By Wendy Mkandawire
The Tobacco Commission has launched the Know Your Grower” (KYG) project aimed at improving the traceability of Malawi’s tobacco and strengthening the country’s competitiveness in the global market.
The Commission’s spokesperson, Telephorus Chigwenembe, said the initiative seeks to build a comprehensive database of tobacco growers to meet international buyers’ requirements for product traceability from farm to market.
He said the KYG project is expected to increase confidence among tobacco buying companies and strengthen the integrity of Malawi’s tobacco value chain.
According to Chigwenembe, the project will also address challenges that have led some buyers to fail to purchase auction tobacco, resulting in high rejection rates on the market.
Under the initiative, growers’ information will be collected during the licensing exercise starting July 27, 2026.
Chigwenembe said the project will be implemented in phases. The first phase will focus on collecting farmers’ details, farm locations, farm sizes, and other required data.
The second phase will involve inspection activities to be conducted by Commission-appointed personnel.
The Commission has since called on all tobacco growers to participate in the registration exercise, stressing that only those registered under the KYG project will be eligible to sell their tobacco during the 2026/2027 marketing season.
