Welcome to Macadamia information center

The Highland Macadamia Cooperative Union Limited (HIMACUL) represents smallholder macadamia growers in Malawi. With 3800 members spread out all over the country and partners in other countries too we have gone about setting up an area where information and news can be posted and commented on.

Smallholder macadamia groups are throughout the country in Mulanje, Neno, Mwanza, Dowa, Ntchisi and Rumphi. Through investing in cooperatives and associations the annual establishment has risen to 70,000 trees a year and over 1000 Ha is currently under smallholder management in the country. The majority of this crop has been established in the last 4 years. Kernel volumes are at present small but will grow significantly as this crop matures.

Thursday, January 29

Key Challenges for 2009

NESMAC
• Hiring of a NESMAC manager
• Embedding structural changes
• Mapping and farm level planning
• Diversifying nurseries to rear other tree species
• Build the bulking centre and Administration Block
• Trial establishment of rootstocks to speed up establishment and enable larger scale plantings
• Producing and establishing 15000 macadamia rootstocks/ grafted trees

Ntchisi Cooperatives
• Supporting the further development of the Cooperatives
• Equipping a bulking centre
• Producing and establishing 15000 macadamia rootstocks/ grafted trees
• Developing a quality based buying system
• Conducting a Fair Trade pre certification inspection

Rumphi Cooperatives
• Conducting a second survey
• Developing full work plan
• Provide support to the cooperatives
• Conduct nut quality survey
• Explore working with Mzuzu Coffee Planters Cooperative on Macadamia
• Securing a reliable source of seed and nursery materials

Ideas for exploration
• Scholarships for farmers to develop their skills
• Explore way to use the demonstration farm as a farmer training centre
• Intensify beehive production
• 2 wheel tractor
• Climatic Change adaptation strategies and communication of issues
Posted by at