“From Highland to Global Market: Chitipa — The Land of Coffee, Ready to Rise”
“From agro-industry to eco-tourism, Chitipa will be a symbol of productive beauty and economic dignity
Dr. Dalitso Kabambe – UTM Presidential Candidate 2025
Under UTM’s economy-first blueprint, Chitipa will become a multi-sectoral hub—spanning coffee exports, livestock co-ops, honey processing, and highland tourism. Through targeted investment and empowered local institutions, Chitipa will transition from marginalization to modernization.
Context & Challenges
Chitipa’s Misuku Highlands are one of the few regions in Malawi capable of producing specialty Arabica coffee. Yet despite this agro-ecological advantage, coffee farming remains undercapitalized, fragmented, and disconnected from high-value export markets.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 160 Billion
Jobs: 10,000 direct; 4,000 indirect
Output: 15,000 MT roasted coffee/year
Export Value: MWK 250 Billion
Impact: Puts Chitipa on the global specialty coffee map; improves farmer incomes
Context & Challenges
Chitipa has long-standing traditions in livestock and honey production. However, lack of veterinary services, market access, and value-addition has limited commercial growth.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 45 Billion
Jobs: 5,500 (3,500 direct; 2,000 indirect)
Output: 8,000 MT meat, 200 MT honey/year
Revenue: MWK 60–80 Billion
Impact: Strengthens rural livelihoods; boosts exports and nutrition
UTM Pledges:
Each factory:
Impact: Builds industrial capacity; ensures sustainability of co-op farming systems
Context & Challenges
Vendors in Chitipa often operate in informal, unsanitary conditions with no links to finance or digital commerce.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 25 Billion
Jobs: 3,700 (construction + SMEs)
Impact: Formalizes commerce; enhances local government revenue and dignity
Context & Challenges
Chitipa remains one of the least connected districts. Roads are impassable in rainy seasons; off-grid settlements have no reliable power or broadband access.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 150 Billion
Jobs: 4,800 (4,000 construction, 800 permanent)
Impact: Rural access to markets, connectivity, and energy independence
Context & Challenges
Many agro-workers, extension officers, and commercial farmers in Chitipa operate without access to secure housing, modern sanitation, or supportive infrastructure. This results in high turnover, poor retention of skilled personnel, and limited ability to expand farm operations. Young farmers with consolidated land also struggle to settle permanently without basic amenities.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 50 Billion
Jobs: 2,500
Impact: Secure skilled rural workforce and farming families
Context & Challenges
Chitipa’s healthcare system is overstretched, with critical gaps in emergency, maternity, and surgical care. Youth in the district have limited access to specialized vocational training that aligns with local economic opportunities such as coffee processing, animal husbandry, and renewable energy systems.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 25 Billion
Jobs: 2,000
Trainees: 1,500+ per year
Impact: Skilled youth workforce; improved district health outcomes
Context & Challenges
Chitipa’s hilly terrain and forests are rich in biodiversity but face deforestation, erosion, and neglect of their tourism potential.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 20 Billion
Jobs: 1,000
Tourism Output: MWK 5 Billion/year, growing at 15%
Impact: Generates income while preserving ecosystems
Context & Challenges
Chitipa Boma, while a growing administrative center, remains largely informal with inadequate urban housing, unplanned commercial activity, and limited infrastructure to support modern service delivery.
UTM Pledges:
Investment: MWK 60 Billion
Jobs: 3,000
Impact: Transforms Chitipa Boma into a planned, inclusive urban hub that retains talent and stimulates local growth
Context & Challenges
Chitipa’s development efforts have historically suffered from fragmented planning, inadequate coordination, and underfunded local institutions. National programs often bypass local needs, and district budgets remain too small to drive meaningful transformation. There’s a critical need for a dedicated, well-capitalized entity to implement infrastructure and economic programs with transparency and efficiency.
UTM Pledges:
| Sector | Investment (MWK) | Jobs Created | Key Outputs & Impacts | |
| Coffee Mega Farm & Processing | 160 Billion | 14,000 | 15,000 MT roasted coffee; MWK 250B exports | |
| Goat, Honey, Animal Husbandry | 45 Billion | 5,500 | 8,000 MT meat; 200 MT honey; MWK 60–80B revenue | |
| Factory Development (3) | Included above | 1,000 | Agro-industrial jobs; local value addition | |
| Smart Markets | 25 Billion | 3,700 | Formal SMEs; VAT revenue; trade dignity | |
| Smart City Development | 60 Billion | 3,000 | 2,000 urban homes; civic services; digital governance | |
| Agro-Worker Housing | 50 Billion | 2,500 | 2,000 homes; improved rural retention | |
| Health & Vocational Skills | 25 Billion | 2,000 | 1,500 trainees/year; improved healthcare | |
| Environment & Tourism | 20 Billion | 1,000 | 5B tourism/year; reforestation, eco-lodges | |
| Governance (CDDA Fund) | 100 Billion total | Oversight | Local agency execution; public dashboards |
“From Highland to Global Market: Chitipa — The Land of Coffee, Ready to Rise”
Vote UTM. Vote Dr. Dalitso Kabambe.
“Delivering Real Jobs, Real Exports, and Real Services”
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