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Community Recycling and Urine-Based Fertiliser Among Winners of NCA's Malawi Innovation Fund
At the 2026 NCA-DCA Innovation Fund Pitching Event in Lilongwe in August, six finalists, from universities to rural communities, waited in silence as judges prepared to announce which bold ideas would receive support to tackle Malawi’s toughest challenges, writes Francis Botha.
The competition left judges with a difficult task. On one side were research-driven innovations backed by scientific testing and academic rigour. On the other were community organisations presenting practical solutions born from lived experience and daily struggles.
Anticipation peaked when chief judge Francis Botha and fellow judges selected from diverse background including commerce and financial institutions, entered the hall carrying two oversized dummy cheques. As Botha praised all finalists and acknowledged the support of government, civil society, financial institutions and the private sector, the audience including innovators waited anxiously for the winners' names.
Cheers, ululations and table-thumping erupted when Green Innovation Centre, a little-known grassroots organisation from rural Lilongwe, was announced as runner-up. The organisation secured MWK38 million for its innovative approach to turning plastic waste into valuable products such as bricks, shopping baskets, tables and farm tool handles.
Innovations Transforming Communities
Founder and Chief Executive Officer Alinafe Velemu was overcome with emotion, initially struggling to speak after receiving the award.
"We recycle plastics into reusable products, thereby protecting the environment," said Velemu. He said the funding would help expand production, employ more young people and strengthen waste collection efforts, including the purchase of a refuse collection truck.
The overall winner was the Malawi University of Science and Technology (MUST), which received MWK78 million for its innovation that transforms human urine and locally available minerals into granular fertiliser. The project aims to improve fertiliser storage, handling and farmer acceptance while providing a cheaper alternative to conventional fertilisers.
MUST senior lecturer and postgraduate coordinator Jabulani Nyengere said the funding would enable the team to commercialise the technology and increase production.
Innovation is essential to creating lasting change
"With this support, we will acquire machinery capable of producing about 10 bags per hour, making affordable fertiliser available to more farmers," he said.
The judges' decision was widely praised for recognising both academic excellence and community-driven innovation. Significantly, the two winning projects tackle issues at the heart of Malawi's development agenda: mounting plastic pollution and the high cost of fertiliser, which continues to threaten food security for millions of smallholder farmers.
Speaking during the event, NCA/DCA Country Director Stefan Jansen said locally driven innovation was essential in responding to climate, economic and social challenges.
"Innovation is essential to creating lasting change. Communities are best placed to understand their challenges and develop solutions that respond to their realities," he said.
He said NCA/DCA believed communities were best placed to understand the challenges they face and develop solutions that respond to their realities.
Jansen said investing in local innovation strengthens resilience, promotes sustainable livelihoods and empowers vulnerable populations.
Labour, Skills and Innovation Minister Joel Chigona commended the initiative, saying it aligns with Malawi 2063 by promoting agricultural productivity, industrialisation and entrepreneurship.
From Ideas to Lasting Impact
Held under the theme "From Ideas to Lasting Impact: Breathing Life into Locally Tested Ideas for a Resilient Malawi," the event attracted 123 applications, with only six innovations making it to the final pitch stage.
Since its launch in 2025, the NCA-DCA Malawi Joint Country Programme's Innovation Fund has become a respected platform for identifying and financing practical solutions to Malawi's development challenges. Strengthened by lessons from its first year, the 2026 edition increased funding levels and broadened opportunities for innovators. The programme is now actively seeking partnerships with financial institutions and other private-sector players to grow the fund and support more transformative ideas.
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