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PHALOMBE

UTM District Manifesto 2025 | PHALOMBE DISTRICT

“Phalombe Rising: From Rolling Hills to Fertilizer & Eco‑Forest Power.”

“UTM will unlock Phalombe’s phosphates, heritage, and agriculture—powering sustainable growth rooted in resilience and youth opportunity.”
Dr. Dalitso Kabambe – UTM Presidential Candidate 2025

PHALOMBE

Phalombe’s rolling hills, fertile valleys, and proximity to Lake Chilwa offer immense potential—but the district has been held back by poor infrastructure, flash floods, and underdeveloped mining and tourism. UTM will transform Phalombe into a high-value agricultural and eco-industrial hub anchored by phosphate fertilizer production, commercial farming, responsible mining, and green tourism—all underpinned by digital connectivity and local empowerment through the Phalombe District Development Fund.

Core Vision:

  • Develop phosphate-based fertilizer industry
  • Scale-up irrigated mega farms and agro-processing
  • Expand livestock co-ops (goats, cattle, poultry)
  • Launch rare earth and stone quarry mining responsibly
  • Green tourism on Mulanje slopes & Lake Chilwa
  • Establish smart Boma and smart villages
  • Mobilize MK500 Billion (2025–2030) via Phalombe District Development Fund

Phosphate & Mineral-Based Fertilizer

Context & Challenges:
The Tundulu phosphate deposit is estimated at ~2 Mt @17.5% P₂O₅—untapped despite latent investor interest. Lack of local processing keeps fertilizer imports expensive and unreliable.

UTM Pledges:

  • Operationalize Tundulu phosphate processing plant for compound fertilizers, reducing import costs by ~33% .
  • Implement small-scale quarry for construction limestone from Nanthache and upland zones.
  • Launch rare earth pilot at Songwe Hill with local beneficiation and youth training
  • Train 3,000 youth in geology, processing, and mining management.

Investment: MWK 100 Billion
Jobs: 2,500 direct; 1,500 indirect
Impact: Local fertilizer supply; new export revenue from phosphates and rare earths; regulated stone supply.

Mega Farms & Agro-Processing

Context & Challenges:
Farming is mostly subsistence with lack of processing and storage, while floods threaten productivity.

UTM Pledges:

  • 10,000 ha of irrigated production across highlands and plains (rice, maize, soya, bananas)—gravity and solar irrigation.
  • Anchor farmers + co-ops with 20+ ha consolidation incentives.
  • Processing hubs: rice mill (Phalombe Boma), banana dryer (Bwalo), oil press (Chiranji); cold storage at Boma.
  • Market-linking depots with transport to Zomba and Blantyre.

Investment: MWK 130 Billion
Jobs: 8,000
Output: 300,000 MT/year
Impact: Food security; farmer income uplift; agro-exports with traceability.

Livestock & Animal Husbandry

Context & Challenges:
Livestock are low performing, disease-prone, and unconnected to formal markets.

UTM Pledges:

  • Distribute 25,000 improved goats and sheep, cattle, poultry (quail, guineafowl).
  • Anchor farms and co-ops in Goliati, Bwalo, and Chiranji.
  • Dairy and meat processing at Bwalo.
  • Vet outreach, mobile labs, communal ranches.
  • Social housing + 2 years of free inputs and equipment access.

Investment: MWK 45 Billion
Jobs: 4,500
Output: Meat, milk, hides, poultry
Impact: Diversified incomes, protein access, nutrition boost.

Tourism, Culture & Recreation

Context & Challenges:
Despite its scenic hills and lake proximity, tourism remains untapped.

UTM Pledges:

  • Develop eco-lodges and mountain biking on Mulanje slopes.
  • Trails to waterfalls, mountaintop cafés with panoramic views over Phalombe.
  • Lake Chilwa recreational zone with boat tours, bird hides, and artisan craft markets.
  • Community-led cultural festivals and camping zones.

Investment: MWK 50 Billion
Jobs: 4,500
Visitor Target: 60,000/year
Revenue: MWK 20 Billion/year
Impact: Tourism-driven local incomes, youth enterprise, cultural pride.

