CRAFS UNIMA’s FiT-Hub launches first training for Agri-Food Start-up Incubatees

On 29th July 2025, the UNIMA Vice-Chancellor, Professor Samson Sajidu, officially opened a one-week training workshop for the Food Innovation and Technology Hub (FiT-Hub) under the Center for Resilient Agri-Food Systems (CRAFS) at the University of Malawi. The first cohort of FiT-Hub incubatees, comprising 24 participants, is undergoing training at the Department of Economics, facilitated by various university academics and industry experts. The opening ceremony was also attended by CRAFS Director Prof. Cosmo Ngongondo, FiT-Hub Lead Dr. Victoria Ndolo, and other staff members.

The FiT-Hub aims to promote and nurture a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in agri-food systems, product development, and processing technologies in Malawi, while ensuring the protection of intellectual property. FiT-Hub is a World Bank-funded initiative under the African Centers of Excellence II Additional Financing (ACE II AF) Project, dedicated to advancing resilient agri-food systems through research, innovation, and collaboration.

During the event, Professor Sajidu welcomed all participants to the training, stating that FiT-Hub was established to empower visionary young people. He emphasized that the participants will receive hands-on training, mentorship, tools, and resources to refine their ideas into viable, market-ready start-ups.

“The goal is not just knowledge acquisition, but action,” he said. “By the end of the program, we expect to see business models, start-ups, and strategic partnerships that will shape the future of agri-food systems in our country, Malawi. The CRAFS project and World Bank funding reflect the University’s commitment to fostering a thriving innovation ecosystem. To our incubatees, we urge you to stay curious, collaborate relentlessly, and embrace failure as part of the journey”.

FiT-Hub also recognized two participants who won the FiT-Hub logo design competition. Out of 40 submissions, two logos, both designed by University of Malawi students, emerged as winners. The winning designers were Innocent Gomwa, a fourth-year Bachelor of Science in Information Systems student, and Fred Makwakwa, a third-year Bachelor of Science in Biological Sciences student. Their logos met the requirements outlined in the competition. Professor Sajidu presented the winners with tokens of appreciation.

One of the participants, Ms. Mwambo Chuza, shared that she joined FiT-Hub to address a challenge faced by tomato farmers. She presented her idea of producing an inoculant to enhance soil nutrients and improve the quality of tomatoes for local farmers.

The FiT-Hub training, themed “Transforming Agri-Food Ideas into Market-Ready Businesses,” will conclude on 1st August 2025.