OVOP Group
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Zakudimba Producers Cooperative Society Limited (ZAPCO) |
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Total number of member: 389 members (male: 181, female: 208)
P.O. Box 132, Bvumbwe, Thyolo, Southern Region
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At Malawi International Trade Fair |
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Zakudimba Cooporation makes leafy vegetables, onions, carrots, maize, dried vegetables, jam, tamato sauce and juice. The shelf life for dried vegetable is prolonged, which enables us to eat vegetables throughout the year.
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ZAPCO Background |
| Zakudimba Producers Cooperative Society Limited was initially known as Chitsanzo Farmers Club and on February 17th, 2004, it was established as an association which was called Bvumbwe Vegetable Growers Association and had 600 members. On May 22, 2009, it was registered as a limited Cooperative Society Limited with the Ministry of Industry and Trade and was renamed Zakudimba Producers and Marketing Cooperative Society Limited. The cooperative is now producing a lot of products through support from several organizations. Raw materials for the products are extracted from natural fruits, herbs and vegetables. |
ZAPCO'S Motto |
| Feed the nation with organic foods without limitations. They aim to be among the pioneer rural cooperative to be exporting organic foods to neighboring countries and beyond. |
Vision |
| To be the biggest leading producer and processor of quality vegetable products at a reasonable price locally and internationally. |
Mission Statement |
| Promoting vegetable farming, collecting and marketing processed vegetables, thereby improving the social status of all members. |
Objectives |
To make vegetable farming and processing as the major economic activity in the area for all farmers.
To promote small scale agriculture operations.
Promote value addition to vegetables. |
Storage and handling of ZAPCO products |
| The products that are produced by ZAPCO are stored in perfect conditions. This is done in order for the products not to be altered in both nutritive and medicinal values. The dried food stuffs are packed in clean sterile packages which ensure that right levels of humidity and temperature are maintained. The fresh food stuffs are packed in clean virgin sterile trays and placed in a cold room so that the juices produced by this cooperative remain the best and meets consumers needs and expectations. |
ZAPCO Composition |
It has six zone and eighteen clubs. The zones are
1. Bvumbwe central zone.
2. Makungwa zone
3. Thunga Chizunga zone
4. Mpenda zone
5. Manjolo zone
6. Chawe zone
The clubs are:
1. Nkhalango club
2. Nabomba club
3. Sikaula club
4. Mpenda club
5. Mwaiwathu club
6. Matenje club
7. Chafuta club
8. Chigudu club
9. Chinkwende club
10. Chiyembekezo club
11. Chitsanzo club
12. Chisawani club
13. Chamwavi club
14. Chisomo club
15. Misitu iwiri club
16. Umodzi club
17. Nambuna club
18. Kuunika club
19. Nachiwale
20. Nzotheka
21. Thokozani
22. Tiyesenawo
23. Taziyala
24. Ngomano
25. Lusciano
26. Tilipo
27. Tilimbike
28. Tikondane. |
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Our Main Products |
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Dried Vegetable |
Dried Tomato |
Dried Onion |
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Basic Information |
24 July 2008 |
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Group Name |
Zakudimba Producers Cooperative Society Limited (ZAPCO) |
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Membership |
389 members (male: 181, female: 208) |
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Year |
Year of Establishment: incorporated in 2004
Year of OVOP participation: 2004 |
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Representatives |
Modestrar Malota / Felix Chuma |
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Address |
P.O Box 132, Bvumbwe, Bvumbwe, Thyolo, Southern Region |
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Tel |
01608184 / 01608183 / 01608185 Mobile: 0995 224 524 / 0888 183 675 |
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Products |
Hibiscus flour (Chidede), lemon grass, Ginger, Garlic, Neem.
These products help in the maintenance, restoration and boosting of body immunity. They also tackle diseases like BP, Diabetes among others.
The products come in powder form except Chidede , which comes in both liquid and powder forms.
Dried vegetables (Mfutso), including Chisoso, Nkhwani, Onions, Khwanya, (exotic and indigenous)/Fresh fruits and fresh vegetables.
Juices- mango, pineapple, tomato, Oranges etc.
Jam- Tomato, Mango, Pawpaw, etc
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Location |
Southern Region, Thyolo District, Bvumbwe Area |
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Market |
Bvumbwe Tradeing Centre, OVOP Antenna Shop |
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Group Information |
[Support from OVOP/JICA]
Purchase of 5 solar driers (MK30,000/machine). Recently accepted a loan for tomato puree machine. OVOP also distributed the Association's T shirts to all the members.
[Support from Other Organizations]
Received a grant from Agriculture Development Research Program (ADERP) MK18.5 million to be used for cold rooms, mobile pumps, sprayers, seeds, etc. for three years from 2007.
[Contribution by members]
MK50/year. If not paid, it is deducted from vegetable sales.
[Support by District Assembly]
Agriculture Development Coordinators are assigned to each one of the clubs to give advice.
[Background]
The association was formed and incorporated in 2004, constituted from 23 farmers' clubs (600 farmers). The number decreased because of the over-expectation of many farmers. The association listened to the radio about OVOP activities and contacted the village administrator, who introduced OVOP Secretariat to them.
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Strength and Opportunities |
[Human Resources]
The Executive Committee works as a trader of vegetables, while they pay MK200 as a membership fee.
[Production]
The Association intends to centralize all solar driers in one place so that they can apply for MBS.
[Product]
All members are producing organic vegetable by manure and natural insecticide.
[Market]
Vendors usually pay in cash, while hotels pay 3 weeks after the delivery. The demand for dried vegetables is bigger than the supply; vendors often have to wait for production.
[Promotion]
The Association could utilize radio advertisement for free of charge. The Executive Committee also prepared a poster.
[Infrastructure]
The Group is currently in preparation of the construction of a new factory for tomato puree and sauce under OVOP's financing.
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Challenges |
[Production]
Use of solar driers is included in the member fee; although the Association wishes to have more solar driers (MK18,245 per machine), they cannot purchase them due to insufficient capital. On the other hand, it seems that only one solar machine is actually in use; people are rather drying vegetables in a traditional manner.
[Product]
Although dried vegetable sells well at the local market, supermarkets do not accept the product due to their poor package and non-accredited MBS status.
[Quality Control and Sanitation]
Neither quality control nor hygienic regulations are put in place.
[Capital]
Capital accumulation is not enough although the surplus is saved in a bank (current saving is MK18,000). If the Association had a capital, it wishes to deal with agriculture inputs to generate revenues for the association.
[Administration]
The Group does not have sufficient capability to conduct proper cost accounting.
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