Infrastructure & Smart Connectivity

Context & Challenges:
Phalombe suffers floods, poor roads, and poor digital access preventing development.

UTM Pledges:

  • Rehabilitate Phalombe–Mulanje road and 100 km feeder roads.
  • Flood-control drainage and solar street lighting.
  • Fibre rollout to 50 rural Bomas/schools.
  • Solar mini-grids powering pumps, clinics, schools.

Investment: MWK 90 Billion
Jobs: 4,000
Impact: Better access, climate resilience, digital inclusion.

Smart Housing & Civic Upgrades

Context & Challenges:
Phalombe Boma lacks planned housing and service delivery.

UTM Pledges:

  • Construct 2,500 eco-homes with solar, sanitation, water harvesting.
  • SME zones linked to housing clusters.
  • Smart Boma design: digital street lighting, public Wi-Fi, e-services.

Investment: MWK 45 Billion
Jobs: 3,000
Impact: Better quality living, job creation, SME incubation.

Health, Education & Skills

Context & Challenges:
The hospital lacks emergency and maternal wings; few vocational paths exist.

UTM Pledges:

  • Expand Phalombe District Hospital with new maternity, emergency ward, telemedicine.
  • Build Vocational Training Centre at Bwalo: agro-processing, tourism services, solar tech.
  • Girls’ boarding and digital classrooms in Bwalo.

Investment: MWK 30 Billion
Jobs: 2,000
Annual Output: 2,500 trained youth
Impact: Reduced maternal mortality, skilled workforce retention.

Environment, Reforestation & Irrigation

Context & Challenges:
Deforestation and watershed degradation threaten soil and water security.

UTM Pledges:

  • Reforest 12,000 ha across slopes, ridges, stream banks.
  • Launch 30 youth-led briquette co-ops.
  • Deploy 400 solar-drip irrigation kits.
  • Establish 5,000 ha communal youth forests with future timber shares.

Investment: MWK 20 Billion
Jobs: 1,200
Impact: Climate resilience, community income assets, better farming yields.

MK500 Billion Phalombe District Development Fund (2025–2030)

Administration: Phalombe District Development Agency (PDDA)
Annual Pledge: MK100 Billion/year
Purpose: Deliver on all manifesto pillars at scale—mega farms, mining, housing, digital, health, tourism, green growth.
Procurement:

  • Minimum 60% to Phalombe SMEs; 30% of jobs to youth; youth–SME partnerships.
  • Digital dashboards and quarterly townhall updates ensure transparency.

Projected Outcomes by 2030:

  • 45,000+ direct & indirect jobs
  • 3,500+ SMEs formalized
  • Tripling of local GDP
  • Real rural prosperity under local control

Summary Table – Phalombe District

Sector Investment (MWK Billion) Jobs Created Key Outputs Strategic Impact
Mega Farms & Agricultural Transformation 120 7000 220,000 MT of produce/year Food security, export revenue, agro-jobs
Livestock & Animal Husbandry 35 4000 Dairy, meat, poultry output expanded Rural income growth, nutrition, job creation
Tourism, Culture & Recreation 40 4000 65,000 tourists/year, cultural pride Tourism-led enterprise and rural income
Infrastructure & Smart Connectivity 90 3500 Tarmac roads, broadband, solar grids Improved logistics and digital economy
Smart Housing & Civic Infrastructure 40 2500 2,500 smart homes and public facilities Urban dignity and SME development
Health, Education & Skills 30 2000 Expanded hospital, 2,000 youth trained Health resilience and youth employment
Mining & Natural Resources 25 1500 Fertilizer-grade mineral development Green mineral economy and local industry
Environment, Reforestation & Irrigation 15 1200 10,000 ha reforested, 5,000 ha youth forests Climate resilience and youth green economy
Phalombe District Development Fund (2025–2030) 500 30000 Capital projects across 8 sectors annually Inclusive local transformation and delivery

Tsogolo Lathu Lowala Lafika!

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