**Malawi**: Mbora, an agri-fintech social enterprise, is transforming rural agriculture by providing digital financial tools, micro-loans, AI-driven farm management, and climate resilience solutions to smallholder farmers, fostering economic empowerment and sustainable farming practices.
Africa’s agritech sector is undergoing a significant transformation driven by cutting-edge technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), Internet of Things (IoT) enabled precision farming, blockchain for transparent supply chains, and innovative agri-fintech solutions. This technological evolution is reshaping the continent’s agricultural landscape, shifting it from subsistence farming towards becoming a data-driven, market-oriented powerhouse.
At the core of this transformation are millions of smallholder farmers who form the backbone of Africa’s food security. Startups are emerging as vital players in this ecosystem, blending local knowledge with innovation to address longstanding challenges such as limited access to finance, fragmented markets, inefficient supply chains, and climate change impacts.
One notable example of this is Mbora, a Malawian agri-fintech social enterprise that focuses on empowering smallholder farmers with digital financial tools and sustainable farming practices. Founded in 2020, Mbora seeks to break the cycle of poverty in Malawi’s rural areas by positioning farmers as true business partners rather than mere beneficiaries.
Adrian Raisbeck, Mbora’s co-founder and CEO, shared with Connecting Africa that the venture’s foundation was deeply personal. “I founded Mbora to prove that rural communities can build lasting prosperity through enterprise, not dependency. Growing up in Malawian villages, I saw both the strength of rural life and the missed potential,” he explained. Alongside co-founder Claudia Haak, Raisbeck aimed to fuse technology with trust at the grassroots level to spur rural development.
Central to Mbora’s innovative approach is MboraMAX, a digital platform that integrates agricultural finance with real-time farm management tools. The platform enables farmers to obtain micro-loans tailored to their crop cycles, access data-driven agronomic advice, and directly connect with buyers, thereby bypassing intermediaries. This digitises traditional village savings groups and brings secure, regulated micro-finance services to previously unbanked farmers. “We provide smallholders with everything they need and connect them to our guaranteed market, cutting out middlemen and ensuring fair prices,” Raisbeck said.
Climate resilience is a key focus for Mbora. The company incorporates AI, satellite data, and proactive crop monitoring to manage climate risks and optimise yields. Its sustainable practices encourage regenerative farming techniques such as cover cropping, integrated pest management, and soil restoration, which bolster the resilience of farming systems amid Malawi’s climate challenges. Additionally, Mbora’s hubs are solar-powered, demonstrating the practical use of clean energy in rural settings. The enterprise also collaborates with conservation partners to develop livelihood models that protect biodiversity and support communities close to national parks.
Partnerships play an essential role in Mbora’s business model. The company is engaged in discussions with financial institutions to expand services into underserved communities and already hosts digital agency platforms for a local bank and an international remittance organisation. It works closely with village chiefs and local committees to ensure cultural alignment and community ownership. The advisory board includes leaders from Google, KPMG, and Coca-Cola, bringing strategic insight to the operation.
Despite its progress, Mbora has confronted several challenges since its inception. Early community scepticism, infrastructure deficits in power and connectivity, and regulatory complexities in finance were among the obstacles faced. These were addressed through innovations such as solar power, satellite internet, securing full Reserve Bank of Malawi licensing, and integrating climate-smart crop monitoring technologies. Accessing capital remains a hurdle, but Mbora employs a blended finance model combining philanthropic grants, impact investments, and commercial revenue streams from its village bank and agricultural trading arms.
“The Mbora mindset is a mix of grit, curiosity, and integrity,” Raisbeck remarked. This approach has kept the company agile and authentic in its mission to empower rural farmers and foster sustainable agriculture across Malawi. By integrating technology, finance, and social impact, Mbora exemplifies a new wave of African agritech ventures driving rural transformation and food security.
Source: Noah Wire Services
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