Fannie Gondwe: Award winning commercial vine multiplier in Malawi

Lilongwe-based agro-dealer Fannie Gondwe recently graduated from the Graça Machel Trust – Women Creating Worth Program and was also among the four finalists who pitched their businesses to the trust and emerged as the overall winner taking home $500.

“My business pitch was on the multiplication of Orange-fleshed sweetpotato vines as a commercial vine multiplier who is looking at the benefits of using clean planting material certified by the government and nutritional value of the OFSP especially to the rural population”, said Fannie.

This is the second time Fannie is winning a business pitch on OFSP vine multiplication.  In 2017, she won the Female Biosciences Business Acceleration Programme award, which gave her an opportunity to participate in the South African Innovation Summit.

In 2012, Fannie registered her farming business under Perisha Agro & Packaging Enterprise in Malawi. A company that focuses on the seed multiplication and as well as selling seeds on behalf of other companies. However, her core business is the multiplication of Orange-Fleshed Sweet Potato (OFSP) which is rich in vitamin A.  Her primary clients are the Malawian government and NGOs who buy and distribute OFSP vines to local farmers.

In Malawi, research shows that 800,000 children under five are malnourished while one million suffer from Vitamin A deficiency. OFSP is a unique product that improves the nutritional status of pregnant women, new mothers and children under five.

“I am proud that I am one of the CIP commercial vine multipliers who is committed to fighting malnutrition and vitamin A deficiency. I highly appreciate the technical assistance I continually receive from CIP,” said Fannie.