges
Rumphi has strong traditions in cattle, goats, and fish farming, but systems remain informal. Lakeshore and dam aquaculture are underutilized.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 60 Billion
Jobs: 5,000
Impact: Improved nutrition, rural income, fish/meat exports
Context & Challenges
The South and North Rukuru Rivers, which flow through Rumphi, present huge untapped potential for both power and irrigation. Seasonal floods and dry spells often destroy crops and hinder livelihoods.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 180 Billion
Jobs: 7,000
Impact: Clean energy, food security, green industrial base
Context & Challenges
Rumphi’s Nyika and Viphya zones are ecologically important but face illegal logging, soil erosion, and charcoal pressure. Climate shocks affect smallholder livelihoods.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 30 Billion
Jobs: 2,500
Impact: Climate mitigation, eco-jobs, green economy
Context & Challenges
There are small deposits of marble and dimension stone in Bwengu and Ntchena Chena, but extraction is informal and value-add capacity is missing.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 20 Billion
Jobs: 2,500
Impact: Youth SMEs, local value chains, safer mining economy
Context & Challenges
Development has been sporadic, with no cohesive district-level planning or local project ownership.
UTM Pledges
Investment: MK 500 Billion
Jobs: 35,000+ direct and indirect
Impact: Youth entrepreneurship, civic accountability, district-wide service uplift
| Sector | Investment (MK) | Jobs Created | Impact |
| Mega Farms, Coffee & Processing | 120 Billion | 10,000 | 300k MT output; branded coffee exports |
| Smart City & Villages | 90 Billion | 6,000 | Urban–rural connectivity and innovation |
| Univ. & Vocational Education Hub | 80 Billion | 4,000 | Skilled workforce, knowledge economy |
| Tourism & Cultural Economy | 50 Billion | 4,000 | 100k tourists/year; MK 25B tourism revenue |
| Infrastructure & Connectivity | 100 Billion | 6,000 | Roads, broadband, solar grids |
| Livestock & Aquaculture | 60 Billion | 5,000 | Fish/meat value chains, nutrition, exports |
| Rukuru Irrigation & Energy Project | 180 Billion | 7,000 | 312MW hydropower, 4,000ha irrigated |
| Environment & Climate Resilience | 30 Billion | 2,500 | Forest revival, green jobs |
| Mineral & Marble SME Development | 20 Billion | 2,500 | Stone processing SMEs, youth jobs |
| District Dev’t Fund (5 yrs) | 500 Billion | 35,000 | Public service delivery and SME procurement |
| TOTAL | MK 1.23 Trillion | 82,000 | A thriving, green, and educated northern powerhouse |
